Order up!

“I’ll have a double cheeseburger with a side of heart disease, some love handles and one large bucket of deliciousness, please.”

Fast food is seriously enticing, despite the deluge of evidence that it is also seriously unhealthy. What are we really buying when we order off of the Dollar Menu at McDonald’s or the Super Value Menu at Wendy’s?

This “value menu” offers cheap comfort foods, promptly provided via a drive-through window. Metaphorically speaking, the existence of the value menu exposes what consumers value in and outside of the golden arches.

Nowadays it is drilled into our heads from a young age by teachers, parents and the media that eating greasy fast food can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and various other conditions. Therefore, I do not believe that ignorance is the reason some of us indulge in fast food.

So, where’s the beef? A consumer’s choice of whether or not to eat fast food reveals aspects of his lifestyle and values, such as health, money, body image, time management and immediate versus delayed gratification.

Those who do eat fast food value taste and immediate satisfaction, as well as saving time and money. Live in the moment! Life’s too short! Carpe diem!

Some of us have busy lives that don’t leave much room for cooking, or even getting out of the car to pick up food. Fast food establishments offer generous portions at a low price. Unfortunately, the price you pay for choosing fast food may be much larger in the long run.

Those who refrain from indulging in fast food most likely value their health and realize that living a healthy lifestyle now is an important investment for life. Healthy, organic foods may be more pricey and, for the most part, less tasty than fast food, but choosing health over taste pays off.

Eating healthy leads to an excellent physique and longevity. More importantly, seemingly cheap burgers may lead to clogged arteries and expensive hospital bills, so the more expensive healthy food you pay for today should pay for itself later.

Foods high in fat, cholesterol and salt affect your body externally as well. We live in a society where slenderness is associated with beauty. Therefore, those who are overweight may harbor a negative body image and low self esteem, not to mention the money they will have to spend on a new wardrobe that necessitates bigger pants sizes. Therefore, those who value their appearance will most likely attempt to eat healthfully.

I am aware that many people who eat off the value menu at fast food chains do not consciously consider all of the consequences of such a simple purchase. However, these restaurants have been in existence for years and are here to stay. Business, as always, is booming.

I have no beef, pun fully intended, with these burger chains. In fact, “I’m lovin’ it.” It is just interesting to consider the psychology behind one’s choice to consume food that is infamously unhealthy. I guess sometimes you just want to “have it your way.”