Sometimes you can’t help but go to fast food restaurants when you are on a diet, but today’s fast food is so much different than the fast food of yesterday. Generally, when people think of fast food, they think of hamburgers, hot dogs, or worse. However, the United States has a habit of turning everything into fast food. Barbecue, fish, and many other foods can be served to go. Here we will discuss what fast food is and where to find it.
What Is Fast Food?
Americans, at least, tend to compartmentalize fast food, equating a drive through with a fast food chain. However, the drive-through criterion may be overly limiting; fast food is hidden everywhere. Any restaurant that offers bistro-style American food can be considered fast food. Denny’s, Friday’s, and Chili’s, for example, offer diner or American bistro-style food. They generally serve fried foods as well as the hamburger or hotdog options, and a side of fries or fried onion rings is a staple.
Today, though, American fast food chains are subject to increasing pressure to produce healthier fare and to publicize this via media advertising as well as on their menus. This has caused a surge in competition among fast food restaurants. McDonald’s has a Bistro store that sells grilled chicken and signature salads as well as soups, panini sandwiches, and pizza. If you have one of these specialized McDonald’s restaurants in your neighborhood, it presents a decent fast food option. In terms of relatively healthy fast food choices, however, Wendy’s is on top.
Many chains have menu options with such labels as “fit fare” or “on the lighter side.” Denny’s has “fit fare” that just modifies many regular menu items. Friday’s offers a “lighter side” menu with about seven choices, and Chili’s is similar. Applebee’s is also a healthy choice with an extensive, affordable salad bar. Your diet is fairly safe eating out at most any bistro-style establishment on occasion because rarely will you find fast food restaurants that do not offer healthy choices.
