Why Do American Eat Fast Food?

While everyone generally knows that fast food is not good for their health, however people still eat it for various reasons. Most people that buy fast food have low incomes, are uneducated, and/or are people just trying to save a couple of bucks. Most people trying to save money are buying fast food and it is costing their health in the long run. This will eventually end up costing people even more money.

While most people generally know that fast food is not good for their health, they still eat it for various reasons. Most people that buy fast food are low income, uneducated, and/or are people just trying to save a couple of bucks. However, the people trying to save money by buying fast food will eventually end up spending more money from the cost of doctor 's visits, medicine, etc.

Fast food is exactly how it sounds: food that can be quickly produced for a simple meal. Although they may be satisfactory, they are anything but healthy. Eating fast food is appetizing which is one of the main reasons it is so popular. Not only does it taste good to many, but it is inexpensive, too! America is the number one place for fast food. There are over 160,000 fast food restaurants in the United States and over 50 million Americans are served fast food daily. The frequency of eating fast food is also a problem because according to statisticbrain.com 44 percent of Americans confessed to consuming fast food once per week. What people do not realize is the harm that fast food is doing to their body. Not only is fast food a

Fast Food Nation is an attempt to link the American eating style and food-production patterns. Fast Food Nation is written by Eric Schlosser, he presents a perspective on the development of societies adapting to the way that food is produced. The quickly growing demand for hot, ready food was rising at substantial rates shortly after World War two. Schlosser states, “The McDonald brothers’ Speedee Service System revolutionized the restaurant business.” The McDonald brothers wanted to perfect the drive-in restaurant business and started their very own walk-up restaurant. They sold burgers, fries, and soft drinks that were available almost before the customer ordered. By increasing the demand for fast food, supplies began to be

Fast food has been around since before 1950 and has only grown in popularity since. One of the first and now most popular fast food restaurant is McDonalds. Opened by the McDonald brothers in 1948 as a small restaurant chain in California was soon transformed by Ray Kroc into the corporation many Americans know today as McDonald 's. After the opening and growth of McDonald 's, many other restaurants began to follow the same system as them. This resulted in Wendy 's, Burger King, the growth of White Castle, and many other very popular fast food establishments all over the United States. Fast food chains easy access to fast, good, and easy food has fueled the growth in these places and the negative health results that come from them. Since

Fast Food Nation examines the history of the fast food industry as the world began to consume the idea of quick and easy cuisine. This piece of investigative journalism really gives it 's readers a look at the fast food industry and its development over time. This book is divided into two sections. The first section delves into the beginnings of the industry and how it developed into the large corporational business it is today. The second section examines the business behind the scenes.

The majority of Americans enjoy fast food like bees enjoy their honey. Fast food is hard not to love due to families experiencing fast paced days, parents who work more than 20 hours a week, and having children with picky appetites can be rough. For most American families, it can be a challenge to not consider eating fast food more than once a week. The fast food industry has grown tremendously through the years. The one restaurant that is known all over the world for their golden arches and their big macs is McDonalds. With knowledge and personal experiences, I can say that McDonalds is by far the worst fast food restaurant in America. I believe this due to how unhealthy the food is for our bodies, the disturbing facts about the happy meals, the poor service, and the non-cleanliness of the restaurant.

This book discusses the fast-food industry and seeks to describe the impact of the industry on the U.S. economy and society. Also, it talks about the guys who has been investigating the fast food industry for many years. From his broad research, he has uncovered an abundance of little-known, frequently unsettling truths about the fast food industry.

"Fast food is popular because it 's convenient, it 's cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu," was said by Eric Schlosser. Several people in America have become dependent on fast foods. How many of the people who eat this food actually know what is really in the food or how it was made? Others don 't think about it, because within ordering, three minutes later a customer can pull up to the window, pay, and get food. It is quick and cheap. The United States has become dependent on fast foods because they are everywhere, but the consequences of these facilities have brought health issues and closing of community restaurants.

From a study completed by Chicago-based Research International USA completed a study called “Fast Food Nation 2008. The panel consisted of 1,000 respondents of ages 16-65 who provided their inputs with an online survey which was conducted between March 13 through 2008. Which was based on results on fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s are gaining popularity even through the economic hardship and recession. Marketing strategy has become more of influence on kids and young American’s. As population grows and the demand increases of fast food restaurants are expanding their stores to capturing more consumers. Fast food chains are also willing to change their menus to continue to gain and retain repeating customers.

The New York Times bestseller Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is one of the most riveting books to come out about fast food restaurants to date (Schlosser, 2004). Fast food consumption has become a way of life for many in the United States as well as many other countries in the world. The author Eric Schlosser an investigative reporter whose impeccable researching and bold interviewing captures the true essence of the immense impact that fast food restaurants are having in America (2004). Beginning with McDonald’s, the first fast food restaurant, which opened on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois to current trends of making fast food a global realization McDonald’s has paved the way for many fast food

As of now in the United States there are 22 fast food franchises. McDonalds was the first franchise to open in 1940 and since then they have been the leading and most successful franchise in America (“The Raw Prawn” n.p.). Other franchises include: Burger King, KFC, Wendy’s, Arby’s, and Taco Bell. Each of which target young students and children. Most of them have a value menu where items to purchase are cheap and tasty but very unhealthy. Some fast food restaurants provide a toy for children with their meal which attract them to come again and again ( “Eating Yourself to Death” n.p.). In addition, some restaurants contain an indoor play ground which attracts small children even more. The fast food industry mainly brings customers for their tasty food and simple convenience, they attach a drive thru to their building making it faster for customers to purchase and collect their food which is also less time consuming. Recently in the past few years, fast food franchises have begun to change their restaurant and attempt to become healthier as a whole, in some fast food restaurants they have a nutritional menu to choose from which generally contain healthier food compared to the regular menu (“The Raw Prawn” n.p.).

If we look at the fast food industry today there is room for success. Based on RNCOS’ new US Fast Food Market Outlook 2010, fast food industry growth rate is strong. Especially, hamburger sales growth is reported at the healthy rate of 4.6% in 2008. The market is expected to grow to cross the $170 billion marks by 2010.It is believed that due to the economic meltdown, fast food industry is benefiting from people being more prices conscious. People who were enjoying nice means at fancier restaurants are now turning their choice of means to more economical ways.

Hook/Attention getter: Isn’t fast food is your first choice in your daily life when thinking about eating? According to the National Restaurant Association (2005), the total sales of fast food in America reached $163.5 billion. Thus, the fast food industry is becoming a global business as well.

The company researched for the purpose of this paper is McDonald 's. This company 's history dates back since 1940 when Mac and Dick McDonald initially opened McDonald 's BBQ restaurant located in San Bernardino, CA. In 1948 they shut down the restaurant, just to reopen it as a self-service drive-in restaurant. According to About McDonald’s (2012), their menu included only 9 items, such as: milk, coffee, soft drinks, cheeseburger, hamburger, potato chips, and a slice of pie. Potato chips were then replaced by French fries. The history of this company is significantly market by Ray Kroc, who in 1954 at a visit to McDonald 's in San Bernardino decides to have a franchise of McDonald 's. A year later, in 1955, he opens his first restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. The franchising plan allowed growth and by 1965 there were more than 700 restaurants across United States. McDonald 's