Fast Food Nation

The investigative journalist, Eric Schlosser, has written a book to illuminate an epidemic that started in America and is now becoming one of the world’s largest problems. In Fast Food Nation, Schlosser frames today’s Fast Food giants in history,American entrepreneurialism, and over consumption in respect to consumer and employee wellbeing. The power of all modern Fast Food giants combined have eclipsed the power of any one government. Marketing has become a key component to luring consumers to fast food. Schlosser makes the argument that a once All­American ideal, fast food has grown too big to control.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser is a nonfiction book that tries to show Americans what really goes on behind the flashy signs, friendly mascots, and the cheap and convenient food. In his book he covers three main topics: marketing, the providers, and the employee treatment in the food industry. After illustrating these issues, he explains how America could go about changing the all American meal for the better.

Do you ever think about what you eat when you go to eat some fast-food? These fast-food restaurants have taken over the world. In “McJobs,” By Eric Schlosser, states that, “All along the interstate, fast-food restaurants and chain stores started to open. Family-owned historic businesses downtown closed. And Martinsburg started to look just like any other sprawling American suburb.” If fast-food continues, the country of America might become a business without wilderness. It may convenient when you are out late and have no time, but is that really worth the health issues it causes? We need to stop fast

The book, Fast Food Nation was written by Eric Schlosser, he discusses how fast food has shaped the world we live in today. The store is a research-based view on how the fast food industry has consisted of low cost and speedy meals. He discusses how and why it developed, working conditions in the fast food environment, how the food can be manipulated, advertising, and how fast food has spread across the world. The book is divided into two sections. The American Way and Meats and Potatoes.

In today’s society a huge issue is that we constantly hear about the food industry in America. We often hear in the news that obesity rates have increased, or that Americans have many diseases that contribute to being obese. “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko expresses that people are at fault for making such unhealthy food choices. Others argue that the food industry is to blame for being so unhealthy. According to David Zinczenko in “Don’t Blame the Eater” he blames the fast food industry as well as the consumer. Zinczenko asks “shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast food restaurant’s?” (392). So, who is to blame for American’s eating so much unhealthy food? Should it be the consumers’ burden or the fast food companies? On one hand, as consumers we continue to purchase foods that we know are making us overweight. On the other hand, fast food companies continue to offer high in calories foods.

In the book, Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser discusses the problems that the nation is facing with fast food restaurants. Schlosser wrote this book because he was concerned with where the fast food industry was taking America. He voices his concern about the children and their health regarding meat bacteria, and the fat content of the food. He also mentions how potato farmers, cattle ranchers, and chicken raisers are suffering from the industry controlling prices too low. Another worry Schlosser has is how the meat packing factories for these restaurants treat their workers and ultimately how careful they are with the meat. There are many horrifying stories about the harsh injuries and

We live in a world that is in a continuous process of transformation, considering that progress manages to control all the aspects of individual's life. Being part of a society which is always changing makes it essential for people have to adapt to all these aspects. One of the biggest problems for the American society is that it has no time to eat, since it is always on the run. Fast food came as the greatest solution for this problem. Since the process of modernization of the American society is accelerated day by day, the fast food industry has gained its place on the market. Even if individuals are well aware of the problems they can and will encounter if they eat fast food, they are forced by the circumstances to fall back on it.

Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, is a stark and unrelenting look into the fast food industry that has ingrained itself in not only American culture, but in culture around the world. There is almost no place on earth that the golden arches has not entered. Aside from Antarctica, there is a McDonalds on every continent, and the number of countries that have fast food restaurants is growing on a daily basis. Schlosser describes in detail what happens behind the scenes, before the hamburger and fries come wrapped in environmentally safe paper and are consumed by millions of people daily

Knowing what is in your fast food might make you think twice the next time you devour it. As the rise of the fast food nation in America has increased to an all-time high, so has the weight and waists of Americans all around the country. Not only has the United States grown to love the acquired taste of greasy golden fries and juicy burgers, it has also grown ignorant to the way their food is prepared. In the novel, “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal”(2002), by Eric Schlosser, he makes compelling points in his position against the fast food industry.

The Fast Food Nation Novel and the Food Inc. stress/focus on two different things. The Fast Food Nation Novel stress more on operating fast food industries. While, the Food Inc. documentary talks more about the secret that food industries hide from its consumers. For instance, the novel tells more on the history of famous fast food restaurants such as McDonald, Carl’s Junior, and Domino Pizza. Besides that, the novel also mentioned about the process of processing the food that used in fast food industries like patties and French fries. For the documentary, it more mentioned on the bad contents in the food that most producers try to hide away from consumers to make their products more attractive.

