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Fast Food Nation

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The Fast Food Industry

The last 50 years or so have been turbulent ones for America. Millions of “Rosies” may have quit riveting but they did not quit working, and the Civil Rights Movement resulted in fundamental changes in American society that have leveled the playing field for most workers today. A costly police action was fought in Korea that is still smoldering today, and the last vestiges of the Vietnam War were finally played out in the most recent presidential election. During the last 50 years or so, America succeeded in landing a man on the moon and safely returning him to the Earth, and winning a costly Cold War. During this turbulent period in U.S. history, life has become faster-paced and more women have joined the workforce, all of which have been to the detriment of “traditional” American family meals, but all of which has been to the enormous advantage to the fast food industry. People around the world today may criticize America’s politics, but the fact remains virtually everyone loves American fast food and the industry has become firmly established around the world. This paper provides an overview of the fast food industry from the 1950s to the present, an analysis of what social effects were caused by and reflected in the industry, what marketing and advertising changes have taken place in the industry during this time, followed by a discussion of current and future trends. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview. It would seem that the explosive growth of the fast food industry in the United States was an inevitable event. The powerful combination of automobiles, open roads and an increasingly fast-paced modern society all contributed to the phenomenon, but almost no one could have foreseen just how pervasive and influential the fast food industry would eventually

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