Fast Food in the Modern Age

Tim Hortons

Turn a corner on a major street, and a McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, or Starbucks will undoubtedly be present; fast food chains are a ubiquitous sight. According to Statistics Canada, the nearly $30 billion industry boasts a national average of 10.3 fast food restaurants per 10,000 people.

To understand the current fast food market, it is important to cover the history of fast food in Canada. Many of World War II’s innovations bled into the civilian world, and innovations in food were no different. “Time-insensitive food”, which could be stored for long periods of time before being prepared for consumption, was developed by scientists in collaboration with the military. This led to a food system that was mass produced and shelf-stable.

Following these changes to the North American diet, the 50s and 60s brought fast food chains to the forefront. Improved highway systems encouraged an “on-the-go” lifestyle, creating the need for filling food that could be produced at a moment’s notice. 

The consumer values from the 50s and 60s of quick, easy, and accessible food are being eclipsed by a greater movement towards healthier and more balanced alternatives. According to Restaurants Canada, one of this year’s food trends include increased ingredient awareness, among other trends such as contactless pick-up, environmentally-conscious packaging, and prepared meal kits.

Thus, attitudes towards and fast food are changing. In 2017, Health Canada considered implementing a sweeping ban on all unhealthy food marketing to children under 17. Ultimately, the bill proposing this ban did not receive royal assent. However, this proposal marks one of many recent pushes by government officials to inscribe fast food deterring policies in legislation. Ontario’s Healthy Menu Choices Act (HMCA), requiring all restaurants to include nutrition information on their menus, is one such example. 

Fast food chains have adapted to both legislative pressure and the demands of the current consumer market. 

A&W, Burger King, and KFC have embraced plant-based alternatives. Partnerships with the meat substitute brands Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have been the focus of new food campaigns. The meat substitute market is projected to grow by 14 per cent annually, according to analysis by the National Research Council Canada. This is artially fuelled by consumers’ desire to eat more environmentally-concious food, as animal agriculture accounts for the same GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions as the fuel burned by the world’s transport vehicles.

In an effort to appeal to younger generations who did not grow up in the “golden age” of fast food, fast food chains are enlisting celebrities to sell their products. The benefit of these collaborations is not only profitable for companies, as fans are able to easily connect with their favourite celebrities whilst on a budget. 

In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, mascots used to sell fast food were popularized. This perhaps masked the unhealthiness of fast food, as consumers associated the brand with a certain figure. Today, celebrity endorsements provide a similar effect.

McDonald’s BTS Meal marked a significant change in fast food marketing. The K-Pop band created a curated combo composed of chicken nuggets, two exclusive sauces, fries, and a drink all wrapped up in a custom purple takeaway bag. The meal sold out in numerous McDonald’s internationally and went viral online, with fans and non-fans alike trying the meal. The BTS Meal gained so much popularity that the takeaway bags were being sold online for upwards of $50.  Prior to the BTS Meal, McDonald’s had created the Travis Scott Meal and the J. Balvin Meal. 

Justin Bieber famously collaborated with Tim Hortons to create “Timbiebs”, three unique Timbit flavours available for a limited time. Tiktok superstar Charli D’Amelio professed her love for the coffee chain Dunkin’ Donuts on social media. It came as no surprise when she announced the “Charli”, her signature drink now sold at Dunkin’, to her 129 million followers at the time. 

Fast food companies have also begun to recognize the power of indirect marketing. With the Travis Scott Meal, a trend began where people would post a video of themselves playing “SICKO MODE” at a drive-thru. 

In an interview with the New York Times, Frances Fleming-Milici, a director at the University of Connecticut’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, explained that “young people become these unintentional marketers,” since “companies don’t have to pay for that organic content and all the TikToks that people make.”