Fast food has both health and environmental consequences which may negate the convenience and speed that drive-through windows provide for their customers.
The health risks of fast food have been widely discussed in movies such as “Supersize Me” and studied by American universities.
A U. Hawaii study, led by Hope Jahren, showed that the main ingredient in the majority of fast food meat is corn, which the animals are fed in slaughterhouses to fatten them more quickly.
Corn has been debated recently by writers such as Michael Pollan, and investigated by researchers. Some scientists say that corn is harmful to the animals it is fed to, since it is not what they are naturally adapted to eating. Furthermore, nutritionists are concerned about the amount of corn creeping into American diets via processed foods, such as those served by the fast food industry.
A national heart, lung and blood study showed that over fi fteen years, people who ate fast food several times a week were more likely to gain weight and more susceptible to insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes.
Fast food restaurants have addressed these concerns by changing their menus to add more healthy options like fruit and salads.
They have also added lower calorie options, which allow customers to still eat their favorite menu items. For instance, Taco Bell has a ‘fresco’ option where any taco or burrito can be ordered ‘fresco style,’ and the restaurant will prepare it without sour cream or cheese, reducing the amount of fat and calories in the item.
Bob Vasilyev, President of Vasco Properties, which operates the Taco Bell in Oxford, said, “We have some very healthy products, the problem is you’ve got to order them that way.”
“You can come in here and get the chargrilled (chicken sandwich), you can get the fruit cup, you can get the yogurt parfait. We have a lot of options where, if you come in here and you want to eat healthy, there are more options to do that here,” said Lance Reed, owner and operator of Chick-Fil-A in Oxford.
It is, therefore, possible to make healthy choices when going to fast food chains, but customers have to make themselves aware and take the initiative to make healthy food choices.
The other problem customers need to make themselves aware of are the environmental detractors of going through the drive-thru on a regular basis.
San Luis Obispo, California banned drivethroughs in 1982 to help preserve a laid-back, small town way of life. The ban was upheld by the city in 2008, and now more areas, especially in Canada, are considering drivethrough bans and bans on idling to help cut down on emissions.
There is still a lot of debate about whether drive-through idling really causes more emissions, but cities are still concerned about the consequences drive-through pose for pedestrians and the pace of urban life.
Fast food packaging is another facet of the environmental debate over fast food. Every item a customer orders at a restaurant is individually packaged, from the fries and condiments to the drinks and straws. This is more cardboard and Styrofoam products than customers would be throwing away after a meal at home.
Most chains have dealt with this issue by replacing Styrofoam with other products and requiring customers to ask for napkins, straws and plastic ware.
Are fast food chains fast? No doubt. Customers can get an affordable meal in a matter of seconds, and the number of healthy options has increased as consumers have become more concerned with making good food decisions.
But consumers need to make themselves aware of what they are eating when they go to a fast food restaurant. Nutritional facts are available at most restaurants or online.
The question of fast food being environmentally friendly has yet to be answered, so consumers are left to read the research and decide for themselves if a drive-through is the right choice for them.