The Onion is a spoof newspaper. In this week's issue, they use content analysis techniques as fodder for an article. It discusses the opening of an "archive" of hundreds of thouasnds of Denny's comment cards, and what it reveals of the nation's psyche -- and the food service industry -- since the late 1950s. Fromt the article:
Historians have only just begun to unlock the secrets the cards hold, as there are over 270,000 to go through. According to Brayton, trends are already beginning to emerge.
"By examining these comment cards, we have unique insight into not just Denny's, but the tapestry of food-service heritage itself," [University of Chicago history professor Kenneth] Brayton said. "Here is a history writ large, with little yellow golf pencils."
Brayton later looks at the comment cards in light of recent events:
"Every one of the 1,579 comment cards filled out between Sept. 12 and 17, 2001 is firmly in the 'excellent' category." Brayton said. "The nation was healing, and eating a lot of Two Eggs and More Breakfast platters. After that brief, nearly utopian period, the 'fair' assessments started to trickle in. Also, we began to see a rise in the positive ratings of onion rings, although it remains unclear whether this is related."
The entire article is here.
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