There are so many different types of fast food places in America to choose from. It’s ridiculous; people from other countries come to America and are amazed by all the fast food places we have to offer here. This is the reason why a lot of Americans are so overweight and people in other countries are seen as “healthier”.
With fast food being so fast and easy, according to this blog from Escoffier titled “ 2024 Consumer Dining Trends: How Americans Are Spending on Restaurants and Takeout,” 51% of people dine on fast food. Fast Food is something, as mentioned before, that’s very common in most households. Blue Vault states, “ According to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics, 36.6% of American adults consume fast food daily. “ Since inflation, more people are starting to eat at home because it is cheaper than purchasing fast food.
Although it can be fast to get fast food, it’s not cheaper than buying groceries. This article from North Brookfield Savings Bank states, “$152 monthly eating just one meal out to eat daily! At most, this could cost as much as ($20/day x 365 days /12 months=) $608/month. Now, imagine feeding a family of four with fast food.” One meal can seem cheap, but after a while, everything can add up. It is pricey, and fast food is not the best for your diet. Now, since inflation, most Americans are buying less and less fast food and eating more home-cooked meals. An article titled “ Fast Food is too expensive, says a majority of Americans, “ by Restaurant Dive explains, “ A majority of Americans (62%) are eating fast food less frequently due to rising prices, while 78% of consumers said eating fast food is seen as a luxury, according to a LendingTree study of 2,000 U.S. adults completed in April.
Why do most Americans consume fast food?
America is one of the countries where they consume the most fast food. This article titled “Fast Food Consumption in the United States,” from GerdHelp, states, “Fast food is quick, relatively cheap, and made by someone other than you or a family member. America 
is a country with plenty of hard-working citizens, so time and money are often highly valued. It is pretty simple to swing your car into a drive-through and order an inexpensive meal for the family within minutes.” Being so speedy and most Americans working many hours, they need something convenient to their time.
You may wonder why, at times, you find yourself craving fast food or wanting more of it, but have you heard why? Jessica Sutcliffe from Try Habitual stated, “ dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends chemical messages from your brain to the rest of your body.” It’s sometimes known as a ‘happy’ chemical because it’s associated with your sense of pleasure and reward.” With that, People create habits of always wanting that ‘happy relief’, which isn’t always the answer. This article from Piedmont Health states, “In other words, these foods literally tell your brain that you’re not full, and you need more of the food. It sounds so good, but actually, you are not fueling your body, but burdening it to work very hard to metabolize junk food.” When you consume fast food, your brain makes you crave more of it. It’s what fast food places do as well to get you to want more of an item. As you buy more from them, they produce more to make consumers happy, but they dont always add healthy ingredients. Instead, they always put calories, ingredients, added stuff, and more in super small lettering so you don’t read it.
California has many fast food restaurants. Here is a list we found on KTLA 5 of the most popular ones.
Favorite Fast-Food Chains Among California Residents
| Rank | Restaurant | Interest Over Time Period |
| 1 | McDonald’s | 3 |
| T-2 | Taco Bell | 2 |
| T-2 | In-N-Out Burger | 2 |
| T-2 | Jack In The Box | 2 |
| T-5 | Chick-fil-A | 1 |
| T-5 | Wendy’s | 1 |
| T-5 | Chipotle | 1 |
| T-5 | Burger King | 1 |
| T-5 | Del Taco | 1 |
| T-5 | KFC | 1 |
| T-5 | Carl’s Jr. | 1 |
Eating too much fast food can come with multiple health complications. Medical News Today states, “Fast food tends to contain various substances that are generally unhealthy. It is high in sugar, salt, saturated or trans fats, and many processed preservatives and ingredients. It also lacks some beneficial nutrients.” There are many negative effects of fast food, which can
be long or short term. Not having a healthy lifestyle can even lead to heart attacks, strokes, and obesity. The National Library of Medicine mentions, “Over the past 50 years, the health of Americans has gotten worse, and now 71% of Americans are overweight or obese—not 66%, which was reported 5 years ago. That means a staggering 100 million people in America are obese.” It doesn’t just include fast food leading to those harmful ways, but junk food, processed foods, and excess sugar as well.
If you are trying to improve your habits, it’s best to avoid any type of processed foods. Avoiding any foods that have a lot of sodium, sugar, and fats would help a lot. Even if you are in a hurry and still need to stop by a fast food restaurant, there are always healthier options than fried food. Grocery shopping for healthier options can be more expensive, but in the long run, it would benefit you and your health.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s is one of the most popular fast-food restaurants all over the world. The first McDonald’s restaurant was founded in 1940 in San Bernardino, California. This restaurant offers a lot of things. The Big Mac and quarter pounder are the most popular for adults. Kids most likely are there for a kid’s meal, which includes a toy. If you like chicken, they offer chicken nuggets or a McChicken sandwich. For breakfast options, they have their famous McMuffins, or you can get oatmeal and coffee.
