To see where the concept of fast food come from we need to look at how and in what time period they started. During the late 1940’s and early 1950’s our nations history there was a new mindset know as the American Dream. The text book’s definition of the American Dream is, “ achieving the American Dream means having a secure job, owning a home, and getting a good education for their children. To others, it is the promise that anyone may rise from poverty to wealth if he or she works hard enough.” (Kendall 194) Richard and Mauric

I haven’t read a book this interesting for along time. I guess I knew a lot about the fast food industry, but I didn’t realized the impact that they have had on society. But most of all I didn’t really understand the negative impact that these restaurants actually have. There was also a lot about the working class and an explanation of how the rich get richer.

I also found another interesting aspect of this book, the idea that in the future McDonald’s want to replace their employees with machines. This is an idea that would not be beneficial to the economy of America. To me this would just be another way to make the rich richer and make the poor even more helpless. This would take any type of control that the employees have away. If machines can take over jobs like this then they will be able to take over all jobs that don’t take much skill.

Of the many topics addressed in the book, the issue of employee treatment interested me the most. The majority of McDonald’s employees are teenagers because of the low wages and high turnover rate. In 1938 Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act that determined a minimum wage, and imposed limitations of child labor. The intent of the Act was to protect teenagers but it doesn’t really do a good job of it. Many are working overtime and are not receiving the pay they deserve. The executives in the fast food industry continue to prosper and make money while the underdog employees are scrambling to pay their monthly rent. Back in the 60’s and 70’s the McDonald employees tried to join unions to have better wages and benefits, but the executives shut that down by treating the future jobs of the employees. Even today there has been no advancement in the hope of joining a union.

“Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. They spend more on fast food than movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined.” (Schlosser 3) A huge result of the fast food chains being everywhere in America is the growing rate of obesity. Ameri

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