Fast Food

The popularity of fast food has been surprising. Millions of Americans eat from McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, etc. We can have breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner within a couple of minutes from ordering it. This is the main reason as to why it is such a large industry. They capitalize on the laziness or the busyness of the average American. These days, not a lot of people have time to make a good breakfast to start their day or to prepare a home-cooked meal for the family.

We can attribute our laziness to the fact that we have had so many options in what we can pick up in a matter of minutes. Hamburgers, chicken, pizza, and subs are just some examples of the available foods to choose from. Most of us do not have the time or just don't feel like cooking a good meal at home.

One group of people that fast food has profited the most from is college students. Being one myself, I know this is true. We don't have time in the morning to sit for a bowl of cereal so we end up having a cup of coffee, or, if we're lucky, we have a doughnut with it. Sugar and caffeine are what keeps us going when we have to stay up late to study or get up early for class. I know a couple of people in my culinary class that are practically addicted to caffeine, and they even say they need coffee in the morning to get their day started. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts make their money taking advantage of them by supplying them with what they "need."

In the middle of the day, we all get hungry. People need something to hold them over if they don't have time for a good meal. A lot of people only have an hour or two to grab something to eat. That's not nearly enough time for us to go home and make something, especially for those who travel to get to work or school. Getting a burger or a slice of pizza is the easiest way for someone at work or in school to fill him or her up until dinner.

Many working single or busy parents often bring home fast food for their kids after a long day of work. They're either too tired too cook or it's too late for them to start making something from scratch. It may not be the healthiest option for them, but it is the easiest.

In conclusion, fast food has gained its popularity mainly because of its convenience. They start the morning for those who need to be up early, fill us up in the middle of the afternoon, and end the day for those