One interesting way to begin a discussion or paper about fast food is to describe the history of fast food. How did fast food develop and how did it become so popular? Answering these questions is a great introduction to this topic.
Restaurants are nothing new, but the idea of "fast food” is a newer concept. In ancient Rome and Greece taverns usually served food and drink to their guests. These places served food out of necessity not because the guests though it would be "fun”. For a long time, people liked to eat at home more than they liked to eat at a restaurant. In the 17th century people like to drink coffee and beer in taverns, but "eating out” didn’t start to become popular until the late 18th century.
Fast forward to 1921--Wichita, Kansas. White Castle was one of the first fast-food chains in the United States. White Castle sold burgers and fries and helped to popularized hamburgers across the nation. In the 1930s drive-through fast food restaurants began to appear. Of course McDonald’s followed suit in 1948. McDonald’s was so popular that other fast food chains started to pop up all over the United States.
Las lifestyles changed and people became more mobile, the popularity of fast food continued to increase. Fast food was cheap, tasty, quick, and fun. You could eat it in your car which many families now could afford to buy. Eventually fast food would get a bad reputation for unhealthy and unsanitary food. The backlash against fast food continues today with movies like "Supersize Me”, but even the fast food naysayers can’t combat these huge corporations.
Fast food is still popular for the same reasons it became popular when it first appeared. Even though many people realize it’s unhealthy, it can be difficult to resist a quick and delicious burger from your favorite restaurant.
Restaurants are nothing new, but the idea of "fast food” is a newer concept. In ancient Rome and Greece taverns usually served food and drink to their guests. These places served food out of necessity not because the guests though it would be "fun”. For a long time, people liked to eat at home more than they liked to eat at a restaurant. In the 17th century people like to drink coffee and beer in taverns, but "eating out” didn’t start to become popular until the late 18th century.
Fast forward to 1921--Wichita, Kansas. White Castle was one of the first fast-food chains in the United States. White Castle sold burgers and fries and helped to popularized hamburgers across the nation. In the 1930s drive-through fast food restaurants began to appear. Of course McDonald’s followed suit in 1948. McDonald’s was so popular that other fast food chains started to pop up all over the United States.
Las lifestyles changed and people became more mobile, the popularity of fast food continued to increase. Fast food was cheap, tasty, quick, and fun. You could eat it in your car which many families now could afford to buy. Eventually fast food would get a bad reputation for unhealthy and unsanitary food. The backlash against fast food continues today with movies like "Supersize Me”, but even the fast food naysayers can’t combat these huge corporations.
Fast food is still popular for the same reasons it became popular when it first appeared. Even though many people realize it’s unhealthy, it can be difficult to resist a quick and delicious burger from your favorite restaurant.
