FOOD AWAY FROM HOME

 Food away from home in Mexico involves everything from world-class restaurants in the

major cities and resorts to road-side taco stands without running water or electricity. The best

of these facilities are extremely conscientious about their ingredients and handling. Accordingly

they buy ingredients from sources that can ensure the quality and reliability. As mentioned

previously, the meat and produce industry have firms that have developed a corresponding image

and can satisfy the needs of these restaurants.

 At the other extreme, the smallest restaurants buy many of their perishables from

neighborhood retail vendors. Their ability to keep perishables from deteriorating is limited and

so they must use the ingredients soon after buying them.

 Between these extremes are restaurants, hotels, and institutions that are larger and better

equipped than the small traditional stands, but unable to justify the expense of the quality control

and top of the line ingredients of a fine restaurant. Many of them may be very modern.

Included in this category are many fast food franchises, including McDonalds. Shakey's Pizza,

Burger Boy, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, and even Taco Bell. The perishables

handling in these more modem operations is good. However, the National Association of Fast

Food Services (Asociaci6n Nacional de Servicios de Comida Ripida) has reported problems

related to the consistency and quality of the supplies of meats and produce. They ascribe these

problems to deficiencies in transportation and poor sanitary practices by producers, processors,

and other intermediaries.