by Betty Carew

Created on: June 14, 2009   Last Updated: June 22, 2009

Literally, fast foods have been around much longer than we first realized and were very necessary even in Roman times. Later they came in the forms of inns and taverns that could be found along the roads, a place where the weary traveler could stop for a drink and something to eat. As people ventured further away from their homes and for those that were at home fast foods became a part of their lives especially in the United States. The history of fast foods in the United States started with White Castle in 1921 but since then many more have joined the ranks of the fast food chain.

White Castle was founded in1921 in Wichita, Kansas but it wasn't so well received as it is today. Many people thought at the time that hamburger was made from slaughterhouse scraps and spoiled meats and was thought to be low quality so it was only sold at fairs, circuses, lunch counters and carts. The owners of White Castle decided to do something about this problem by cooking the meat while people watched. To this they added white paint to their buildings and in 1930 they had the first drive through windows. White Castle chose a name that would be synonymous with cleanliness and brought hamburgers to the fore front. It became very popular even giving White Castle a prominent name in the development of fast foods.

White Castle may have done the footwork when it comes to hamburgers but it didn't take long before McDonalds followed in their footsteps. Dick and Mac McDonald from San Bernardino, California opened up their first restaurant in 1940. In 1948 they introduced the first Speedee Service System and thus began the modern fast food restaurants. The mascot for McDonalds at that time was a man with a hamburger shaped head and a chef's hat on top who sported the name of Speedee. In 1963 Speedee was retired and Ronald McDonald was born.

On April 15th, 1955 a man known as Ray Kroc from Des Plains, Illinois opened the ninth fast food restaurant which introduced the first franchise in the McDonald history. Later Kroc would buy out McDonalds and go on to expand the franchise to what it has become today with restaurants all over the world.

In December 1954 James McLamore and David Edgerton made their dream a reality and opened the first Burger King fast food restaurant in Miami Florida, USA. At the time they called it Insta Burger King. Their dream was simple and that was to open a fast food restaurant that gave consumers reasonable priced quality food combined with speedy service

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