When people all over the world are looking for a quick, easy meal, fast food is the most common choice. With good service, low prices and a relaxed atmosphere, fast food looks like the
ideal choice. In fact, over 25 percent of Europeans eat fast food every day. Fries and hamburgers are
sold everywhere: in big cities, small towns, shopping malls, airports, bus stations, schools, and even
hospitals! There are 31,000 McDonald's worldwide.
However, fast food companies make clients eat more. They offer over-sized burgers, extra-
large French fries, and big portions of Coke. What's more, these "large versions" are usually
cheaper. The products have lots of calories, sugar and fat. A typical hamburger at a fast food
restaurant weighs 170 grams. In 1957, it was just 50 grams. According to scientists, your fast food
meal is like three ordinary meals.
Fast food doesn't spoil. This is because it has lots of “special” ingredients. There's a video on
YouTube that illustrates this. It is based on a true story. In 1991, an engineer from the USA, Tom
Scarvell, met with friends for New Year's Eve. They stopped at McDonald's on the way home. He
bought some cheeseburgers, ate one and put the other in his coat pocket. Then he forgot about it. A
year later, he took the coat out of the wardrobe, put it on and discovered the cheeseburger in his
pocket from New Year's Eve. It looked exactly the same. He was absolutely shocked. He told his
friends and family but nobody believed him. So he decided to start a "burger museum" to show
everyone that these cheeseburgers and hamburgers don’t decompose.He started collecting burgers, one every year. He kept them on bookshelves in his living
room in the open air. These burgers looked exactly the same, the bun, the meat, the cheese, the
special sauce, the cucumber, even the lettuce. They all kept their shape and colour for over five
years!
It is surprising that although most people don't think that fast food is the best choice they
can't stop going to fast food restaurants, like McDonald’s. The chain has healthy dishes on the
menu, such as fruit and vegetables. Why not order them? But you don’t go to McDonald’s for a
green salad or a yoghurt! The unhealthy hamburgers, French fries and milkshakes are more
common and attractive and to many people they are tastier than low calorie dishes.
There is no problem with eating fast food from time to time. If you really are dreaming
about a hamburger, go and get it. But if you're having a stressful day, remember that lunch in a fast
food restaurant is not a good choice. Doctors strongly recommend avoiding all fast food and
takeaways these days. You can occasionally allow yourself a fast food meal. However, if you are
eating it more than once a week, think of giving up.
Fast food should play a small role in your life. If you don't have a way out, have a fast food
meal in one of McDonald’s restaurants but choose the healthier dishes. You should be aware of
what you eat and try to develop healthy eating habits.
1. Does fast food look like the ideal choice?
2. Do 25 or 45 percent of Europeans eat fast food every day?
3 . How many McDonald's are there worldwide?
4. Who decided to start a burger museum to show everyone that cheeseburgers and hamburgers don't decompose?
5. Fast food should play a small role in your life, shouldn't it?