All aspects of fast food have been criticized significantly, especially since the health food trend craze came around. An argument by culinary Luddites that is often thrown around is that our ancestors never had the access to these options and lived a much happier natural lifestyle. Rachel Laudan brought these points to the forefront to be critiqued in her writing “In Praise of Fast Food”. Rachel Laudan brings the argument that individuals have always participated in the consumption of convenience based foods, the goal in growing and producing food has always been to alter produce to make it more convenient as well as better tasting. Fast food is not as new of an invention as many believe it to be. Modern mainstream media outlets have pushed the belief that processing food has been the worst thing for the well being of the human body. Rachel Laudan makes some very solid points in the fast food debate that should be noted.

Since the 70’s there has been a massive decline in health and a very huge increase in diseases related to processed foods, and the unhealthy eating habits due to eating all this garbage that has sadly taken over many Americans diets. Which has changed throughout the years for the worst. Our generation has the ability and determination to change such things if we have a reason for which to do it. We are the future of America and future parents and should not let these problems move on to our children’s generation. Imagine you as a parent with a child that is overweight and has high cholesterol or is diagnosed with a disease that is life threatening his life just because you let him eat anything he wanted instead of taking the time to prevent all these problems that are affecting his life with simply spending a bit more time to prepare foods this would be selfish of our part. This is what is happening throughout America some people just do not care anymore. In the article “ FDA Regulation on Fast Food” Gerald Hanks pronounced that as a preventative measure to food-borne illnesses the FDA requires fast food employees to complete a food handling course (2). This is what happens when you get when you go to these fast food places food borne illnesses like obesity and heart disease. That come from these processed

Now days, you can find a fast food restaurant every time you turn a corner. According to, Sarah Muntel, the Author of “Fast Food- Is It the Enemy,” you can choose from a variety of things to eat. You can get a greasy burger, crunchy tacos, or a drink that is filled with sugar. Why should we take the time go buy and prepare a meal when there are a variety of foods all around you? That is the problem that we are facing. Fast food is extremely cheap. You can order dollar cheeseburgers, dollar sodas, and you can even make those orders supersized just with pennies. People even claim that it is cheaper to eat at a restaurant than it is to prepare a meal in your own kitchen. Most Americans now days are having overscheduled and overcommitted jobs, which means that there is no free time in their daily lives to prepare their own meals. There is not anything easier than just going through the drive thru at your favorite fast food restaurant on your way home from work, or taking your child out for a milkshake if they do well in their baseball game. The problem is, people don’t look

According to Eric Schlosser author of Fast Food Nation, "Fast food has had an enormous impact not only on our eating habits but on our economy, our culture, and our values"(3). According to Lois Williams on any given day, about one quarter of U.S. adults visit a fast-food restaurant. The typical American now eats about three hamburgers each week (2). Schlosser also writes that "thirty years ago Americans spent about six billion dollars annually on fast food. In 2000 they spent over one-hundred and ten billion dollars, more than on higher education, personal computers, or new cars (3). The reality of fast food is regarding the spreading and feeding of illness and disease; as well as the inhumane treatment of animals through modern meat

“The fast food industry generates about $165 billion in revenue annually, about 184,200 fast food businesses operate in the United States” (Pakistan & Gulf Economist). Fast food is insanely cheap, as it is intended to be. Since it is sold at a low price, the ingredients are not healthy. Most of the time the meat is what is left over from the animal it came from, it is grinded up together to look like a meat patty. The consumers do not seem to mind though; they are aware and came to acceptance with it since it is sold for a reasonable price. Families with low income are the main consumers of fast food. With its convenience and price, it is difficult to pass up after a long, hard day at work. Fast food corporations are aware of this and are trying to exploit is as much as they can. Fast food restaurants can be found on every corner, even more so in low-income cities since it is the most the citizens can afford. It is rare to find a fast food restaurant that serves actual healthy food for a low price, and if there is it is nowhere in sight for these families. Healthy food costs more because of its production, time and care are put into the products to ensure the consumers will get the healthiest food possible. Most of these families do not have the privilege of concerning their health first, causing them and their loved ones to deal with obesity and other serious health complications. “In 2004, Monteiro et al.7 reviewed the transition of households from maternal and child undernutrition to maternal overnutrition but still with undernutrition in the children, and calculated that the transition point for women’s nutrition was an annual income of around $US 2500 per capita per annum – in 2004 currency” (Poskitt). If it costs that much to only provide healthy food for one individual, it is impossible for low income families to support all their loved ones. Families would rather feed everyone with unhealthy food from fast food restaurants for a great price than only being able to purchase one healthy meal and making their entire family share it. People have no choice but resort to fast food to feed themselves or their family because of its price, how convenient it is but suffer from health problems.