Is America a fast food society? Have American’s come to believe that less is more and that quantity over quality is more important? Many feel that America has become a nation and society of instant gratification. A “buy now, pay later” mentality has began to filter into every aspect of American lives. Generations before saving for the future and saving to purchase was the mindset most American’s held too yet, in 2010, those ideas are very different. The recent housing and credit card crisis, in the United States, is evident of the generational mindset change.  Mc Donalds, is believed, to be one of the largest contributors to our “fast food” and“quantity is more” society and Mc Donalds reach has even had its hand in change the face of many restaurant and business practices in American culture, as well. Mc Donalds and American culture can even be felt worldwide; Mc Donalds reach far extends the United State’s borders.Mc Donald’s is one the most influential developments in American culture affecting our way of life, economical structure, l social structure, American business, industries, and practices.  Mc Donalds is also spreading American culture far beyond the Untied State’s borders.

Gone is the day when churches and community centers were places to meet, now those places have been replaced by the local Mc Donald’s. Church meals not only feed but served as places of fellowship for the community. These were places were the local youth could come hang out in a safe environment (Winner 91). Now Mc Donald’s have taken the churches and community place for social gatherings. Open any Mc Donald’s and the rush of cool air, sound of children’s laughter, smell of hamburgers and french fries, and sight of colorful wrapped and boxed items (Schlosser 3).  Appealing to all the senses, Mc Donald’s fulfills the place to meet with the demands of America’s time crunched society.  In our time-crunched society these church based meals are being replaced with the informal meeting at the local Mc Donald’s (Winner 91).

            In America’s time-crunched society, Mc Donalds serves as an alternative to cooking at home, thus making life simpler. Several generations ago the American family sat down to a home cooked meal most nights of the week. Eating out was left for special occasions. In 2010,the home cooked meal is saved for special occasions and eating out has been put in its place. American society calculates that it saves them time to pick up Mc Donalds than to make a meal at home (Ritzer 13). “People tend to calculate how much time it will take to drive to Mc Donalds, be served the food, eat it, and return home; then compare that interval to the time required to prepare food at home” (Ritzer 13).  Saving time from not having to cook, in turn, makes the time-crunched American family’s life simpler, in theory.  American society has become so hurried and busy that American society has created, from being so time-crunched, to replace quantity with quality. “Another observer has argued that people do not go to Mc Donalds for a delicious meal, but, rather, to refuel” (Ritzer 69).

America’s fast paced, time-crunched, need it now society has left Americans with an quantity over quality mentality. With American’s believing Mc Donald's is a suitable replacement for a home cooked meal, one can see how America’s emphasis has shifted over past several decades. “Mc Donald’s carries this emphasis on quantity to its products’ names.  The best-known example is the Big Mac (and Mc Donald’s even tested a Mega Mac, 50% bigger than the Big Mac) (Rizer 68)”.  To the customer the bigger the burger the better the value. Consumers walk away from Mc Donald’s knowing they did not receive the best quality food, but feel that they received the quantity they needed for an expectable value and in an quick, orderly fashion (Ritzer 68). “Mc Donald's is a place to fill their stomachs with lots of calories and carbohydrates so that they can move on to the next rationally organized activity. Eating to refuel is far more efficient than eating to enjoy a culinary experience (Ritzer 69)”.