Fast Food

Fast Food [ ˌ fɑst fud ] (german fast food = fast food, fast food ) are prepared foods that are produced for the rapid consumption. The time between ordering and receipt of the product is usually less than ten minutes. The term has a negative connotation within the meaning of junk food.

Generally

Fast food is a form of food preparation and administration, in the rationality and functionality of food preparation or consumption in the foreground and is largely dispensed with traditional food customs.

Fast Food is rare, frequently offered in the traditional gastronomy of counters or sold on the street, fast food restaurants or in part by delivery service. The food is cooked quickly on the one hand and on the other hand often consumed quickly, sometimes on the road while walking or standing. In some cases offer Drive-ins to the sale of products through special counters for motorists. Typical dishes are fried, boiled or curried sausages, chicken wings, hot dogs, fish and chips, hamburgers, french fries, pizzas, doner kebabs and sandwiches.

Fast- food chains guarantee a consistent quality in composition and taste in equal or only slightly differing prices. Some of the more straightforward food culture is estimated as the abandonment of traditional food rites and table manners, especially by younger customers. Especially in the early days was fast food as the embodiment of the American way of life in Germany.

The food preparation is under a high degree of rationalization mostly on deep fryers, microwaves or grills instead, the starting materials are often processed foods or preparations of semi-finished products, often refrigerated or frozen goods, often using ingredients such as Wheat flour, sugar, or ( hardened ) vegetable fats are used. Critics complain that these products usually are of little nutritional value in that could lead to frequent consumption to malnutrition symptoms, in particular to obesity. Wholefood products or products from organic agriculture such as offers for vegetarians and diabetics rare. As packaging is typically used disposable plates to allow the sale outside the home and save the dishes for consumption in the house. In particular, our delivery service packaging foam plastic, aluminum, or can not be recycled, aluminum-coated cartons are often used.

Provider

Provider of fast food are both large multinational corporations as well as smaller chains as well as family businesses or self-employed sole trader. Also, other industries such as bakeries participate (see Baker gastronomy), butchers and fish shops in the market.

Many fast food chains and regional providers use convenience foods that are processed quickly and easily on site. The preparation of fast food usually does not require high qualifications, accordingly, the level of wages correspondingly low ( " McJobs "). In the catering business is also working very labor. The choice is reduced for both large chains as well as small independent providers are usually a few items and standardized, the customer can often choose only based on pictures after serving sizes and vary. Smaller takeaways in private ownership ( chip shops, kebab shops ) are usually run as a family and often offer no seating at. In Germany in particular, this means a cost savings, as in some states in existing seats and toilets must be provided. A positive side effect is also that on standing room guests linger shorter and the throughput is thus improved.

The market for "fast food" is contested. Particularly large chains try with marketing campaigns to increase sales and especially to woo young people often find at pizzerias and regional fast-food providers mailings in relatively high requirements for delivery services instead.

History

Even in the ancient forerunner of the fast food restaurants were widespread. In larger cities there were at each corner shops where you could buy hot food; some such stores who've been remarkably similar in their facility modern fast-food stalls were unearthed in Pompeii. These stores were the only way to hot to eat, since rent often had no stove for many urbanites.

Precursor to the modern mobile food culture can be identified in the 19th century, when returning home from Russia Napoleonic soldiers in France certain fast food restaurants with the loanword Bistro: Sided ( v. Russian bystro = fast).

The term fast food originated in the 1950s in the United States. In the second half of the 20th century came " fast food " to Europe and is now used all over the world. Originally there were in America, especially the hamburgers that were considered typical fast food menu, because they can also eat while walking.

Even for a very long time there are railway stations and markets, ports and along the way food stalls, hawkers, sausage stands that the hungry and thirsty sell food and drinks to take away. " Fish and chips" as you has for a long time in England (formerly in newspaper wrapped ) on the piece of passing trade. On the distribution of fast food also changed shopping habits have contributed: In modern shopping malls, there are almost always in addition to the department stores and specialty shops also some fast food vendors, so that the way a snack can be taken.

Conservation

Environmental protection organizations complain that the finished products to travel long transport routes and so much energy is consumed that much disposable packaging waste cause ( throwaway ) and the frozen food calls for a high energy consumption. The high proportion of animal products requires due to the extensive grazing large areas. The raised in this context reproach, for cattle grazing large fast-food chains will cut down rainforest in Brazil, particularly McDonald's made ​​in the 1980s to the point of attack by environmentalists. We now know, however, that most of the products come from either the government itself or from neighboring states, so that the transport routes are kept as low as possible.

Health risks

Fast -food products often have high levels of fat and are highly salty or sweet, what their taste enhanced and makes the food appear to be particularly attractive. Add takeaways often dishes are fried to warm up, which are fried or cooked in traditional catering. This type of preparation makes the products in addition rich in calories.

Nutritional physiologists complain about the fast food food culture that food is not included in calm and slow. Particularly important for the digestive process is the enrichment in saliva, which is achieved by frequent chewing. Fast food is also usually not beneficial to health because it is easy to eat too much and digestion charged because the products often do not act immediately filling due to the low fiber content.

Many fast food meals are content less balanced than traditional dishes that are eaten with vegetable side dishes. Nutritional problems arise but often one-sided and unbalanced diet high in humans. This can happen when people take too much of their food in the form of fast food and eat very little fruit or vegetables.

Due to the usually high quantitative nutritional value in conjunction with fast food intake may be a cause for health problems more common fast-food treat. These include, for example, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic problems, increased stress on the liver or kidneys or allergies caused by food additives such as preservatives.

A study by the University of New South Wales showed the fast food harms the memory already in a short time. Rats fed with high fat and sugary food, suffered within a week from memory disorders.

In the U.S. and in the UK there is due to the epidemic -like increase of obesity, particularly among young people, now increased to prohibit political efforts, fast-food dishes in state schools. In the U.S., food chains such as McDonald's or Pizza Hut stores directly in the schools. On a Food Summit in Sacramento, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed three laws that impose strict dietary requirements schools so sweet sodas and high-calorie snacks should be banned from 2007.

The Los Angeles City Council banned on 30 July 2008 for the district of South Los Angeles, the opening of new fast food restaurants for a year.

A high proportion of fast-food in the total food consumption is supported by the sales strategy of most major providers: Major fast food chains offer deeply discounted huge portions that lead to high caloric intake by a single meal. Many consumers be tempted by the cheap price to buy more than they actually want. This system of discounts is strongly criticized by many nutrition experts in various countries, especially in the United States. Due to criticism drew his McDonald's supersize offering in the United States back.

VAT

If the court consumed in Germany in the restaurant, the provider of the normal rate of 19 percent is required to pay sales tax, the court will, however, taken with them, the tax is reduced to the usual food for seven percent. The customer is therefore always asked before invoicing, whether he wants to eat the food in the restaurant or take away. Since he paid the same price as a rule, the net income for the provider when deadweight food is higher.

In Austria no such regulation shall apply. Food is taxed at 10% VAT and drinks with 20% VAT, but this just applies to driving as well as in the restaurant.

Slow Food

As in the 1980s, American fast food entrepreneur wanted to spread in Italy, there was a counter-movement: Slow Food. Meanwhile, this counter-movement has established itself in many other countries, including in Germany.