After coming to America one of the most interesting matter that came into my attention was the gigantic fast food industry.The American fast food industry is the largest in the world, and American fast food outlets exist in over 100 countries across the globe. Fast food has become a part of American culture, as well as Western culture as a whole. Fast food used to consist of local produce being sold in markets or at stalls, but when cars became popular, drive-in restaurants were established, along with the idea of having a combination of high volume production, low costs, and speedy preparation. With today’s busy lifestyles and convenience surrounding us, the fast food industry fits in nicely. Usually, fast food can be eaten on the go and without even using cutlery. A fast food nation is not without drawbacks though

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One of the biggest reasons for the meteoric rise of the fast food chain in our country is the simple fact that our world has become so fast paced, and our eating habits have had to evolve to keep up. One obvious instance is the change in the pattern of the family structure. In this day and age the majority of modern mothers have their own outside careers, rather than being housewives. In years past, it was considered part of a woman’s homemaking duties to make sure there was a hearty meal prepared from scratch waiting on her family when they got home. As increasing numbers of wives and mothers have entered the workforce over the decades, those days have disappeared. Now, when an exhausted mother leaves her job after putting in a full day’s work, the last thing she feels like doing is going home and slaving over a hot stove in order to prepare her family a meal. She glances at the huge billboard for the fast food restaurant, shining like a lighthouse beacon. The billboard promises the dog-tired mother that, in exchange for just a few moments of her precious time, she will be rewarded with plenty of tasty food to take home, and a house full of happy kids. Of course, many women find this an enticing proposal, and many of them succumb to it night after night.
So what’s in fast food? While healthy and organic fast food restaurants do exist, they are largely the exception rather than the rule. Most fast food burgers are made using low quality meat taken from low quality animals, in a nutshell. They usually contain a multitude of parts that are mashed together to form one burger. The fact that the meat comes from various animals and animal parts means that disease can be more widespread. On top of this, the way the animals are treated when they’re alive also causes concerns, not just with animal rights groups, but also with cautious consumers.

Apart from the actual food they serve, fast food chains are also criticized for worker exploitation, and many workers have gone on strike in recent years, demanding better pay and better treatment and shining a spotlight on the life of fast food workers. A higher proportion of fast food workers earn minimum wage than in any other American industry, and there is a very high turnover. There is little focus on individual appreciation and advancement, the focus is on mass production. Having said all that, approximately 4 million people are employed in the food service industry, which includes fast food, so it does provide job opportunities, both short-term and long-term.

Even though fast food industry offers employment opportunities to many people, it is vital to put into account the detrimental effects of these restaurants to the well-being of the society at large. It is absurd that many people do not take time to think of the content and the mode of preparation of the foods they purchase.