Fast Food!
Fast food is everywhere. You know, the stuff that you can get in a jiffy when you’re hungry, broke or in a hurry. It’s usually yummy, cheap and easy, but also not so good for you or the planet. Fast food has become a huge part of our lives, but how did it start and how does it differ around the world? And what does it say about us and our values? Let’s find out.
##How Fast Food Began
Fast food is not a new thing. People have been eating quick and easy food for a long time, especially when they didn’t have kitchens or time to cook. For example, in ancient Rome, people would buy ready-made food from street stalls that sold bread, cheese, meat, fish and veggies . They were like the fast food joints of today, except they didn’t have menus or prices.
![A thermopolium in Pompeii]
In medieval Europe, street vendors sold pies, pastries, sandwiches and other snacks to travelers and workers. In the Ottoman Empire, kebab shops and coffee houses were cool places to hang out and grab a bite or a drink. In China, noodles and dumplings were sold by street carts and tea houses. In India, chaat (snacks) stalls offered spicy and tasty dishes.
![A Allo tikki chatt]
## How Fast Food Took Off in America
The modern fast food industry really kicked off in America in the early 1900s, thanks to things like urbanization, industrialization, immigration and car culture. As more people moved to cities and worked in factories, they needed cheap and convenient food options that fit their busy schedules. As more immigrants came from different parts of the world, they brought their own foods and adapted them to local tastes and ingredients. As more people owned cars and traveled across the country, they wanted food that was consistent and familiar.
One of the first fast food chains was White Castle, founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas. It was the first chain to use the assembly-line system to make standardized burgers that were cheap (five cents each), clean (the restaurants were painted white and had open kitchens) and tasty (the burgers were cooked with onions and served with pickles). White Castle made burgers popular in America and improved their image as a quality food item.
![A White Castle restaurant in 1930]
The most famous fast food chain in history is McDonald’s, founded by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California in 1940. They started with a barbecue restaurant, but in 1948 they decided to simplify their menu and focus on selling burgers.
fries and drinks using the Speedee Service System. They also franchised their idea to other people who wanted to copy their success. In 1955, Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent and later bought out the McDonald brothers. He expanded the chain all over the world,
introducing the same menus, logos, uniforms and ads everywhere. He also started the Hamburger University to train managers and workers on how to make good burgers and fries.
