Everything’s on the Table: Why does fast food get such a bad rap?

When it comes to food, we all have our preferences. What’s most important in a meal? Flavor, nutrition, convenience, price? Why not all? Or three out of four?

For those of us who are not culinarily gifted, we have outstanding choices, but we pay a price for someone else to prepare our food. 

Of course, anyone can shop at a local grocery store and buy ingredients, prepared or not, and toss them together to make a meal. But if we don’t want to fix it ourselves or want it now, then a drive-thru or fast food counter comes into play.

Whether you call it fast food or the more fashionable term, quick-service, which also includes fast casual, it’s convenient and immediate. After fast casual is full-service, then fine dining or white tablecloth, aka haute cuisine. The latter group includes Michelin-star chefs, and everyone raves about these eateries.

But they all source their fruits, vegetables, and herbs from our industry’s growers and wholesalers. The difference is cost and perception.

Most folks decry fast food, spinning it as a last resort when soccer practice overlaps with dance or yoga and a parent-teacher conference or meeting. This is not the case for fast beverage places like Starbucks or others, which are considered cool and fashionable.

Coffee obsessions are hip, fast food is not. 

Well, I freely and fully admit my admiration for fast food or quick-service. Whatever you call it, I love it and rely on it.

My beverage of choice is a Diet Coke, from a fountain not a can or bottle, and lo and behold, there just happen to be a wealth of food items available too—from burritos and tostados to wraps, sandwiches, and salads.

Take a wrap—if I shopped for the ingredients, brought them home, rinsed the fruit and vegetables, then cut or chopped them while marinating, cooking, cooling, and slicing the protein, then warmed the tortilla, made a creamy sauce or dressing of some sort, and put it all together—that could be hours not minutes.

And remember the cleanup. My time can be better spent, so I’m willing to pay for a finished wrap rather than face the possibility of lackluster flavor or a not-quite-right homemade green goddess dressing. 

Would I enjoy a four-star Michelin white tablecloth dining experience? Sure, but my version is a white paper napkin across my lap and paying a fraction of the price.

So fast food is not only fast but convenient and probably about the same price as buying, prepping, cooking, and assembling the meal.

Many say fast food is too processed and isn’t healthy—how is a freshly assembled wrap not healthy? Why would Chick-fil-A’s lettuce be any less nutritious than Jewel-Osco’s? Are the torillas from one better than the other? I think not.

So again, why is one considered less than or looked down upon?

If we’re talking French fries and a Big Mac, yep, that’s not a very healthy choice, but those of us who are aficionados know where to find the most tasty, nutritious options and make it work. Do I ever have French fries? Sure, but they’re not my go-to meal when dining out any more than when at home. 

If you love to cook, more power to you. If you don’t and prefer to let others prepare your meals, that’s okay too. Would I enjoy a four-star Michelin white tablecloth dining experience? Sure, but my version is a white paper napkin across my lap and paying a fraction of the price.

I don’t diss folks who pay $400 for an evening meal, but I can get the same level of satisfaction for $15, so I like my math better. And it’s still fine dining: I’m dining and it’s mighty fine.

Well-known chains are even trying to get the message out. Panera is touting “Food that makes you feel good,” while Guzman y Gomez’s new campaign states, “Clean is the new healthy.”

So fast food deserves a little respect. There’s healthy, delicious fast food out there, you just have to know where to look. Ask me, I’ll tell you.