Fast Food for Thought
Rethinking convenience, culture, and care through global models of fast food done right
We live in a world that moves fast—scrolling, swiping, shipping, streaming. So it’s no surprise our meals often follow suit. Drive-thru dinners, microwave meals, delivery in under 20 minutes. It’s called “fast food” for a reason. But in our race for convenience, what do we lose? And more importantly: what might we gain by rethinking speed altogether?
What’s So Fast About Fast Food?
Fast food isn’t just a type of cuisine—it’s a system. One built for efficiency, profit, and predictability. But those goals often come at the cost of public health, labor rights, cultural knowledge, and planetary wellbeing. A hamburger that costs less than fresh fruit isn’t just a bargain—it’s a signal of systemic imbalance.
And while fast food corporations have globalized Western-style convenience, they’ve also displaced or diluted traditional foodways—many of which were already “fast” in the best sense: portable, affordable, nutrient-dense, and made with love.
Rethinking the Speed of Nourishment: Global Models
Around the world, people are reclaiming fast food—not by slowing down entirely, but by speeding up justice, flavor, and community care. Here are a few examples that expand our understanding of what fast food can be:
🍜 Warung Traditions in Indonesia
Warúngs—small, family-run food stalls—dot cities and villages across Indonesia. Dishes like nasi goreng or mie ayam are pre-prepared for quick service, deeply affordable, and packed with regional flavor. Warúngs also serve as community gathering spots, offering a stark contrast to anonymous global chains.
🫓 Dabbawalas in Mumbai
The dabbawala system is a marvel of decentralized logistics. Every day, thousands of hot home-cooked meals are delivered from kitchens to offices across Mumbai, using bikes and trains—not apps or algorithms. It’s fast, efficient, hyper-local, and nearly carbon-neutral.
🌮 Antojitos
In Mexico, fast food doesn’t come from a drive-thru—it comes from antojitos: tacos, tamales, sopes, and more. Prepared quickly and sold from carts or market stalls, these meals are rich in culture, accessible to all, and deeply tied to place. Mexico City even launched a public policy for street vendors to protect and uplift their work.
🥙 Man'oushe Outlets in Lebanon
Man'oushe—a flatbread often topped with za’atar, cheese, or vegetables—is a go-to breakfast or lunch across Lebanon. Many bakeries and sidewalk ovens churn them out at high speed, offering a nutritious, low-cost option without compromising on tradition.
🍲 Jollof Rice & Mama Puts in Nigeria
In Lagos and across West Africa, “mama puts” (small, informal eateries run by women) serve fast, hot meals like jollof rice, egusi soup, and fried plantains. These businesses support local economies, preserve food heritage, and deliver flavor fast—no branding required.
🛵 Cooperative Delivery Networks in Argentina & Spain
Fed up with exploitative gig platforms, workers in Buenos Aires and Barcelona have launched delivery co-ops like PedidosYa Coop and Mensakas, which guarantee fair wages and collective ownership—proving you can get food fast without burning out people or the planet.
What If “Fast” Meant “Fair”?
What if we stopped associating fast food with processed meals in plastic boxes, and instead thought of:
Food that’s fast because it’s rooted in memory and muscle, not machines.
Food that’s fast because local logistics and tradition do what tech can’t.
Food that’s fast because it’s made for the many—not the few.
Speed doesn’t have to mean shortcuts. In many global food systems, speed is achieved through care, collaboration, and craft—not just corner-cutting.
Food for Thought
Next time you grab something quick to eat, pause. Not out of guilt, but curiosity. Who made this? What histories are folded into it? What else is possible?
Fast food will always exist. The question is: can it feed more than just our hunger?