A  Look at the History of Fast Food

While the concept of eating out(side of the home) has been around for centuries, the fast food industry as we know it didn't get its start until the post-WWII economic boom. Americans (especially) began to spend more and buy more as the economy boomed. As a result to "have it all," coupled with the fact that more women were working outside of the home, eating out became a common occurrence.

The origins of fast food are really the origins of street food.  Fast food has always been associated with urban development and this means whenever highly populated areas sprung up in history; so did fast food. Flat-breads, falafel and other pre-cooked hot meals were all over the streets of the ancient and medieval world and these types of vendors can be considered the first kind of ‘fast food’.  In the Middle Ages urban expanses like London and Paris were brimming with vendors that sold cooked meats, pies, flans, pasties and the like. 

The "Early" Days of American Fast Food

Post-WWII workers and working families needed quick service and inexpensive food for both lunch and dinner.  The early days of "fast food" catered to the family-on-the-go. The most familiar fast food option has been the hamburger. While it's unclear exactly who created the burger, one of the most important dates was 1921.  It was in that year that White Castle® opened in Wichita, KS beginning the commercialization of the burger.

Early in 1948, two brothers in San Bernardina, CA opened a restaurant that caught the attention of Ray Kroc.  Kroc bought out the name and the method of operations from Richard & Maurice McDonald and in 1955, opened his first McDonald's® in Des Plaines, IL.  By 1958, McDonald's had sold over 100 million burgers across the country and had changed the way Americans ate.

Following these early successes, other self-service, fast food restaurants joined the market.  While a large number sold burgers & fries, many served more "exotic" fare like Taco Bell's® Americanized Mexican food.  

The "boomer" years

As the fast food industry expanded and the first of the "baby boomers" came on board as employees, restaurants began using teenagers as part-time employees.  By 1978, 59% of teens were somehow involved in the workplace - many in a food industry setting.  As young people began to make money, they also began to spend money, including the money spent not eating at home.

This also propelled the food service industry into being one of the largest employers in the US economy.  According to the National Restaurant Association (2016), currently half of all adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point during their lives.

During the height of the burger "wars" of the 80's & 90's, the increased choices led restaurants to refurbish and to emphasize their brand's particular environment.  Fast food chains added interior seating as well as offering the now iconic drive through service. Children's menus were introduced as well as playgrounds to appeal to busy families.  Healthier options and expanded menus helps to differentiate one chain from another.

The 21st Century

At the beginning of the 21st Century, the market experienced yet another seismic shift as coffee chains and "fast-casual" restaurants emerged.  Brands like Starbucks, Panera & Chipotle emphasize the quality of their products and strive for an environment that invites, no, encourages lingering.  While Starbucks & Panera have an inviting interior, their business model also includes drive-through service. 

Millennials, just as the baby boomers, want something fast, easy & somewhere that they can use their electronic gadgets. One source, Restaurant Hospitality has identified 10 trends set to reshape the foodservice business going forward in the 2020's. As more baby boomers retire & Gen Z takes over, we can expect more changes.