Fast Food Nation Essay

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser exposes the evolution of the fast food industries and the dangers and the negative ways in which it boomed. The first chapter, The American Way reveals the progressiveness of some fast food founders such as Ray Kroc. As the fast food industry grew and evolved, the way meals were served and made changed as well. The fast food restaurants started out having neon signs to attract customers cruising by on the roads and had waitresses known as carhops serve the food. Food was grown on farms and would take time to grow and be able to be sold. These carhops would be girls who would wear short, themed clothes and usually would be attractive to attract customers. The carhops would ride on roller skates and deliver the food to each customer. As fast food …show more content…
After developing this mind concept, fast food chains started directing their marketing toward children. They realized children would beg their parents for the food and bring in not just one customer, but two or three. They 'd advertise their company on commercials, offer toys in kids meals, and create and manage kid clubs. While fast food markets are focused on success, their workers receive minimum wage and work maximum hours, but not overtime because companies save money when no one works overtime. Companies would hire teenagers, the elderly, and the impaired or disabled to work for little pay. This forces the workers to work as long as they can in order to have enough money to barely support themselves. The fast food industry went from having skilled cooks, carhops, and being successful to inexperienced workers, machines, and craving success so much, that they crush anyone who opposes them. The areas once filled with animals, orchards, and plant life turned into highways, interstates, intersections, and fast food restaurants. Although the industry has boomed, it 's methods have had negative and positive