As you approach the fast-food restaurant you see the neon yellow, blue, and red circle beckoning you to turn into the parking lot. The lot is currently empty, save for a few cars, as it is dark and well past the dinner hour. As you’re exiting your car, your stomach rumbles. That rumbling is, after all, the reason you decided to stop here. You begin to walk towards the door and can smell the grease wafting through the air from the fryers inside. The smell gives you a slightly nauseous feeling. The outer walls of the building are made from very old, red bricks and the shingled roof slopes over the sides of them. This restaurant is old and hasn’t been redone like the McDonald’s a few minutes down the road. Lights faintly illuminate the advertisements on the wall and display the various combo meals, none of which are healthy options. You approach the heavy glass door, intent on going inside.
As you pull the handle on the glass door, it is heavier than you expected, so you pull harder. Inside you are greeted by a handful of bright, electronic menu boards constantly rotating through the various foods and drinks the place offers. You notice that while there are plenty of choices, like burgers, fries, and onion rings, there is seldom anything that would be considered good for you. You walk through the maze of metal bars to reach the counter to order. At the counter you are greeted by a cashier who asks for your order. After some internal debate, you order the same fried chicken nuggets that you always do. The cashier responds that it will be ready in a few minutes. As you wait at the counter, you take notice of all the employees in the back, doing various tasks. One person is running the fryers, constantly putting chicken nuggets, fries, and onion rings into the burning oil. Another is just standing, their drive through headset devoid of any noise at this late hour. The manager, a short, stout lady with gray hair with a grimace, orders those around who decide they have nothing to do. Suddenly, you’re asked if your order is for here or to go, you decide it would be nice to stay.
Once you pick up your tray, you walk towards their dining area on the right side. You look around at the dozens of seats, and eventually settle for one of the many empty booths. The seat and table are made of stained wood, showing their age through the scratches covering them. There is a pale pink stripe around the edge of the table, matching the cushion on the back of the seat. The floor beneath you is made of laminate tiles and is in need of scrubbing from the day’s fryer grease and dirt-stained shoes. The place is disgusting, but you don’t mind since you aren’t here for the atmosphere. The window to your right shows the other food-chains and stores littering the street outside. One of them is a Subway, maybe you should have gone there and gotten a sandwich, instead of the fried food you got here. Finally, you look down and begin to ingest the calorie-laden dinner in front of you.
You eat your food slowly, starting with the chicken nuggets. They are dry, but their greasy flavor somehow compensates for that. You then begin to pick at your french fries, which is a food you probably eat more often than you’d like to admit, as they are just that addictive. Finally, you eat your onion rings which are something that’s not offered at places like KFC or McDonald’s. Of course, you had to get the onion rings here. You wash it all down with your large Coke or Pepsi. The absurd amount of calories, salt and sugars in these items aren’t really a huge concern to you at the moment. You came here because you were hungry and wanted something quick and cheap. But you should be concerned about how much fast food you eat, especially when it’s fried. Every single day almost eighty-five million Americans consume fast food (Stahl). This gross amount of fast food is a large contributor to the American obesity crisis and heart disease. You and many others know that the chicken nuggets and burgers touted by these chains increase health risks, yet you choose to eat them anyway. You may argue that you eat it because it’s cheap or quick or because you can’t afford anything else, but there are always other options.
You realize you have finished your meal and quickly begin to rise. You throw your trash into already full waste bin and place your filthy tray on top of it. As you leave, the few remaining workers tell you to have a good night and you respond in kind. You push hard on the glass doors and exit, seeing the sign still glowing even brighter now that it’s completely dark. The parking lot is now completely empty except for your car and those of the workers in the back. As you walk towards the vehicle, your stomach begins to slightly ache. You realize that eating all that fried food so late at night may not have been the smartest choice. You look to your left and realize the Subway down the street always advertises health conscious foods like veggie sandwiches. The McDonalds on your right has items like salads and fruit parfaits. You reach your car, open the door and climb inside. Your stomachache is now in full force and you wonder if maybe next time you should go for the salad instead.
Works Cited
Stahl, Stephanie. “85 Million Americans Eat Fast Food Every Day, New Study Reveals.” CBS Philly, 3 Oct. 2018, https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2018/10/03/85-million-americans-eat-fast-food-every-day-new-study-reveals/.