The Impact Of Fast Food On America

It was a cruel rainy day in Wichita, Kansas in the year of 1921. Edgar “Billy” Ingram, former reporter, and Walter Anderson, short order cook, made a decision to change the lives of the people in America for the next ninety years and many more to come. They took a pair of scissors and cut the red ribbon to the first ever fast food joint in history, known as White Castle. After that, White Castle was only one of many restaurants built throughout America. From the first McDonald's built in 1955 to the first Wendy’s in 1969. And it didn’t stop there, from drive thrus to providing work for teenagers, it’s not hard at all to see why the invention of fast food has impacted America,including the benefits and negative effects it’s had on society.

This is why fast food is one of the biggest and brightest innovations in America today, considering it only started around seventy-five years ago, only a couple years after the end of World War II. Before, eating out used to be incredibly expensive and could only be afforded by the upper class, but after the invention of the first fast food joints, it was able to squeeze itself into many daily lifestyles. (Harkins) One of the items that caused the expansion of fast food was the hamburger. While the inventor of the food item is unknown, the hamburger was desired by so many, it helped food joints appear all over the United States, including restaurants like White Castle and McDonalds. Once cars were invented, the need to go fast inspired the need to do other things quickly, too., including getting out to eat. By 1948, the first drive thru, produced by In-N-Out burger, was invented. When automobiles became cheaper and more popular, the it began to expand rapidly, creating chains all around the country and joints that served items other than dinner or lunch, like Krispy Kreme Donuts. Fast Food joints also opened up the opportunity for teenagers to earn jobs, and by 1978, 59% of teengares were working, most of them in diners and restaurants. (Harkins) By then fast food began to bloom, and it became after school hang out spots for teens thanks to their cheap prices and even kids as young as six walked there after baseball