The American Way of Eating

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Like vehicles or television, "fast food" was not innovated by Americans; rather, they were the first to take it as an art form and popularize it worldwide. The British were big fans of hot fast food, namely fish and chips, long before Ronald McDonald was even born. Individuals used their fingers to eat fish and chips that were wrapped in old newspapers.

Other types of fast food were also widely available; for more than a century, millions of industrial and agricultural workers throughout Europe and North America consumed the "packed lunch," which comprised some bread and food to go with it. American "fast food" developed a new way of eating that is suitable for the fast-paced, mobile lifestyles of the modern day by taking existing patterns and improving them.

A "Hamburger," as its name entails, was first a German meal that originated in Hamburg. For the majority of people in Europe, a steak was still an expensive luxury in the 1960s, but it was already a typical dish in America. Additionally, fast food restaurants that offered dirt cheap cooked meals perfectly suited the demands of a culture that was becoming more mobile and busy.

The majority of Europeans lived significantly different customs from Americans in the 1960s, but since then, Europe has caught up. With the help of television and the growing popularity of American youth culture, Ronald McDonald's Golden Arches have appeared in and around almost every major city and town in Europe and throughout much of the rest of the world. Even typically "American" fast food options like Tex-Mex are now following in the footsteps of the hamburger franchises.