| Love it or hate it, fast food is | | | | who positively love fast food. Usually, |
| embedded in American dining culture. | | | | they have one particular fast food chain |
| Fast food restaurants cater to our | | | | that they adore, and one or two specific |
| modern need for convenience, cheapness | | | | menu items that they crave several times |
| and a "no surprises" experience. | | | | a week. |
| While it is fashionable to sneer at | | | | If you happen to be one of these |
| them, if pressed many of us would | | | | fast-food conoisseurs--or you know |
| confess to really liking at least some | | | | someone who is--the good news is that |
| of the menu items offered by the major | | | | it's easy to obtain the recipe for that |
| chain fast-food restaurants. Most kids | | | | "gotta-have-it" menu item. You can then |
| love those places, as you probably know | | | | make the favored dish at home, saving |
| if you have youngsters. Children wield a | | | | you at least a few trips to the |
| lot of influence with parents looking | | | | drive-through. (Of course, you'll miss |
| for a place to eat that will satisfy | | | | out on having the burger or burrito or |
| everyone in the family; hence the great | | | | whatever come nicely enveloped in the |
| effort on the part of fast food | | | | restaurant's logo-printed wrapping |
| restaurants to market special meals and | | | | paper, but you can't have everything.) |
| toys to the younger set. | | | | Recipes for many of the world's favorite |
| The fact that half of the food ordered | | | | fast-food items can be found by doing a |
| at fast food places now takes place via | | | | web search for them. Or, you can |
| the drive-up window should tell you all | | | | purchase one of the books of "secret" |
| you need to know about the success of | | | | restaurant recipes available in most of |
| this type of restaurant. We Americans | | | | the big bookstores. Conveniently |
| practically live in our cars, so if | | | | downloadable ebooks, filled with such |
| we're eating a large part of our meals | | | | recipes, are also readily to be found. |
| behind the wheel, you know this is one | | | | One tip: As the name implies, fast food |
| marriage (cars + food) that really will | | | | tends to be eaten on the run. But if |
| be "'til death do us part." | | | | you decide to make your favorite |
| If you're one of those who resorts to | | | | fast-food meal at home, try slowing down |
| this type of fare only grudgingly, or | | | | and enjoying it at a more leisurely |
| because the kids are bugging you for it, | | | | pace. "Slow fast food" -- now there's a |
| you might be surprised to learn that | | | | concept. |
| there are fast-food aficiandos among us | | | | |