Noodles are ubiquitous to Thai fast food and the Mama brand of instant noodles are integral to the Thai noodle scene. In fact Mama brand is so popular in Thailand that the brand name is often used on menus in Thailand, for dishes such as Yam Mama (Noodle Salad) or Paht Mama (Fried Mama Noodles). Mama even has its own Facebook fan page! Because instant noodles are especially economical, appealing to college students and artists, the maker of MAMA, came up with its own economic index, the Mama Noodles Index which accurately forecasted a weakening of the economy in 2005.