It is perhaps no mystery that the fast food industry originated in the United States. The invention of cars as well as the hurried pace of life have spurred a rapid growth of popular restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's among a dozen other. The low price and convenience of these establishments have helped them become a popular choice in the eating habits for countless Americans. Yet, as the name implies, fast food is just that. It is processed and standardized food that tastes the same - in Boston as well as in Paris. With its highly automated preparation and uniform procedures we have all come to expect that a McDonald's hamburger will taste the same no matter where it is prepared. .
Many social groups have protested the expansion of this part of the American culture being exported at such a high pace. The establishment of fast food chains has occurred in exponential numbers, their appearance not always welcomed by the communities in which they franchise. The success of international entry is something of a phenomenon, studied and copied by many entrepreneurs due to its relaxed barriers of entry. Yet, the implication of a McDonald's restaurant a third of a mile from the Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany, leaves many wondering if there is any place sacred and safe from this corporate giant. Over the fifty years as fast food has been on the market, rapid changes have been made to how we cook, consume and prepare food. With global infiltration and consequences, this industry bears a lot of responsibility to operate its business ethically, yet to many it has bore all costs on its customers as well as on its workers. From obesity, to low wage jobs, to farmers all, have been affected. The impact of the fast food industry has largely gone unnoticed and unexposed, yet its presence has increased. It is possible; however, to counteract the wrongdoing to society and to the environment that is costing us far beyond the $99 hamburger.
