In an economic landscape as dynamic as the current one, the need for affordable, readily available food continues to rise. In response to this growing need, there has been a rise in fast food restaurants. In fact, according to a survey half of Americans reported eating at fast food restaurants at least week. Fast food chains market many different selling points to make themselves the first choice in the minds of people when it comes to choosing a meal.
One of the most attractive qualities of fast food in the eyes of the general public is its sheer affordability. In the current economy where food insecurity continues to run rampant within communities, this affordable food is seen as a saving grace. Affordability is a vital factor when it comes to determining meals, and fast food chains often capitalize on this need. Another attractive quality pushed by these restaurants is their availability. Fast food restaurants oftentimes form chains and spread to regions where more orthodox restaurant dining may not be as common.
For example, one of the most popular fast food chains, McDonalds, has restaurants in over 37,000 locations. The amount of locations where fast food can be purchased extends the restaurants reach to less urban communities. In these communities, the restaurants may serve as the only access to food amidst a food desert.
The two factors which people find most appealing about fast food restaurants can be simply whittled down to convenience. Affordability and availability make these restaurants especially convenient for low income families, an increasingly prevalent demographic in the United States. The majority of the popularity can simply be attributed to them serving as a lifeline for the people who most need it, and it is this image which they continue to push forward.
While fast food restaurants are extremely vital in providing easily accessible and affordable food for the varying demographics living in a country, it is important to not let its positive branding hide the numerous adverse effects. While it does help ensure people have access to food so as to not starve, it also brings about a new set of health issues. Studies directly correlate the increasing obesity rate with the increase of fast food chains.
In fact, according to the NLM, people in lower income areas are more likely to develop adult onset diabetes, the same low income areas fast food chains cater to.
Apart from its effects on health, these restaurants also lead to an increase in food waste. According to the USDA, “In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30-40 percent of the food supply.” This high food waste is largely due to the mass production of products in fast food restaurants which generate a higher supply over demand and inevitably lead to food being thrown out.
While it is important to not completely disregard the positive impact that fast food restaurants have on food availability it is equally as vital to not disregard the harm it does. It is important to view the industry as neither good nor bad, and rather a product of the current economic environment.
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