Fast food

Fast food is a category of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale. Its primary goal is to provide extremely rapid service to customers.

This commercial term describes food sold in restaurants or stores using frozen, preheated, or precooked ingredients. These items are typically served in specific packaging for takeaway or takeout. The industry was created as a commercial strategy to serve busy commuters, travelers, and wage workers. By 2018, the global fast-food industry reached an estimated value of $570 billion.

The mechanism of fast food relies on speed and standardized preparation. Some outlets provide pre-cooked meals that reduce waiting times to mere seconds. Large hamburger chains, such as McDonald's or Burger King, use mass-produced ingredients to maintain this speed. These ingredients include bagged buns, condiments, frozen beef patties, and pre-washed or pre-sliced vegetables.

Workers assemble these items "to order," meaning they put the components together only when a customer asks for them. This process allows for high volume and low cost.

Fast food outlets appear in many different forms and stages. Some are simple stands or kiosks that provide no seating or shelter. Others are full-scale quick-service restaurants.

Many large chains use a franchise model. In these operations, standardized foodstuffs are shipped from central locations to each individual restaurant. A common feature of these restaurants is the drive-through, which allows customers to order from their vehicles. Some even use carhops who wear roller skates to deliver food to cars at the curb.

History shows that the need for ready-cooked food is tied to urban development. In emerging cities, many homes lacked proper cooking tools or enough space. Procuring cooking fuel was often as expensive as buying the food itself. Furthermore, cooking with large amounts of hot oil was dangerous and could cause neighborhood fires.

In Ancient Rome, urban residents living in apartment blocks called insulae relied on street stands. These stands featured large counters with receptacles to serve food or drink. In 12th-century China, people ate fried dough and soups, while people in Baghdad ate processed legumes and ready-to-eat meats.

The modern fast food era saw massive growth in the United States after World War II. As the economy boomed, a culture of consumerism grew. More women entered the workforce, meaning both members of a household often worked outside the home. Eating out shifted from a luxury to a daily necessity for busy families.

In the UK, the mid-nineteenth century saw the rise of fish and chips. The first shop opened in 1860, and by 1920, there were over 35,000 shops across the country. In 1921, the American company White Castle opened the first hamburger chain, selling burgers for five cents each.

There are significant social and health implications regarding fast food consumption. Many fast foods are high in calories, salt, sugar, and saturated fat. Studies have linked these diets to increased risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and high cholesterol. Other linked conditions include insulin resistance, colorectal cancer, and depression.

These associations remain strong even when researchers account for other lifestyle variables. This suggests a powerful connection between fast food and increased risks of early mortality.

Today, fast food is integrated into many different systems of modern life. It is often designed as "finger food" to be eaten on the go without cutlery.

You can find it at filling stations, where gas stations sell pre-packaged sandwiches or use microwaves for frozen goods. Street vendors also play a role, using carts or trucks to sell items like falafel or hot dogs.

In the United States, the industry employs approximately 5.4 million workers as of 2018. The industry also connects to technology, as smartphone apps now allow customers to order meals directly to their homes.