fast food outlets
INTRODUCTION The existence of fast food establishments is not new. According to Parsa and Kahn, quick food service dates back to Constantinople in 1500 A.D., with the creation of the coffee shop. However, in the past half century, there has been a surge in what we now think of as quick service restaurants (QSR), serving a growing number of people who are eating more and more of their meals outside of the home. Every day in the United States, 25% of the population will visit a fast food restaurant, and worldwide, McDonald’s alone feeds over 46 million people a day, which is comparable to the population of Spain. The growing prevalence of fast food restaurants reflects a fundamental shift in societal mores, moving away from traditional home-based dining and toward a contemporary fast-food model. The evolution of the quick service restaurant industry can be categorized into four life cycle stages:
Pre-introductory stage (pre- 1950’s),
Introductory stage (1950’s and early 1960’s),
Growth stage (early 1960’s to early 1980’s), and
Maturity stage (early 1980’s – late 1980’s) An overview of the growth and development of QSRs provides needed background to understand this dynamic industry.
Pre-Introductory Stage (Before 1950’s) The prevalence of quick service restaurants is a phenomenon of the 20th century, when the restaurant industry became greatly divided and largely entrepreneurial in nature. The Prohibition Act of 1920 had a major effect on the restaurant industry. A government Decree mandated many bar owners to convert their dispensers from alcohol to soft drinks.
This conversion to soft drinks was instantaneously followed by menu expansions and ultimately the conversion of bars into restaurants. The advent of national prohibition stripped away liquor profits, shifting owners to emphasize low-price, and high-volume food service. However, the restaurant boom was cut short by the stock market crash in 1929.
The severe economic impact of the
Pre-introductory stage (pre- 1950’s),
Introductory stage (1950’s and early 1960’s),
Growth stage (early 1960’s to early 1980’s), and
Maturity stage (early 1980’s – late 1980’s) An overview of the growth and development of QSRs provides needed background to understand this dynamic industry.
Pre-Introductory Stage (Before 1950’s) The prevalence of quick service restaurants is a phenomenon of the 20th century, when the restaurant industry became greatly divided and largely entrepreneurial in nature. The Prohibition Act of 1920 had a major effect on the restaurant industry. A government Decree mandated many bar owners to convert their dispensers from alcohol to soft drinks.
This conversion to soft drinks was instantaneously followed by menu expansions and ultimately the conversion of bars into restaurants. The advent of national prohibition stripped away liquor profits, shifting owners to emphasize low-price, and high-volume food service. However, the restaurant boom was cut short by the stock market crash in 1929.
The severe economic impact of the