Americans pay more for fast food than for entertainment like movies, books and music combined. In 1970, the United States spent about $6 billion on fast food, and by the end of 2011, that amount had nearly doubled to $110 billion. Fast food is now found everywhere, such as hospitals, airports and zoos. “What We Eat,” written by Eric Schlosser, reflects on his research into the profound effects of American life. “What We Eat” is a look at the rapid rise and popularity of fast food among the American people, as well as the physical and social consequences of the rapid growth of the service economy. Fast food has a negative impact on the American people. The fast food industry can be compared to that of a drug dealer who forces his product on suspicious, but always willing, customers. The community does nothing to stop this booming industry and yet encourages it to continue to impact the health of its customers. American life has been transformed by the fast food industry, not only by changing the American diet, but also by altering culture, the workplace, the economy, and the landscape. “Today, about half of the money used to buy food is spent in restaurants, mainly fast food.” (Schlosser) This could be because around two thirds of working women are mothers. The impact of fast food on American culture is evident when you simply look at McDonald's. McDonald's has become the most famous brand in the world; golden arches are more famous than the Christian cross. “A survey of American schoolchildren found that 96 percent of them could identify Ronald McDonald.” (Schlosser) McDonald's is responsible for 90 percent of new jobs in the United States. The landscape has changed because of fast food...... middle of paper...... and technology has allowed inexperienced workers to achieve a near-perfect level of cooking efficiency. Technology has eliminated the need for specially trained chefs. “The industry does not need to hire professionally trained cooks to work.” (Moore). Millions of Americans buy fast food every day without thinking about where, how or why. The ramifications of fast food impact the American people both at the waist level and in the community in which they live. “As the old saying goes: you are what you eat. » (Schlosser) The customer made the choice to eat fast food or not. The industry doesn't care about customers; Studies have shown that the fast food industry is behind the rise in obesity in the United States. “Live fast and die young” (Moore); This couldn't be more true when considering the impact of the fast food industry.