Toumlin Essay

The first fast foods to start were fish and chips. In 1950, the drive-through restaurants were popularized in the United States. Fast foods are quick alternatives to home-cooked meals. They also have very high fat, sugar, and calories in them. Traditional food methods are quickly being replaced by consumption of takeaway foods. The time that was used in food preparation is getting lower and lower. Urban development has led to ready-cooked food sale among other things. Cooking fast foods at home proved too costly and dangerous. This encouraged them to buy ready-made food from restaurants and drive-through.

Later on, this triggered Americans to start spending more and buying more fast foods. This desire boomed and expanded. Couples mostly women, began adapting the fast food methods. In most families eating out which was more a luxury, became a necessity. From workers to working families, needed quick service and inexpensive foods (Han, 2005). This made the fast food outlets to succeed. It is no secret that the United States is leading the world in the fast food industry. American fast food restaurants are located in over 100 countries. With the global expansion, these chain of restaurants offer positive outcomes for those who are involved. Some of the pros of fast foo restaurants are:

1. They create employment to very many people. Over 4.7 million workers are employed in these restaurants in areas from food preparation to food servicing.

2. They also save many peoples time by ensuring that working people get ready made food fast and at very cheap costs.

3. It has also increased the livelihoods of these employees. Since they get paid after working, their salaries improve their lives and also help them provide to their families and their needs.

4. These fast foods drive also act as government revenue through the taxes they pay.

5. They have also made work and life easier for families that do not need to prepare food at home but can just buy already prepared foods.

These foods also have their vices and negative consequences. For status, they are full of fats and calories; these can lead to obesity. These are not the only health problems that come with fast food. They can also result in heart problems, high blood pressure among other health complications. Fast foods also encourage laziness. Most families and individuals do not invest time in preparing food. They just buy fast foods, which are already prepared for them.

These foods have also contributed to people not wanting to eat healthily. Fast foods are very appealing to the eye because of their colors and the fact that they are filled with sugars which make them very sweet. This attracts the children, teenagers and also the adults. Let’s face it; everybody loves sweet things. Fast foods also limit the ability of a person to decide when to stop eating it. Their attractive appearance and sweetness have led to people just eating and eating. They have no control. They stop when they get full but also eat in small quantities every time because these foods are readily available and very appealing both to the eyes and the taste buds.

Worries about obesity and the health of citizens have inspired many local governments to take action. The government has proposed the limitation and regulation of fast food restaurants. This has proven to be a little difficult because most of the American adults are not willing to let go and to change from their fast food consumption (James, 2010). However, some areas are more affected than others. This means that some places have a high percentage of fast food restaurant stores than others. Those with the higher percentage are difficult to control as most individuals are adapted to this lifestyle.

Fast food outlets keep coming up with ways of improving their services. They ensure that they have the drive-through services that allow customers to order and pick even from their vehicles. There are even outdoor and indoor seating areas made for customers. The development in IT has also made it easier for customers to make their orders from their homes through their smartphones and they are delivered. Fast food stores also ensure that they are strategically located in places where they are ready customers (Hagstrum, n.d.). These are places that are crowded or never lack people around. For instance, the gas stations. Mostly they sell frozen foods and other foods like sandwiches and chocolate bars.

Other locations are near colleges and universities, near offices and in the street vendor areas. Fast food standard menu items include fish and chips, sandwiches, pitas, hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries, onion rings, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, hotdogs, and ice-creams. Although these foods make life easier for the customers and also save time. They also have negative side effects like the health problem issues. The only way to control these is by having limits in taking them to ensure our health and long life.

References

Hagstrum, David. Fundamentals of Stored Products Entomology. n.d.

Han, Jung H. Innovations in food packaging. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press. 2005.

James, Bernard. Americas Midwest. West Palm Beach: Hunter publisher. 2010

Schobert, Harold H. Energy and society. n.d.

Van Voorst, Robert E. Anthology of World Scriptures. n.d.

MUST USE

1. The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity.Rockville (MD): Office of the Surgeon General; 2001. 

I Introduction and thesis  II Background Info  a. First example  b. Second etc.  III Support for Claim  a. First example  b. Second example, etc.  IV Opposing View Discussion  a. First possible opposition to claim  b. Second, etc.  V. Your rebuttal to all the points in IV  VI. Conclusion