Fast Food Boom People today are busier than they have ever been; household adults have at least one job just to make ends meet. The overall dynamic of the house has changed immensely since the 1920’s when fast food was first introduced to the American society, and even though the United States is still in a down economy, one thing remains the same, fast food restaurants. Even though most people know that fast food contributes to health problems, it still remains a part of the American life. There are more options than ever before, and while the big name restaurants are slowing down and sometimes fading out, fast food restaurants keep their doors open and even open new ones. The fast food industry is steadily growing through their affordability, convenience, and most of all their food. For starters, fast food is inexpensive, which makes it one of the main reasons why it people opt to stop. Fast food can keep costs down with the use of less expensive ingredients. The fast food industry as a whole is huge in comparison to regular sit down restaurants; this allows them to make deals to keep costs at a bare minimum. Making a deal with a baker, to buy thousands of pounds of bread, or promising a slaughterhouse to purchase thousands of pounds of meat products, is one way that the fast food restaurants can keep their costs to the consumers low. Changing the ingredients in the recipe has also contributed to lower expenses. Slaughterhouses are now using every part of the animal versus just the prime cuts, for example using chicken parts versus chicken breasts to make chicken sandwiches. It really isn’t any different than when the McDonald brothers approached Sunkist about buying their discarded oranges to make fresh squeezed juice, it of... ... middle of paper ... ...-Book Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 28 April 2014. Wilson, Richard L. Historical Encyclopedia Of American Business. Pasadena, Calif: Salem Press, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 29 Apr. 2014. SARAH ANDERSON - AP Business, Writer. "Drive-Thrus Search For Ways To Stand Out." AP Online (2006): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. Rappeport, Alan. "Chains relish 'better burger' challenge." Financial Times (London, England). (September 17, 2011 Saturday): 477 words. LexisNexis Academic. Web. Date Accessed: 2014/04/28. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation, The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. 68-69 Emily Cardiff “Addictive Ingredients in Fast Food and their Effect on Your Body” September 9, 2013. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/addictive-ingredients-in-fast-food-and-their-effect-on-your-body/
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Perennial, 2002.
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. With each generation that passes, brings fast food chains into more homes and continues impacting lives.
Every month, at least ninety percent of Americans visit a fast food restaurant and about forty- five percent of them make it a weekly occurrence. These statistics make it safe to say Americans are obsessed with fast food, but why are Americans addicted to these restaurants? Is it the low prices, quick service or the taste of the food? According to Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side off the All-American Meal, he believes “It’s easy, it's filling, and it's convenient and inexpensive.” Therefore, the consumption of fast food is now directly correlated to the obesity epidemic in America. Consequently, the recent obesity increase in the United States has labeled America the fattest country.
Out of the millions of ways to spend twelve hundred dollars yearly, American’s are found to spend this amount of money in the fast food industry. The working class, lower class, and children are mainly attracted through fast food marketing methods. These methods enable continuous growth within the fast food industry, and allow for it to be a staple for these socioeconomic groups. The nutritional value is not a top priority for both parties because it is inexpensive, made quickly, and taste good. These socioeconomic groups are vital towards the success of the fast food industry. It is producing billions of dollars in revenue from disadvantaged consumers, endangering meanwhile their health. They widely use the cradle-to-grave marketing strategy
Fast food restaurant chains are a popular and convenient choice for eating on the go in our modern society. There are certainly several positive aspects to fast food establishments, but are the potential health detriments and collective negative effects on society worth it? Or would it be better to support locally owned and operated restaurants? Here I will examine several facts pertaining to these restaurants, as well as explain why I personally believe we should not frequent these establishments, but rather support local restaurants.
