The fast food industry has caused irrevocable changes to American culture, workforce, and economy. The days of families dining together as a unit have dwindled, with quicker meal options the solution for most. Companies like McDonald's have helped create many new jobs in the United States and continue to do so. Faster and cheaper food production has caused a rift in the American economy by forcing farmers to adapt to the new method of food production. In this way, large companies have become economic giants. Technological advances, particularly after industrialization, helped change the way products like meat were handled. In the late 1800s, due to industrialization, Americans began mass producing, marketing, packaging, and distributing different types of foods. Then, in the 1920s, the refrigerator was perfected. Thanks to this technological change, companies were able to store their mass-produced meat. This gave people ideas on how to take advantage of this new way of handling food. Over the past century, the food industry has changed significantly. It's hard to imagine that foods were processed any differently than they are today. In 1921, the first White Castle opened, followed by McDonald's in 1940. With the introduction of these types of restaurants, similar competitors such as Burger King and Taco Bell opened their doors. Fast food was a brand new term that Americans were unfamiliar with. Back then, the demand and popularity of fast food was not what it is today. These companies we know so well today weren't always the big companies we know today. The food that Americans ate at these new restaurants was processed at a slower pace, but was also more natural.... middle of paper......good restaurant for family dinner after a "busy day" at the office in our endless, fast and busy work environment. In conclusion, it is evident that large companies in the food industry have, through the use of advertising, contributed to the cultural changes that our society has experienced in recent decades. Large companies saw a need that would positively respond to consumer desires as times changed. This change has eased the chore of preparing the daily family evening meal. A fact which has had significant consequences in view of the average household which now consists of two breadwinners. An irrevocable change in that it seems highly unlikely that our society will ever return to a single parent earning enough money to maintain a "normal" lifestyle in these times of high technology and speed..