A New Era in American Food? Fast Food Conspires to Slow Down

Considering that fast food companies' raison d'etre has always been to get us to eat as much food as we desire as quickly as possible, plans by a bevy of fast food chains to inspire customers to linger over their meals, as reported by Nation's Restaurant News, seems puzzling, to say the least.

Doesn't the idea of a casual sit-down dinner fly directly in the face of what these restaurants are all about? The drive-thru didn't become as American as apple pie by coincidence. These chains have done everything in their power to get us not to stick around for dessert.

This is such a reversal that it begs the question of whether something fundamental is changing in the American food landscape. I believe this does signify something important, but unfortunately not something good.

The fact is, fast food has become such an accepted staple of the American diet that the populace no longer thinks of eating it as a trade-off of quality for speed. When fast food first came about, people surely would have preferred home-cooked meals but would put up with lesser quality for the convenience.

Now it seems that we don't consider eating fast food a trade-off. This food is by and large what the American population likes to eat, and we have come to accept the speed as normal. The shift in focus of fast food restaurants from in-and-out to sit-and-stay marks a depressing milestone in our nation's eating life.

The way that the chains plan on making people linger is a dead giveaway that things have changed fundamentally for eaters in America. McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell, Zaxby’s, Del Taco and other fast food joints are experimenting with installing flat-screen TVs in their restaurant dining rooms to make people stay a little bit longer and indulge in high-profit beverages and desserts.

McDonald's is trying out cushioned stools and seat-backs to make the place a little more comfortable for diners who might want to stay and watch the chain's proprietary entertainment network, which will include sports coverage and shows from Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Burger King's table-top monitors might allow diners to play games.

This development reflects Americans' growing enjoyment of watching television while eating. As I wrote earlier today, 40 percent of the US households that eat family dinners at home watch TV while doing so. Fast food chains are attempting to capitalize on the normalization both of fast food and TV-watching during eating.

On a video about "the McDonald's Channel" (below), a narrator says that the idea is to "rethink the McDonald's experience. McDonald's is about to become a true destination. With its innovative new network, regular customers will want to stay awhile and enjoy their meals ... The drive-thru will no longer be the first choice."

This gives "TV dinner" a whole new meaning.

Photo: ebruli via flickr