ThemostobviousandstrikingtraitisthatAmericansalwaysseemtobegoingsomewhereandalwaysseemtobeinahurry.InNewYork,wherethestreetsareusuallychokedwithtraffic,driverstryineverywaytogetaheadofeachother,whilepedestriansrunthroughthestreetsoftendisregardingtrafficsignals.NowhereisthisimpatiencemoreevidentthaninAmericaneatinghabits.Sittingdowntoaleisurelymealseemstobealuxury.ItisquickertoserveoneselfinafastfoodrestaurantlikeMcDonald’s.McDonald’s,BurgerKingandWendy’sarenationwidefoodchainsspecializinginthemostpopularofallfoods,thehamburger.
Thepopularityoftheseeatingplaceshasmuchtodowithbeinginexpensive,butmoreimportant,withfastservice.Fastandinstantarethekeywords.Asaladbar,acentralfeatureinmostrestaurants,hasadizzyingvarietyofuncookedvegetables,pickledsalads,coldfish,andcheese.Puttingtogetheryourownchoicesmakessensebutyoualsodon’thavetowaittobeserved.Thesaladmaybeyourmainmeal,ortheappetizerwhichwillkeepyoubusyuntiltherestofthemealisready.“Takeout”foodisanAmericanwayoflife.
Onecanplaceanorderoverthephonewithanyofthetake-awayfoodshopsintheneighborhoodforaninstantmealtobetakentotheofficeortoeatathomefrombarbecuedchickentopizza.Withalittlepatience,youcangotothesupermarketandbuyinstantfoodsthattakealittletimetoprepare—instantcereals,instantsoups,instantrice,instantcoffee—allofwhichrequireonlyboilingwater,orfrozendinnersavailableininfinitechoices.Herethemealneedsonlytobeheated.WithallthepossibilitiesofeatinginstantlyandconstantlyandwiththeabundanceoffoodinAmerica,isitanywonderthatAmericanstendtobeoverweight?