Fast Food Then Versus Now: Surprising Trends Reveal The Truth We recently revisited Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, and the parallels between the past and present are startling. We were struck by how oprah’s emulation of McDonald's simplicity then mirrors our current obsession with streamlined fast-food experiences—just on a different scale. The exposé’s strongest message, uncovered in our re-reading, was the deliberate crafting of these environments to foster instant satisfaction, a tactic that feels even more potent today. Now, as food trends shift with each generation, we can’t help but reflect on how our relationship with fast food has evolved—yet many of the underlying strategies remain unchanged. It’s worth questioning what we’ve become as consumers.