Ethnography and the Recession: Part II

I just returned from an MRA (Marketing Research Association) board meeting in New York. This was my first trip to New York since last June. It was somewhat of a shock for me to discover how depressing the mood is in New York. Clearly the impact of the financial markets is having a huge impact on the psyche of NYC. This led me to add to my list of an ethnographer’s observations on the recession.

• There was only one person ahead of me in the line to catch a taxi at JFK – compared to 40-50 people on my last trip.
• One of my “usual” restaurants, which had always been packed, was about one-third full, and they were running a $35.00 prix fixe meal offer.
• The organic salad, carry-out place that usually had a line out the door for lunch was almost empty.
• Many restaurants were offering everyday 25% to 50% discounts on a bottle of wine.
• The busiest restaurant in Times Square was McDonalds.
• My hotel dropped the room rate twice between my initial booking and my arrival.
• Fellow MRA board members were sharing tips during our breaks on what their firms are doing to cut costs.
  

Now I wonder if these are temporary lifestyle changes, or are Americans permanently changing the fundamental way they do things. Your thoughts?