Tyler Adkins
Professor Ruth Benander
English 1000
12 August 2015
Fast Food And Your Choice
In the article “Fast Food Doubles Down” by Crouch, the growing problem of health in fast food is emphasized. Kentucky Fried
Chicken is bringing back a sandwich, a not so ordinary or healthy sandwich of choice. This sandwich replaces the bread bun with to
pieces of boneless fried chicken. Although this is only one of many unhealthy choices the fast food industry offers, food critics argue
that this sandwich is a new all-time low. Throughout the article Crouch uses disgusting and repulsive words and talks down about the
food being served to US citizens. The food critic Sifton said “that it was a deranged Frankenfood, a deep-fried symbol of American
gluttony gone wild, and a sure harbinger of end times.” The author is trying to get the attention of younger, college aged, and middle
aged adults. The author hopes to show the audience how the fast food industry is starting to lead them to a greasy grave.
Although there are points in this article that I agree with, I find this article a little frustrating and pointless. Although I think the
food is very unhealthy, I do not think that the fast food industry in mis-leading anybody. If you want to know about the food, all you
have to do is ask for the nutrition facts. You can see all of the nutrition facts and see just how unhealthy it is for yourself. The fast food
industry does indeed promote their food, but so does anything else that could be harmful. For example, alcoholic beverage
companies promote their beer, cigarette companies promote cigarettes, and so on. It is the person’s choice what they decide to eat,
whether or not it is healthy.
In the article Sifton says, “You can imagine food scientists and executives at KFC laughing over what they might be able to get
people to eat next, all by making the newest concoction seem ridiculous, or else appealingly dangerous.” Food scientist are not out to
try to get people to eat the most unhealthy foods or to make people have future health problems. Their job is to find what appeal to
people the most and to grow the business. There are concerned about what the people want to eat rather than wanting to see what
they can get them to eat.
Another point this article tries to get across is the little unhealthy options that restaurants add in. For example, Sifton says,
"Subway will put Fritos corn chips directly on your sandwich. Domino’s is selling something it calls Specialty Chicken—basically an
order of fried chicken with pizza toppings on it, or, seen another way, pizza with a fried-chicken crust. The Canadian pizza chain
Boston Pizza has proposed a five-layer “pizza cake.” And Taco Bell, on the heels of its success with Doritos Locos tacos (over five
hundred million sold), has joined the breakfast-food racket with its new flagship Waffle Taco, which is just what it sounds like.” I don’t
see the difference between adding Fritos to a sub, or eating Fritos with the sub separately, the same with eating pizza with chicken on
it as opposed to chicken and wings separately.
With all of this in mind, fast food companies decided to add a couple of health options for sides like apple slices. In this article
they make those options seem like a joke. Like when Sifton said, “Today, McDonald’s, Burger King, and others make frequent mention
of the fact that they sell apple slices along with burgers and shakes.” Although most of the food options are not the healthiest, at least
people have the option to choose apples instead of fries. This shows that even though there are healthier options most people don’t
want them. They’d rather have their French fries than the other options offered.
Through-out this article, the author was successful with connecting to people’s emotions with using disgusting words when
talking about the food, although I do not agree with the point he is trying to get across. Even though the logos did not work well with
me, the author did a successful job at getting the point across to the younger generation about the dangers of the food that is being
served to us. There will always be unhealthy options out there, but it is ultimately up to you to make the appropriate decisions.
Works Cited
Crouch, Ian. "Fast Food Doubles Down." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 25 April 2014. Web. 8 October 2015
Professor Ruth Benander
English 1000
12 August 2015
Fast Food And Your Choice
In the article “Fast Food Doubles Down” by Crouch, the growing problem of health in fast food is emphasized. Kentucky Fried
Chicken is bringing back a sandwich, a not so ordinary or healthy sandwich of choice. This sandwich replaces the bread bun with to
pieces of boneless fried chicken. Although this is only one of many unhealthy choices the fast food industry offers, food critics argue
that this sandwich is a new all-time low. Throughout the article Crouch uses disgusting and repulsive words and talks down about the
food being served to US citizens. The food critic Sifton said “that it was a deranged Frankenfood, a deep-fried symbol of American
gluttony gone wild, and a sure harbinger of end times.” The author is trying to get the attention of younger, college aged, and middle
aged adults. The author hopes to show the audience how the fast food industry is starting to lead them to a greasy grave.
Although there are points in this article that I agree with, I find this article a little frustrating and pointless. Although I think the
food is very unhealthy, I do not think that the fast food industry in mis-leading anybody. If you want to know about the food, all you
have to do is ask for the nutrition facts. You can see all of the nutrition facts and see just how unhealthy it is for yourself. The fast food
industry does indeed promote their food, but so does anything else that could be harmful. For example, alcoholic beverage
companies promote their beer, cigarette companies promote cigarettes, and so on. It is the person’s choice what they decide to eat,
whether or not it is healthy.
In the article Sifton says, “You can imagine food scientists and executives at KFC laughing over what they might be able to get
people to eat next, all by making the newest concoction seem ridiculous, or else appealingly dangerous.” Food scientist are not out to
try to get people to eat the most unhealthy foods or to make people have future health problems. Their job is to find what appeal to
people the most and to grow the business. There are concerned about what the people want to eat rather than wanting to see what
they can get them to eat.
Another point this article tries to get across is the little unhealthy options that restaurants add in. For example, Sifton says,
"Subway will put Fritos corn chips directly on your sandwich. Domino’s is selling something it calls Specialty Chicken—basically an
order of fried chicken with pizza toppings on it, or, seen another way, pizza with a fried-chicken crust. The Canadian pizza chain
Boston Pizza has proposed a five-layer “pizza cake.” And Taco Bell, on the heels of its success with Doritos Locos tacos (over five
hundred million sold), has joined the breakfast-food racket with its new flagship Waffle Taco, which is just what it sounds like.” I don’t
see the difference between adding Fritos to a sub, or eating Fritos with the sub separately, the same with eating pizza with chicken on
it as opposed to chicken and wings separately.
With all of this in mind, fast food companies decided to add a couple of health options for sides like apple slices. In this article
they make those options seem like a joke. Like when Sifton said, “Today, McDonald’s, Burger King, and others make frequent mention
of the fact that they sell apple slices along with burgers and shakes.” Although most of the food options are not the healthiest, at least
people have the option to choose apples instead of fries. This shows that even though there are healthier options most people don’t
want them. They’d rather have their French fries than the other options offered.
Through-out this article, the author was successful with connecting to people’s emotions with using disgusting words when
talking about the food, although I do not agree with the point he is trying to get across. Even though the logos did not work well with
me, the author did a successful job at getting the point across to the younger generation about the dangers of the food that is being
served to us. There will always be unhealthy options out there, but it is ultimately up to you to make the appropriate decisions.
Works Cited
Crouch, Ian. "Fast Food Doubles Down." The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 25 April 2014. Web. 8 October 2015