The History Of Your Favorite Fast Food

Written by: Sitara Nair

Fast food restaurants are a big part of everyday life, but many people do not know how they started or why they became so popular. Learning about the history of fast food helps us understand how these restaurants grew, changed the way people eat, and became important in American culture. Lets learn about the beginnings and growth of In-N-Out, McDonald’s, Chipotle, Starbucks, and Burger King to show how each restaurant became successful!!

In N Out

Starting in 1948, In-N-Out Burger took the world by storm. Harry and Esther Snyder of Baldwin Park, California, opened the first store in a small 10x10-foot space, and Harry developed two-way speakers for drive-thrus, adding the first of their kind to revolutionize the experience. As you may know, In- N-Out was a Southern California-focused project, and growth outside of California only began in the ‘90s. Throughout the chain’s incredible growth, they have made numerous advancements and updates, from switching from bottled drinks to fountain in 1958, adding the iconic three flavors of milkshakes to the menu in 1975, or even reintroducing hot cocoa to their menu in 2018 after a hiatus! The company prides itself on its quality & freshness, its simple menu, and family-owned values in promoting ultimate success! Their success has been rampant to this day, and today Lynsi Snyder continues to lead the company following her grandparents’ footsteps! 

McDonald’s

Beginning in 1940 with Richard and Maurice McDonald, McDonalds became a pioneer and significant force in the fast food industry. The chain was first established in San Bernardino, California, and was later franchised in 1954 by Ray Kroc, helping to spread McDonald’s food widely. The first franchised McDonald's opened in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955, and Kroc’s genius idea put him in a position to buy the company from the McDonald brothers for $2.7 million. The iconic yellow “M” or the Golden Arches were actually first introduced in 1953, and became the official logo due to Kroc’s push. Post immediate franchising, McDonald’s continued to grow, and the chain expanded globally and became the worlds largest restaurant chain by revenue with over 40,000 locations across the world today. 

Chipotle

Steve Ells founded the first Chipotle in 1993 near the University of Denver; he was a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America, and worked as a sous chef in San Francisco, California. Ells converted a former ice cream shop into the first ever Chipotle on July 13, 1993, at 1664 East Evans Avenue in Denver. He was inspired by customizable burritos from taquerias in Misoin District, and brought it to Colorado with a counter-service setup using fresh ingredients, a limited menu, and fresh, high-quality food. His initial goal was for a dream fine-dining restaurant, but the overwhelming success changed his focus.

Starbucks

The founders were actually an English teacher, a writer, and a history teacher. They were named Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl, and they sold premium roasted coffee beans named after a character in Moby Dick. They aimed to bring high-quality coffee to Seattle by sourcing beans from Peet’s Coffee. In 1982, they were the first store to sell brewed coffee. A sales director named Howard Schultz joined in 1982 and was inspired by Italian coffee bars, which led Starbucks to sell espresso drinks. Schultz left but returned in 1987 to acquire Starbucks, transforming it into a coffeehouse chain. Under Schultz, Starbucks went public in 1992. It expanded globally, opening stores in Japan, Europe, and China. They opened their first drive-thru locations in 1994 and introduced the Frapuccino beverage in 1995. It reached 10,000 locations worldwide in 2005 and adopted a contemporary logo in 2011.

Burger King

In 1953, Keith Kramer and Matthew Burns opened Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville. The McDonald's model inspired them, and they began using a machine that cooked burgers quickly. James McLamore and David Edgerton, who were Miami franchisees, invested in the company and later assumed control in 1954. McLamore invents the signature Whopper, and Edgerton invents the flame broiler to replace the Insta-Broiler in 1957. They both buy out Kramer and Burns, restructure the company, and rename it Burger King. The Pillsbury Company acquired Burger King for $18 million and pursued significant expansion plans in 1967. Burger King became the second-largest burger chain behind McDonald’s in the late 1970s. The slogan “Have It Your Way” was introduced in 1974, emphasizing customization. The company then went public in 2006. In 2010, Brazil’s 3G Capital bought Burger King.