Fast Food Day

 National Fast Food Day is annually observed on November 16.  On this day each year people all across the country celebrate this day by going through the drive-thru, dining inside or ordering to go.

First popularized in the United States in the 1950′s fast food is considered any meal with low preparation time and served to a customer in a packaged form for quick dine-in, take-out or take-away and typically with a drive-thru.

The term “fast food” was first recognized in the dictionary by Merriam-Webster in 1951.

Following World War I, automobiles became popular and more affordable and at that time drive-in restaurants were introduced.  In 1921,  White Castle, an American company founded by Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson in Wichita, Kansas, opened selling hamburgers for five cents each. Anderson had opened the first White Castle in 1916 with a limited menu, high-volume, low-cost, high-speed hamburger restaurant.

The United States has the largest fast food industry in the world and there are American fast food restaurants that are located in over 100 countries.

Common fast food menu items include; hamburgers and other sandwiches, fish, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, hot dogs, french fries, onion rings, breakfast biscuits, coffee, and ice cream.