The Rise of McDonald's and Fast Food Franchises in America

What comes to mind when you hear the words "Fast Food?' Do you think of the salty french fries, the greasy burgers, and the cold soft drinks? Or do you think of the fast service, the catchy advertising slogans, and the low prices? Ordering fast food at a fast food joint has become just as common as going to school or work. In fact, just about 25% of Americas eat fast food every day. I found that statistic here. There are about 50,000 fast food chains around the United States, McDonald's being the largest. I also found that information on the same website. Since people eat at fast food restaurants so often, they might often forget how fast food started or how their lives might be without it. 

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Before the 1950s, there was really no such thing as fast food. Then, in 1948,in San Bernadino, California,  McDonald's opened its first of many restaurants. The first items on the menu were hamburgers, cheeseburgers, soft drinks, milk, coffee, potato chips, and a piece of pie. The menu has changed since now, but the impact the first fast food restaurant had was immense. It allowed Americans to eat meals on the go and not have to waste time cooking meals at home. Eating fast food was cheaper as well; the first McDonald's burgers were sold for a  low price of 15 cents. I found all of that information here!

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McDonald's wasn't the only fast food chain that was on the rise. In 1954, Burger King was founded and they introduced their famous flame broiled burgers. Burger King basically offered the same menu items as McDonalds, but it was another restaurant and a new and different way to eat meals. I found that information here.  To put into perspective how quickly fast food became, in the 1970s, Americans spent around 6 BILLION dollars on fast food alone. I found that astounding fact here. 

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In the present day, Americans spend billions of dollars on fast food every year. In 2000, we spent a whopping 110 billion dollars on the greasy delight. I also found these facts here. So, it can be said that the fast food industry has had a massive impact on the economy in a relatively small amount of time. 

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However, just because the fast food industry has brought large amounts of wealth to the economy, doesn't necessarily make it a good thing. Fast food has been linked to childhood and adult obesity and mistreatment of animals. Childhood obesity has just about doubled since the 1970s, when fast food started taking off. I read about that statistic in this article. "Fast food is heavy on fat, salt and sugar, and reduced nutrient. Fifteen percent of American children are overweight and the number is growing" (Schlosser 1). Many fast food companies are also criticized for the way they treat the animals they raise for slaughter. This website has a video and information about how McDonald's mistreats chickens. 

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Over the years, the fast food industry made an immediate and lasting impact on Americans and people all over the world. It gives us a fast and easy method for meals and makes them affordable. Fast food can also be dangerous to your health, as I have shown in numerous statistics. The fast food empire also gets into loads of trouble with animal rights activists about the way the treat their animals used in their products. So I think that we can all agree, our lives would be completely different had fast food not come along.