Why Do People Eat Fast Food?

Food that is supplied quickly after placing an order with minimal service is often referred to as fast-food.

Although fast food is widely criticized for its high calorie content and perceived poor quality, it is eaten by millions of people every year.The reasons behind the popularity of fast food range from convenience through to brand familiarity. Whilst there are certainly negative consequences of eating certain types of fast food, there is nothing to say that the concept of fast food in itself is necessarily bad.

The reasons people eat fast food
Love it or loathe it, fast food is certainly very popular. The fast food industry is thought to be worth a staggering $1.5 billion in the US alone.

Based on this, there must be something fundamentally appealing about fast food that makes it so popular. In my opinion, the main reasons people eat fast food are:

·         Economically priced food
·         Speed and efficiency of service
·         Brand familiarity
·         Representative of popular cuisine


The fast food economy 
One of the main reasons people flock to fast food restaurants is because they are often seen as an economic and hassle-free way to enjoy a meal.

The way fast food chains keep their prices relatively low is by producing their food on a large scale. This reduces the cost of purchasing and preparing the food, and means that they can afford to charge relatively-low prices whilst still maintaining a significant profit margin.

There is a lot of criticism out there aimed at the way the fast food industry is run. One particular target of contempt is the wage structure of many fast food companies- where executives and owners of companies earn huge sums, whilst many of their employees work for a minimum hourly rate.

Speed of fast food
By mass-producing a relatively small menu, fast food restaurants are able to provide warm meals very quickly without encountering a significant loss through wastage. The idea of being able to order at a counter, receive your meal within seconds, and not have to worry about waiting to be seated, served or asking for a cheque means that fast food restaurants are often the first choice for many diners who are in a rush.

Fast food brands
The branding of fast food chains is a major factor in their success. Imagine being out on the road, or wondering about an unfamiliar town or country. If you're looking for somewhere to eat, you may want to play it safe and stick to what you know.

Fast food companies have built an industry of making sure they are 'what we know' through aggressive advertising and marketing strategies. Essentially, knowing what you're going to get from a fast food brand means you are more likely to pick them over a competitor you don't know anything about.

From a customers point of view, it is useful to know that you can count on a fast food restaurant to provide certain things. Advantages that familiarity of a fast food restaurant includes:

·         Familiarity with the menu
·         Child-friendly environment
·         Ability to easily estimate the cost of a meal through knowledge of their pricing