You can find McDonald’s in over 100 countries, they each country has different types of food to adapt to each country’s culture. For example, in India, McDonald’s offers a lot of types of vegetarian food due to dietary preferences.
Chick-fil-a
A lot of people love Chick-fil-A, especially where we are from in California. Chick-fil-A was founded in 1946 by S. Truett Cathy 1946. The first Chick-fil-A ever built was in Hapeville, Georgia. They are famous for their chicken sandwiches, which are breaded chicken breast with a buttered bun and a choice of pickles. You can also add American cheese if you like. Chick-fil-A has had some growth over the years. As of 2023, it has over 2,600 different locations across the United States. Chick-fil-A is also loved because of how good their customer service is; every time you say thank you, they will also say my pleasure.
Burger King
Burger King was founded in 1953 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was first called “Insta-Burger King.” Burger King is famous for their Whopper, which has a grilled beef patty, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, and onions on a sesame-seed bun. They are known to grill all of their burgers so they can outshine their competitors. As of 2023, Burger King has over 18,00 locations in more than 100 countries, Burger King is one of the largest fast food chains worldwide.
Carl’s Jr
Carl’s Jr is a popular American fast-food restaurant chain known for its burgers. The restaurant was first founded in 1941 in Los Angeles, California, but it has expanded all over the United States. Not only do they serve lunch, they also serve a large amount of breakfast. They serve breakfast sandwiches and French toast. Many people are not fans of this restaurant, and their food prices are insanely high.
Taco bell
Last but not least is Taco Bell. Founded in Downey, California, in 1962, it is a Mexican fast food restaurant and is known for its hard-shell tacos. It is one of the largest fast-food restaurant chains in the United States. Not only do they serve hard tacos, but they also serve soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls, nachos, breakfast, and more. They even have their famous slush drinks that are so refreshing and good. Even though Taco Bell has a lot to offer, their prices are so affordable for anyone, and they have good quality food.
Student Interviews
We interviewed some students here at Buena Park High School on their opinion on fast food, what places they go to, and how often they eat fast food. We also asked them if they prefer fast food over home-cooked meals, and more. Here is what the students we interviewed had to say.
We first interviewed Junior Andrea Lopez. We asked, “ Do you eat fast food often? “Andrea replied, “ No. “ We then asked, “ Do you prefer fast food over home-cooked meals?” She said, “ No. Another question we asked was, “ What’s your favorite fast food place to go to?”Her response was, “ Probably McDonald’s because I live nearby. “ We also asked her what she gets from there, and she said, “ A sausage egg McMuffin. “ We asked her out of Chick-fil-A and Canes which one do you prefer? Andrea said Canes. The last question we asked her was, “ Do you prefer Wingstop or Dave’s Hot Chicken?” She said, “None. “
We then interviewed Junior Cecilia Alvarado and asked her if she ate fast food often, and her response was, “ Yes, I eat it pretty often with my family.” Then we asked her, “ Do you prefer fast food over home-cooked meals? She said, “ No, I love my mom’s cooking. “ The next question was, ‘What’s your favorite fast food restaurant?” Cecilia said, “My favorite fast food restaurant is Raising Canes. “ We asked her what she gets from Raising Cane’s, and she said, “ The box combo with a Dr Pepper. “ The next question we asked her was, “ Out of Chick-fil-A and Canes, which one do you prefer? She said, “ I would prefer Raising Canes. “ The last question was comparing Wingstop and Dave’s Hot Chicken, and she said she would prefer Wingstop.
Our next Interviewee was Sophomore Jesus Hernandez. We asked him, “ Do you eat fast food often?” and Jesus replied, “No.” Jesus doesn’t prefer fast food over home-cooked meals. Jesus said his favorite fast food restaurant is McDonald’s. From McDonald’s, he usually changes his order so he doesn’t have to go to order. He would rather pick Raising Canes and Dave’s Hot Chicken.
The last person we interviewed was Junior Lourdes Cardenas. When we interviewed her and asked her if she ate fast food often, she said, “No. “ Her favorite place to get fast food is In-N-Out, and she usually gets a burger, animal-style fries, and a drink. We asked her, “ Do you prefer Chick-fil-A or Raising Canes. “ Lourdes said, “Chick-fil-A. “ She also said that she would pick Wingstop over Dave’s Hot Chicken because she had never tried Dave’s Hot Chicken.
All in all, there are many fast food restaurants all over the world. Some have places California doesn’t have. Everyone has their preferences and likes. As you can see from our article and what we covered, students love Raising Canes and Wingstop.
