Fast Food Nation Essay

The idea of bettinging food has been or so since before the 1920s. However, the real emergence of the industry was not until the late forties following the Second World War. Military based towns were desolate during the war. one and only(a) time the war was over, there were many more mouths to deplete and more places to spew restaurant enfranchisements. This coupled with the passing of Eisenhowers Interstate High port wager and the sheer drive of flying food pioneers allowed franchising to be very successful. population were able to take their new cars on the highway and take commodious off-ramps to speedee service restaurants (Schlosser, 20).Ray Kroc, founder of the McDonalds corporation, has created a revolutionary franchise that has become a ho recitationhold name all over the world. thither atomic number 18 many theories on how this and new(prenominal) disruptive food corporations reached such(prenominal) success. One of the major(ip) reasons is the strategic segment ation of the human race groups of hatful have been tar thwarted as prime consumers of fast food. To consume, by definition, is to leveraging goods for ones own desires. The fast food industry has become expert that, a desire to people of all statuses in society.In Eric Schlossers turbulent Food Nation, the impact that the fast food industry has on children, p bents and the foreign population as consumers is arguably detrimental in its use for economic success. The fast food industry targets many demographic groups in our society. Children atomic number 18 subjected to the billion dollar advertising campaigns that fast food restaurants create. put one overs are enticed to purchase fast food before they give the axe even brighten money. This is where the industry makes their killing by advertising to young children, parents are pressured to demoralize goods from the fast food restaurants.Its not just getting kids to whine. Its about giving them a specific reason to ask for th e crossway (Schlosser, 43). Although it is not the children specifically giving the cashier money for products, they have the tremendous power of leverage with their parents. Starting with a broad look the restaurants themselves very much times have a ply area for children, McDonalds beingness most notable for this. They create characters, such as Ronald McDonald and friends, to make kids find like they are in a fun house or that the restaurant truly cares about each child.Taco bells chihuahua was a cute puppy for kids to love as well (Schlosser, 43). Kids repasts in most fast food places are served with playthings to play with. Fast food corporations began the process of synergy they were signing with otherwise major businesses to put popular toys in their meals. For example, Wendys signed with NCAA for action figures, McDonalds signed with Ty for Beanie Babies and Pokemon cards (Schlosser, 47). When children found competition with other children to get the next toy firstly , there was a reason to come fanny to that restaurant. eventide the color scheme on the packaging the meals come in is bright and exciting. Why would any child say no? The parents of these children and teens are in any case affected by the fast food industry. As antecedently mentioned, children pressure their parents to obtain goods from fast food gyves. Parents consume these goods for themselves but also represent their children, which makes up an entirely different consumer group. Fast food caters to those parents who are short on time, money or both(prenominal). Parents who work long or unusual hours can count on a nearby fast food restaurant being open at all hours.Even when families are constantly on the move, a drive-thru is a quick and easier way to eat than making a meal at home or sitting down in a restaurant. In addition, parents who struggle with each(prenominal) penny they have can buy their family meals for a fraction of substitute(a) options. McDonalds company historian says, Working-class families could instantly afford to feed their kids restaurant food (Schlosser, 20). Parents want to give their children the best being financially able to take them to restaurants is a value that could now easily be attained with the emergence of the fast-food industry.Fast food gyves have grow beyond American borders for potential growth. McDonalds alone has over seventeen railyard restaurants in over 120 countries globally. That number does not include KFC, pizza pie army hut, Burger King or Dominos Pizza. They all receive a majority of their profit through overseas markets. Fast food chains symbolize westward economies and therefore, seen as the channel to economic prosperity in countries that are struggling (Schlosser, 229). Natives of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and countless other nations literally line up for hours outside of brand new fast food franchises to purchase American food (Schlosser, 230).The billionaire responsible for bringing McDonal ds to Japan went as far as saying that eating their hamburgers would make them white, blonde and taller in stature (Schlosser, 231). The campaign to Americanize the world is more overwhelming now with people in every corner of the globe spending their money on American fast food. The saying you are what you eat is to a great extent campaigned outside of the United States. People are consuming KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and McDonalds food in hopes to become more like Americans. after(prenominal) reading Fast Food Nation and analyzing this specific aspect of the fast food industry, I am able to form my own opinion. My first and foremost reaction to all of this is about health issues. There is a huge problem with feeding children food that is lacking in the nutrients requisite to grow and reach their highest potential in the future. Parents are feeding their children fast food but what were they parents fed as children? There was a stagger more emphasis on home-cooked meals and the family sitting down for dinner every night back when todays parents were festering up.Children are drunkenness sodas, eating processed hamburgers and other greasy foods without any previous noesis to make that decision. They are not taught about nutrition and what they are rightfully putting in their bodies before nagging their parents to get the latest toy in a happy meal, as an example. The most important eld in a persons life should be prolong with the best nutrients possible. I know that personally, my mother cooked a majority of my meals growing up and having fast food was a treat. Now I can make educated decisions on what foods to consume.I think that anything in sobriety is acceptable it is the families that get a different fast food meal four or five times a week that pertain me. Along the same lines, parents are not setting the right examples for their children when they break away at the local drive-thru to grab dinner. There must be a balance between stimulating economies and sustaining healthy lives of all ages. In Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser describes children, parents and people living outside of American borders as targeted consumers by the fast-food industry.Kids are subjected to advertisements and several other ploys so that they will coerce their parents to buy them products from fast-food restaurants. Because they are such a large influence on the consumption of fast food, they are directly targeted as consumers. The parents are affected both indirectly and directly as consumers they consume fast food for themselves and their children. Fast-food chains have made it convenient for parents who work atypical hours and those who cannot afford other meal options.With the success of the fast-food industry in America, corporations have moved their efforts to foreign patrons. Fast food has become a major symbol of Western living and is highly desirable to many foreign nations. The consumers love of fast food proves economic success, but does it show success in other aspects of human life? People have become so given over to purchasing fast-food meals that the entire standard of nutrition and healthy living has deceased down we truly are a fast food nation.