In the early 1950’s, the movement for more convenient, quick food began in America with a small establishment called White Castle that sold cheap slider burgers for around five cents a pop. Now approximately 60 years later the fast food market has dramatically expanded with around 72 individual chains in the United States alone. Listed here are some of the most common in the country.

McDonalds – “And on the eighth day, God created the Big Mac, and it was good.” McDonalds is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of fast food, and for good reason, as there is nothing on this earth better than a full cup of fresh-out-of-the-fryer McDonalds french fries coupled with an ice cold, chocolate chip McCafe frappuccino. It is as though McDonalds found a way to solidify the rays of the sun, soak them in grease, and cut them into slender fries for convenient eating; but actually, they are just potatoes. With over 14,000 restaurant locations in the US alone, we have discarded baseball and chosen McDonalds as America’s new favorite pastime, but unfortunately playing a sport never caused diabetes. McDonalds’s mouthwatering sandwiches and tempting prices are so good that the innocent patron of a McDonalds restaurant is willing to jeopardize their very health to bite into the succulent manifestation that is the Big Mac.

Taco Bell – Taco Bell is an example of how cultured and accepting Americans are as a whole. Not really. It is , in reality, just a fast food restaurant serving Americanized Mexican concepts, but boy do we love it! The “Doritos Locos Taco” and the “Beefy Five Layer Burrito” are two dishes that, while not originating anywhere near Mexico, taste like something that Chicomecōātl, the Aztec goddess of nourishment, created with her godly bare hands. When eating on a budget, Taco Bell is the place to go, where it is possible to feed an entire family with less than six dollars on hand.

Burger King – Do people actually eat at Burger King?

Chick-fil-A – Probably best in the business. Chick-fil-A changed the popular opinion among fast food chains that quality food and good service had to be sacrificed in order for the company to turn a profit. Truett Cathy, creator of Chick-fil-A, was a man driven by faith and motivated by a desire to create the perfect chicken entrée. If you are sick of imitation, go to the home of the original boneless chicken sandwich and order yourself a famous Chick-fil-A lemonade and a large basket of mouthwatering waffle fries.

Captain D’s – This is a gourmet seafood restaurant was made popular by its slogan “food poisoning on the fly”. Captain D’s came into existence when a group of men met and made it their goal to save people the work of microwaving mediocre , store-bought frozen fish and to provide shelter for homeless people at the same time. Its food may be unsatisfactory, but I hear their Coca-Cola tastes fine!

Dairy Queen – All hail your benevolent queen, you dessert loving peasants. Before Dairy Queen, a snowstorm was merely a natural disaster, but now, America can indulge in the dangerously delicious treat that the restaurant calls “The Blizzard”. The Blizzard is like a milkshake, but thicker, and filled with all sorts of varied candies, nuts, fruits, baked goods and flavoring. Now, if that description was not enough, I can make you all a personal promise that this dessert is the most delicious thing you can possibly eat with a spoon. In the 1960’s, during a bold business decision, Dairy Queen altered their business model and began to serve hot foods in order to expend their relevance in an already competitive market. This fundamental change was surprisingly successful, and their delicious hot dogs and French fries are on-par with even the best restaurants around. Dairy Queen’s combination of salty fried foods and their thick, creamy, frozen treats have been known to cause tastebud nirvana when eaten.