What does “upscale” mean these days, and when did it first creep into the vernacular?
It seems that in the 1960’s this word was applied to businesses catering to clients with newly acquired movable wealth (not plastic wealth). Upscale meant “not for the masses”. But we shouldn’t confuse “upscale” with “upper class”. We here in the democracy of America, where everyone is created equal, do not like to view our society as a class-based one. Of course, it is class-based, but not in the same way that other societies are. We take pride in Equal Opportunity and the American Dream, where everyone starts out and ends in a state of equality. Nevertheless, while we are alive and breathing, we like to mark ourselves so as to indicate our class. We wear brand logos so that everyone knows we afford Gucci sunglasses or a Channel bag. It’s like we’re all covered in neon signs.
Stupid? Well, we ARE giving these companies FREE advertising, just so we can telecast that we have arrived. “Look at me! I’m so hot. I wear Armani. I can afford to shop. Nanny-nanny-boo-boo. You shop at Sears.”
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We are fooling ourselves. We really haven’t arrived because brand logos are so common now that they have lost meaning, unless of course you are an adolescent and these things mean the world to you. How is one to set oneself apart when the hoi polloi are wearing Armani?
Eating.
That’s right. Food is the real marker of Upscale. Nowadays, it’s not so much what you put on your
body as what you put into your face that shows just where you rank. If you can afford to eat at Craft more than once per year (and not during Restaurant Week), AND if you can get a reservation during the holidays, prime time, then
you are approaching upscale. If you ONLY eat out at Jean-Georges, Per Se, Masa, Nobu, Blue Ribbon Sushi, The Modern, Eleven Madison, Le Bernadin,Bouley or the like, and you do it regularly, then you are truly Upscale.
Burgers: The Changlings.
Burgers and the flipping of such are indicators of class, at least in the mind of many Americans. Fast food burgers, dollar menus and super-sizing are not for those who fancy themselves “upscale”. A neighborhood burger joint can range from vile to delightful, the vile using the lowest quality of meat, the cheapest and nastiest fats for frying, high-fructose everything for flavoring, and virtually no vegetable matter, unless it’s used to spread the cheap meat even further. Value of Nutrition versus Calories: Almost Zero. We’ve all been in one of those places, where the fat hangs so heavy in the air you can almost see it.
In an upscale burger joint, the meat is top-grade, the oils high grade, the vegetables fresh and crisp, the flavoring natural, and instead of a soda fountain with 32 ounce drinks, there is a full bar with juices, beers, wines, and sparkling water. Value of Nutrition versus Calories: Pretty good. Cost differential: 80%. For a low-wage worker who earns $8.00 per hour, a $14 burger is not an option. A $4.00 value meal is, even though it is 1000 calories, mostly empty and from fat – not good for the body, not at all.
Upscale now has cross-polymerized into the arena of health. Many people can easily blow $300 on a pair of sunglasses for reasons of status, but they remain unconcerned about the food that they are eating. Is it that healthy foods are too expensive or not available, or is it that social pressures force people to choose between outward indicators of class and a healthy lifestyle? Or are they being marketed to in a way that victimizes them? The problem is complex, and obesity, the fall-out of cheap junk food, is a touchy, touchy topic.
Fast food does not have to be empty junk calories. There are healthy alternatives to the deep fried and highly-sugared-salted fare that crowds some neighborhood streets. But only a great awareness of long term health issues and accessible alternatives will encourage better eating.
