How Fast Food Is Affecting American Society

Fast food and America Society

What do you think of when someone says “fast food”? Most people’s mind probably will show juicy chicken, crispy French fries, and delicious hamburgers. Fast food is a popular form of food in the United States, which makes me wonder how fast food affects American society. I read some articles and a book about fast food, such as “Junk Food”, “Introduction to Fast Food: At Issue”, and Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. From my research, I learned that fast food is an indispensable part of American life. Most people know that most fast food is junk food. However, that does not stop people, and they still like to go to fast food restaurants since the food is so tasty. Fast food also meets American

For Americans, convenience also affects their food choices. Most people like to eat tasty food. If the food is tasty and easy to buy, people will choose this kind of food. People will not think about whether this food is healthy or not because they cannot resist delicious food. I think that is one of the reasons for fast food restaurants’ success. Fast food restaurants offer a lot of conveniences for consumers. For example, people can buy food when they sit in their car. They only need to drive to the sale window. Without getting out of the car, they can get the food they want. Also, fast food restaurants like McDonald’s can be found anywhere, such as shopping malls, airports, and business streets. Multiple locations are convenient. People can buy their favorite meal everywhere. Moreover, many fast food restaurants also provide small play areas for children. It is a smart business strategy. Small play areas not only satisfy young kids, but they also offer convenience for their parents. Fast food restaurants which have a play area are great places that help parents entertain their children. The slides, seesaws, and plastic balls are easy ways to amuse young kids. Thus, parents like to bring their children to have meal in McDonalds. Eating at such a place not only provides affordable prices for parents, but it also saves children’s entertainment expenses. In addition, the fast food industry gives away different free toys

With the fast pace of life, people pay more attention to increasing their quality of life. Thus, Americans tend not to spend their free time cooking. One of the Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin said that “Time is money” (Brainyquote). Time has great value to Americans, so they do not want to waste it doing unimportant things. Most Americans want to use their time efficiently, which allows them to achieve desirable goals. Fast food chains offer Americans the opportunity to save time. Preparing French fries, fried chicken, and hamburgers in fast food restaurant only takes a few minutes, which satisfies people’s demands and expectations. For example, I often see some students or commuters buying breakfast at a fast-food restaurant when they are in a hurry to go to school or work. Also, when our family has a journey by car, we like to take a break at a fast-food restaurant. This not only saves our time, but it also fills our bellies. Moreover, fast food restaurants provide reasonable prices on food, which also attracts consumers. Thus, people prefer fast food. The article, “Introduction to Fast Food: At Issue” describes the problems that fast food brings to our society during the development of fast food. “In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2014, fast food sales were projected to be more than $195 billion. According to a 2013 Gallup poll, eight in ten Americans report eating fast