Economic Activism: Socially Responsible Junk Food

Economic Activism Thought of the Week:

Fast food chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Arby's, etc. and slightly up-scale chains like T.G.I.Friday's, Applebee's, Chili's, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bennigan's, Outback, etc. are changing the nature of the food we eat (to say nothing of how we eat it), in part by replacing local restaurants in our eating habits.

Everyone knows by now that a typical fast-food meal is high in fat, calories, sodium, sugar, caffeine, and other things we already consume too much of. But they're also high in homogeneity and artificiality. That hamburger you grabbed on the expressway to Springfield last week didn't come from a cow. It was probably made from the same herd-sized vat of factory-raised ground beef as the one you ate yesterday downtown, and the one you'll eat on the way home from the mall this weekend.

If you're going to enjoy a cholesterolly slab of meat and gooey sauce (and most of us do, at least once in a while) why not get it at [insert the name of a local one-of-a-kind restaurant here] instead? The burger is almost certain to taste better, add some variety to your diet, support a local business owner, and even let you sit and enjoy your meal without juggling it with the steering wheel and cell phone.

Plus, your chances of also finding something healthy on the menu are a lot better.