Fast Food: Giving the gift of time, and so much more

“WELCOME TO GOOD BURGER HOME OF THE GOOD BURGER CAN I TAKE YOUR ORDER?”

That’s the first thing I think of when I hear “Fast Food.” I think of a drive through window, paper bags with grease dripping through the sides, salt – lots of salt, hamburgers, toys with my Happy Meals, and pretty much just all around fake ingredients. So, yea, that is a lot of stuff to come to mind, but that’s because I grew up with fast food in my life. I grew up stopping at McDonald’s on a long car ride or getting some fries after class in middle school. I never really thought about the ingredients when I was younger because a) I didn’t really care about what I was eating as long as it tasted good and b) it was so easy to get it.

You could very well be reading this article thinking “yuck….” And honestly that is kind of how I feel now thinking about it. But let’s be real, fast food is still around for a reason. People are still consuming it, still waiting on that ridiculously long line at the drive through to order the $1 hamburger. It’s cheap, it’s quick, and  it tastes amazing.

PEOPLE LOVE FAST FOOD.

“Woah, woah, woah,” says almost everyone I know in a defensive and reluctant manner.

Fast food has a negative connotation. I mean, look at how I started this post about fast food; I talked about grease and ingredients and things that just don’t sound good to someone who is working on their beach bod (or Dad bod if that is your thing). People think fast is dirty, fast is fake, fast is unhealthy. And for a while it was. But, as I’ve moved to Chicago, I’ve learned that fast is what people want.

6 PM: I get off of work. Home around 6:30 and if I have the energy, 6:45 work out. So let’s say I am ready to start thinking about what I want for dinner around 7:30. Now, I need to cook, so it takes me about 30 minutes to cook an easy meal, 1 hour to cook something intricate. I’m eating around 8:15. Done around 8:30. Clean up by 9. That doesn’t sound too bad if I have nothing else going on in my life and I want to waste the day away, but sometimes I just don’t have the time or the patience to cook a wonderful fancy meal. And forget it if it is just for myself, that is a lot of work for just one little person.

Like I said, “I work out.” Meaning, I enjoy going to the gym and doing things that are good for my body. I don’t eat red meat and I basically never eat anything deep fried. Healthy & fast, is that too much to ask?

These days, it’s not. Fast food needs to lose its negative connotation and people need to appreciate the food and time they get back.

Chipotle. Chipotle has a business model unlike any other. People come in, pick out their ingredients, and in 5 minutes be out the door with a wonderfully tasty (large) Mexican dish of their choosing with fresh ingredients. When I don’t know what I want to eat, I go to Chipotle. Yea, yea, yea I always hear about the “Chipotle baby” or “ew I can’t go to Chipotle, I’ve been eating so badly” but just like you may choose to not put the cheese on your chicken before you bake it, avoid the sour cream & guac and get a salad bowl vs. a rice bowl. Healthy, fast, done.

I MAY LOSE A LOT OF FOLLOWERS BY MAKING THIS STATEMENT, BUT YOU CANNOT LIVE OFF OF CHIPOTLE FOREVER.

You can, however, enjoy the many cultural creations that have stemmed off of the fast food Chipotle model. Specifically in Chicago, I have forced (sarcastically speaking) myself to go out and try these fast food-gone healthy spots. I have not found one I don't like. Honestly. The best part about these venues is that they are all so different. There are so many different kinds of food that involve pastas, veggies, spices, soups. They all have a different style and a different history. Now, there are countless affordable hotspots that provide an opportunity to expand your pallet.

Sandwiches & Salads: A standard go-to

Potbelly's, Pita Pit, CBA, Le Pain Quodotien 

Mediterranean: Classic & fresh

Roti, Naff Naff Grill

Middle Eastern: Comfortable & filling

Hallal Guys

Asian Fusion: Tasty, hearty, flavorful

Pei Wei, Sumo, Glaze Teriyaki Grill, Brightwok

Vietnamese: Spices & soups

Fuh

Thai: Dependable

Thai Aroma, Noodle in the Pot

Seafood: Potentially questionable, but never a bad decision

Da Lobsta

Mexican: Spicy spices, flavorful flavors

Antique Taco, Big & Littles, Chipotle

I could go on, and if you check out my Instagram page @agirlblownaway, I will have endless recos of these types of places. Because they are easy, tasty, and obviously so trendy.

You may think I am obsessed, and I may be, but I really think this is the newest way to eat different foods in an affordable, realistic manner for the standard working city folk. I realized that this was a thing when I went to Fuh, a new Vietnamese restaurant in Lincoln Park. The owner chatted with me for a while and I learned about his background, his family, the restaurant. I learned about how they typically enjoyed Pho in their community. I learned this while I ate my bowl of soup, filled with delicious noodles, fresh veggies, and flavorful seasonings. It was really eye-opening to learn so much about a fast food restaurant, to learn the story behind the food. It was convenient, and cheap, but it was healthy, tasty, and made for a reason maximizing margins and artificial ingredients.

There are so many places like Fuh in Chicago, and whether they are chains or a mom & pop store, I’ve learned that these Fast Food places are just like any other restaurant, just like any other kitchen. Fast food has such a negative connotation but these days, it has given us so much. It has given us new, cultural experiences, some extra pocket changed we saved from a reasonably priced meal, has provided many opportunities to try new foods, and, as I said earlier, it has given us the gift of time.

FAST FOOD IS NOT GOING AWAY, AND THAT IS FINE BY ME.