On his website Fancy Fast Food, designer and writer Erik Trinidad revamps fast-food meals to look like plates you’d see at a five-star restaurant.
His tagline: “Yeah, it’s still bad for you — but see how good it can look.”
Photo: Erik TrinidadTrinidad says fans of the site think the cheap but impressive-looking dishes are “timely in our economic downturn” or “a great resource for guys trying to impress girls without having to shell out for an expensive restaurant.”
They’re also another example of how presentation can change perception of quality and value.
Photo: Erik TrinidadRelated: The Economist released its latest Big Mac Index.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
Where’s the big mac?
The “Tacobellinis” are amazing !
From the link: Using a paper towel, dab the grease and ketchup from the (White Castle) bun??? Good grief.
I just wish that Big Mac would become “Healthy Mac.” In other words, they would get out of the “junk food” business and try the healthy food business. I would imagine that as more and more people become college educated here and worldwide, they would welcome the “Healthy Choice.”
My doc just told me the other day, if you know your own health risks, you are a fool not to do something about it. I cannot agree more.
Very impressive. The McSteak & Potatoes (i.e. the Big Mac) is on page 3: http://www.fancyfastfood.com/page/3.
The other way to make mediocre food seem impressive is to garnish each ingredient with a string of adjectives.
They still look pretty awful and greasy…and tan.
Re your note about the Big Mac Index:
When you buy a Big Mac you also buy the local minimum wage, health insurance, and old-age pensions. The linked Big Mac Index shows as “overvalued” the currencies of countries whose payroll taxes exceed those in the U.S.
Similarly, “undervalued” currencies are those of countries whose payroll taxes are generally less than those in the U.S.
Adjusting for social insurance costs would make the Big Mac Index much less dramatic at the exchange used in the current index, to which you provide a link.