The Importance Of The Fast Food Industry In America

In the American diet, convenience and affordability are considered more important than the quality or variety of our food. The fast food industry had a humble start with a few hot dog and burger stands in southern California, but it soon spread to every corner of the nation (“Fast Food Nation,” The Conscious Reader). Over the years fast and processed foods have become more popular; enticing consumers with the convenience and price, to buy it even though it is unhealthy. While the prices of fresh fruits and vegetables continue to rise, unhealthy food remains affordable. People are usually averse to trying new things, if they are used to fast and processed foods they become less likely to try eating healthier, especially if it comes at a greater …show more content…
Compared to the 110 billion a year Americans spend on fast food today, the 6 billion a year in the 1970’s doesn’t seem like much (The Conscious Reader, “Fast Food Nation”). It has become common to see and hear several fast food advertisements on the radio, on television, on the internet, and even on billboards. Even if most Americans know that fast food is unhealthy, 80 percent admit to eating fast food at least once a month and half eat it weekly (takepart.com, “Guess What? A New Poll Shows Americans Still Eat a Heckuva Lot of Fast Food). The typical American eats around three hamburgers and four orders of fries every week (The Conscious Reader, “Fast Food Nation”). Fast food joints meet the expectations we as consumers have come to expect, which is probably why McDonald’s alone feeds 45 million people every day (partnersforyourhealth.com, “Shocking Fast Food Statistics You Should Know”). Today the McDonald’s arches and mascots are so well known by even children, that 96 percent of American school children can identify Ronald McDonald (The Conscious Reader, “Fast Food …show more content…
People want food that is made fast, tastes good, and tastes the same every time they buy it. If the food meets the people’s standards, they have a reason return time and time again no matter how unhealthy the food is. In an experimental trial to examine the effect of nutrition labeling on meal choices, frequent fast food eaters agreed or disagreed to 11 different statements to assess reasons for eating fast food. 92 percent go frequently because it is quick, 80 percent because the restaurants are easy to access and 69 percent because the food tastes good (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, “Why Eat at Fast Food Restaurants: Reported Reasons among Frequent Consumers”). Consumers are aware that fast food is not a great nutritional choice, but many are willing to sacrifice healthy eating for convenience, or even go to indulge in delicious food (blog.gutcheckit.com, “Research says Convenience Trumps Nutrition in Fast Food”). While fast food is the go to for a convenient meal, planning a meal ahead of time can make it just as convenient to eat a more healthy meal at home (efoodsdirect.com, “The Convenience of Fast Food…At What