The book called Fast Food Nation is an insightful book that even in the title itself creates an impact on readers, and gets their minds to visualize what exactly it means. Our country has slowly but surely become centered around fast food and all the wonderful things that appear to come along with it. Almost everything we have in our country goes back to the fast food industry, and how it influences the everyday lives of Americans. This influence that is inflicted upon the US citizens is not a positive thing, because of the horrible impact that it is having on the the consumers of the fast food. Fast food can cause results that are negative to consumers that eat this particular style of food that has swept the nation, because of the unhealthy
Section 1: Typically, we need a well-balanced meal to give us the energy to do day-to-day tasks and sometimes we aren’t able to get home cooked meals that are healthy and nutritious on a daily basis, due to the reasons of perhaps low income or your mom not being able to have the time to cook. People rely on fast food, because it’s quicker and always very convenient for full-time workers or anyone in general who just want a quick meal. Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation argues that Americans should change their nutritional behaviors. In his book, Schlosser inspects the social and economic penalties of the processes of one specific section of the American food system: the fast food industry. Schlosser details the stages of the fast food production process, like the farms, the slaughterhouse and processing plant, and the fast food franchise itself. Schlosser uses his skill as a journalist to bring together appropriate historical developments and trends, illustrative statistics, and telling stories about the lives of industry participants. Schlosser is troubled by our nation’s fast-food habit and the reasons Schlosser sees fast food as a national plague have more to do with the pure presence of the stuff — the way it has penetrated almost every feature of our culture, altering “not only the American food, but also our landscape, economy, staff, and popular culture. This book is about fast food, the values it represents, and the world it has made," writes Eric Schlosser in the introduction of his book. His argument against fast food is based on the evidence that "the real price never appears on the menu." The "real price," according to Schlosser, varieties from destroying small business, scattering pathogenic germs, abusing wor...
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Print.
Over the last three decades, fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society and has become nothing less than a revolutionary force in American life. Fast food has gained a great popularity among different age groups in different parts of the globe, becoming a favorite delicacy of both adults and children.
Fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. Everywhere you turn you can see a fast food restaurant. An industry that modestly began with very few hot dog and hamburger vendors now has become a multi-international industry selling its products to paying customers. Fast food can be found anywhere imaginable. Fast food is now served at restaurants and drive-through, at stadiums, airports, schools all over the nation. Surprisingly fast food can even be found at hospital cafeterias. In the past, people in the United States used to eat healthier and prepared food with their families. Today, many young people prefer to eat fast food such as high fat hamburgers, French-fries, fried chicken, or pizza in fast
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: HarperCollins, 2005
Fast food, as an industry, has received heavy criticism over the quality of the ingredients in its food. In addition to that, most fast food is perceived as unhealthy. There have been countless studies about what exactly is in fast food. It is assumed that there are no healthy options and that you will be forced to eat unhealthily if you choose to eat out. These articles provide evidence of health benefits from not eating fast food, as well as evidence of there being healthy options within the industry. As people become more health conscious, sales within the industry are likely to decline which is why it is imperative that franchises adapt and embrace this change in paradigm.
In the conclusion I would like to say that Schlosser managed in the reportorial voice to tell the history, economic and day to day dealings, and negative implications of the fast food industry through delivery impressive examples of information. Fast food in United States seems to be truly American and considered to be as harmless as an apple pie. However, through his book Schlosser proved that the industry drive for consolidation and speed has radically changed the American diet, economy and workforce in the destructive way.
...ently which is why the Obesity epidemic has increased at a fast pace over the last thirty years, that and the tripling numbers of fast food restaurants. Today consumers have a choice of different options to not eat fast food or to eat healthier items offered at these restaurants. Thing to consider when ordering or when considering eating out as much is the way the food is handled and processed, the chemicals, and the steroids that the food is injected with. Fast Food in America has widely become a part of the American culture and if people don’t make significant changes soon the American People will continue to see: rising numbers of obesity rates, heart problems, excessive weight gain, and a list of other health issues.
Since 1980 the total number of overweight and obese Americans has doubled. The fattest state in America is Mississippi, with 1 out of every 4 people being obese. Each day approximately one out of fourteen Americans eats at a McDonald’s, and each month about nine out of ten American children visit one (Schlosser and Wilson 7). There are more than 31,000 McDonald’s selling Happy Meals in 120 countries, when in 1968 there were only about 1,000 McDonald’s that were solely located in the United States (Schlosser and Wilson 7). Due to McDonald’s excessive advertising their “Golden Arches” of the “M” are now more widely recognized than the Christian cross (Schlosser and Wilson 8). One of the most important things people buy is food and yet most people don’t think, nor care where it comes from (Schlosser and Wilson 9). Fast food is sold everywhere all across the globe. Americans spent approximately $6 billion on fast food in 1970; in 2006 they spent about $142 billion (Schlosser and Wilson 10). These number changes are astonishing and only increase by the year. What’s even more astonishing is that according to ...