As if every day weren’t always fast food day, the industry itself will celebrate its mammoth economic impact on Saturday, Nov. 16, recognized as National Fast Food Day.
Merriam-Webster dictionary first recognized the term “fast food” in 1951. Fast food is usually defined as any meal with low preparation time and served to a customer in a packaged form for quick dine-in, take-out or drive-thru.
Globally, fast food generates revenue of more than $570 billion, according to FranchiseHelp.com. In the U.S., the industry was estimated to be worth $256 billion in 2018, according to figures from Statista.
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There are more than 286,000 fast food businesses in the U.S. today, according to IBISWorld, employing more than 4.6 million people in part- and full-time positions.
According to the History of Fast Food, America's first hamburger chain was White Castle in 1921. The first franchises appeared also in 1921, and the first restaurant franchise appeared in 1930s by Howard Johnson.
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As automobiles became more popular, drive-in restaurants began popping up. The first McDonald’s with fast food was opened by the McDonald brothers in 1948.
Today, the U.S. has the world’s largest fast food industry, with American fast food restaurants located in more than 100 countries.
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