When I began this column for CliqueClack Food back in 1909 I thought of one thing when it came to fast food: McDonald’s. And why not? The Golden Arches is the epitome of the ‘grab-and-go’ generation with its greasy burgers, greasy fries, and ability to order, pay, and pickup without leaving the confines of your automobile. In fact, if you look up the phrase ‘fast food’ in the dictionary there’s a picture of Grimace giving you the finger.
However, as I thought about it more, I realized that fast food was more than McThis or flame-broiled that. These days there are many more choices, both healthy and heart-clogging, that constitute the quickest of consumables. This, of course, leads to a very important question…
How do we describe fast food in the 21st century?
Let’s begin with the definition of ‘fast food’. Our good friends at Wikipedia describe the phrase as “food that can be prepared and served very quickly.” While many people think the phrase originated with the creation of the McDonald’s restaurant chain back in the 1950’s, you could go all the way back to the invention of the Automat in the early 1900s to find examples of fast food restaurants. Hell, you could go back to pre-modern times to find examples of portable flatbreads and noodle bowls that people could purchase while plotting the next revolution or invasion.
For most, though, when they think of fast food they think of the Big Three: the aforementioned Mickey D’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s. With a range of simple fare that rarely varies from year to year, these three international, mega-chains are the face of fast food and have been the target of practically everyone. Most recently these restaurants have been the focus of attention in books like Fast Food Nation and documentaries like Super Size Me.
But there is so much more when it comes to burger joints. In addition to the Big Three, you have older restaurants like White Castle that are more regional than national. Add to that list places like Jack in the Box, In-N-Out, and Carl Jr.’s, which are more famous on the West Coast then on the snooty, proper East Coast (don’t be offended, I’m an East Coaster and I am definitely pretentious). Throw in places like Checkers and Sonic, which personify fast food as they encourage you to eat your purchases in the car or take it home.
Then there are the fast food chains that don’t have a cheeseburger in site. On the ‘not quite healthy’ side of these you have your Chic-fil-a, Kentucky Fried Chickens, Taco Bells, and Arbys, which serve a variety of different foods. On the healthier side of things you have Boston Market, Chipotle, Moe’s and Saladworks. In these locations the burger and fries synonymous with fast food are replaced by fresher ingredients, more filling choices, and — dare I say it — vegetables!
Let’s not forget Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme. With a focus on breakfast items, these two fast food franchises definitely have a ‘grab it and go’ feel. How about Sbarro, which is in practically every single mall in America. If you were ever in a mall on a Saturday B.R. (Before Recession) this would definitely be considered fast food as, due to lack of tables at the food court, you would need to wolf down scalding pizza while walking the halls. Throw in national convenience stores, buffet restaurants, and ice cream shops like Baskin-Robbins and there are literally thousands of locations that sell foodstuffs that you can pay for and quickly eat in practically any location.
So, what does this mean? First, fast food is not just Big Macs and Whoppers. Second, with all of the variations of fast food I should have enough material for decades. So, if you’re looking for reviews of all the Wendy’s menu selections in this column you may be out of luck. Because, with the scope of fast food categories, this column will take on a whole new meaning.
Clacked by Richard Keller 
on Mar 18, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
