Fast Food Definition Essay

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Definition Essay The term fast food has a plethora of different meanings depending on the wants and needs of a particular society and its constituents. Some people think that the so-called invention of fast food is a recent ideal; however, that is not the case. In some places around the world, such as China, ancient Europe, and India, food vendors, whom provided fast food for people have actually existed for thousands of years. During that period however, the need for fast food was far more different from the need for fast food during the twentieth century. One of the main reasons individuals began to purchase their food in the streets, was a direct result of the fact that during those times, it was considered a luxury to own your own kitchen, as well as the pricey ingredients required to prepare one’s own food. Having stated that fact, fast food back then, as well as of current, seems to be the food of the poor. As time progressed in the United States, especially during the Great Depression, so did the progression of fast food. The term fast food is often times associated with the ideal of greasy, carb-filled food that is prepared in little or no time. However, to me, the term fast food means anything that has already been prepared by someone else, saving me time in the end; quality time I choose to spend with my family. The modernization of fast food in the United States began in 1902, when the first ready-made meals began being dispensed from coin-operated machines in Philadelphia at Horn & Hardart Automat. Horn & Hardart Automat was a blend of fast food, vending and cafeteria-style eateries. In these cafeterias were housed the amazing coin operated machines made out of glass and chrome. Ten years later, ready-made meals found their way to New York. During the Great Depression, these ready-made meals gained in popularity, people started to buy

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