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Eric Schlosser in his bestseller Fast Food Nation presents the culture that embraces fast and unhealthy food. In the first chapter entitled  “The Founding Fathers”, the author describes founders and socio-cultural circumstances of fast food restaurants development. Schlosser shows that history of fast food restaurants’ founders had major impact on fast food industry because they were the first who used automobile industry, factory rules, and  their believes to create new era of food service.

In this chapter Schlosser says, that in earl twentieth century developing automobile industry changed not only California’s landscape but also people’s mentality. When cars became more affordable many people used them instead of public communication. Moreover, Schlosser explains, that thanks to government subsidies for road expenses there were no road infrastructure costs incurred by car owners which made people even more dependent on the cars. This new life style created new way of buying and consuming food, so entrepreneurs such as Carl Karcher opened restaurants with drive-in which enabled the purchase of food without leaving the car. The fast food founders used automobile infrastructure to attract consumer and adapt their businesses to consumers’ requirements.

In chapter “The Founding Fathers” Schlosser describes how pioneers of fast food service changed principles of running restaurants. According to the author,  McDonald brothers drastically changed the menu, reduced employment, used plastic or paper utensils instead of glass dishes, and applied factory rules in their business by dividing the labor between small number of employees. As Schlosser says, “the guiding principles of a factory assembly line were applied to a commercial kitchen.” This means that each worker had to perform only one task. New system of preparation food speeded up costumers service and lowered restaurant’s costs.

Moreover, in this chapter Schlosser presents, how chain restaurants were established. The author also mentions founders of the current most known fast food restaurants such as William Rosenberg who create Dunkin’ Donuts, or war veteran Glen W. Bell who created Taco Bell restaurants. Schlosser shows, there are many examples of first fast food restaurant owners who left their education, worked hard, and struggled with adversities because they “believed in Progress.”