The digital lords of taste: Gastronomy under techno-feudal rule

Abstract

Techno-feudalism is one of the most important economic and social concepts of the 21st century. This topic is still debated across many sectors. The current study makes a novel contribution to the literature by addressing techno-feudalism through the field of gastronomy. Food delivery applications, visibility, and prestige systems emerge as potential techno-feudal companies of food. Chefs, business owners, couriers, and consumers within this system are presented as the most visible stakeholders of the digital feudal order. The dependency structures shaped along the axes of production and distribution relations, labor processes, and cultural representation highlight that gastronomy is being transformed in economic, cultural, and social ways. Otherweise, movements opposed to classical capitalism, such as the Slow Food movement, restaurant cooperatives, and alternative platform initiatives, represent counter-hegemonic examples against the techno-feudalist order. While the study brings to light the effects of techno-feudalism in the field of gastronomy, it also points out the relevance of alternative organizations and political interventions. Thus, techno-feudalism is conceptualized as a potential structure that will shape the future of gastronomy.