by Robert J. Pace

Created on: June 16, 2008   Last Updated: March 06, 2011

As society has made a conscious decision to become healthier and fit, one would think the natural progression of things would be to watch as the fast food chains start to fall apart and close up shop. The exact opposite is what's happening in this country. Fast food staples like Burger, McDonalds and KFC are here to stay, and I'll explain why.

Fast food restaurants are everywhere you look. Whether it's burgers, fried chicken, tacos or fried fish, there is a seemingly endless supply of high-calorie, low-cost food. For the soccer mom on the go, or the teenagers looking for an after school snack, there is nothing too much easier than pulling up to a drive-thru and ordering a couple of burgers. We all hear the statistics about high fat content and the ultra high calorie counts in this fast-food, yet we continue to go to the restaurants. Whether it's simply the quick-fix convenience or the low prices in a world where you need a mortgage to fill up the gas tank on your SUV, these restaurants are not going to go away.

Many middle-class Americans worry about raising a family in this economy, and with gas prices rising each day there are only so many ways to cut corners and save a dollar or two here and there. Many of the fast food joints offer value menus, with beefy selections for less than a dollar, which is the same dollar we're trying to save. These families could go shopping and spent $50-$100 in the supermarket and feed their family for two or three days, or they can simply hit Mickey-D's and load up on fatty foods for about $20 for a family of four.

In lower class America, people in poor paying jobs don't have the luxury of spending a large portion of their income towards fine dining, or even healthy choices at the supermarket. The people in these situations can simply get to a White Castle, where a $.69 cheeseburger is still an absolutely great value. It's this type of an economy, which this country is spiraling into, that makes the cheaper food choice a necessity.

No matter what type of hard numbers you throw at people regarding fat, cholesterol and sodium, it sometimes comes down to simply having the least expensive way to feed one's family. People are always going to want to provide the best they can for their families and sometime food is the easiest corner to cut, which is why fast food establishments are not going to go anywhere. Like any other corporate conglomerates, they will continue to thrive on a weakened country's economical downturn and the masses will still support them.

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