‘Mum, can we go to McDonald’s, please?’ Some people might ask, ‘Where would we be today if we did not have fast food?’ and ‘Where would parents take their children out to eat?’ It has been reported that approximately 30% of meals consumed by families in the USA are eaten at one of the big chains like Burger King and Taco Bell, though probably none is more famous than McDonald’s. The distinctive ‘golden arch’ can now be seen in most major cities in the world. In 2002, McDonald’s had approximately 25,000 restaurants in over 120 countries and served 29 million people a day. Apparently, the secret of their success is a marketing strategy of ‘think global, act local’. McDonald’s learnt that if they adapted their ‘Mac’ meals to different cultures, it was more successful than having a standardized set of products that taste the same everywhere. So now, around 80% of McDonald’s restaurants are franchised to local people who serve food with a ‘local’ flavor. For example, in Hong Kong, food called ‘Shake Shake Fries’ and ‘Red Bean Sunday’ can be found on the menu, while in Switzerland, ‘Vegi Macs’ are served. However, fast food is not popular with everyone. It is often called ‘junk’ food because it is said to be unhealthy and full of fat. Furthermore, many people claim that fast food chains produce enormous amounts of waste, while millions of people in developing countries go hungry. At the same time, more and more people no longer cook fresh food at home. ‘Convenience’ food is just too convenient! It is so easy for people with busy working lives to call into their local branch of Marks and Spencer, or some other supermarket chain, to buy ready-made meals on their way home from work. It is even easier to buy a ‘take-away’ from a local restaurant or pick up the phone and order a pizza to be delivered to your home.