Fast food consumption has grown substantially over the past few decades, both in the United States and globally. In the U.S., about one in three adults eats fast food on any given day, and the average American adult gets nearly 12% of their daily calories from fast food alone. Globally, fast food sales climbed from roughly $580 billion in 2009 to over $830 billion by 2023, with the sharpest growth happening in developing countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
How Often Americans Eat Fast Food Now
CDC data from 2021 to 2023 found that 32% of U.S. adults age 20 and older consumed fast food on a given day. Young adults eat the most: those aged 20 to 39 got 15.2% of their daily calories from fast food, compared to 11.9% for adults 40 to 59 and 7.6% for those 60 and older. Men eat slightly more fast food than women, with about 38% of men consuming it on a given day versus 35% of women.
Children and teens follow a similar pattern. Between 2015 and 2018, Americans aged 2 to 19 got an average of 13.8% of their daily calories from fast food. That’s a meaningful share of a child’s diet, especially considering that fast food tends to be higher in sodium and lower in fiber than home-cooked meals.
U.S. Spending Has Surged Since 2019
The dollar figures tell a dramatic story. In 2019, limited-service restaurants (the category that includes fast food and fast-casual chains) brought in about $360 billion in sales. That number dipped slightly in 2020 during pandemic shutdowns, falling to $351 billion. But by 2024, sales at limited-service restaurants had jumped to $550.7 billion, a roughly 53% increase over five years. Total spending on food away from home reached $1.52 trillion in 2024, with fast food and fast-casual spots accounting for more than a third of that.
Some of this growth reflects higher menu prices rather than more meals eaten. Inflation has pushed fast food prices up significantly since 2020. But the overall trajectory, stretching back well before recent inflation, points to a genuine shift in how Americans eat.
Global Growth Is Fastest in Developing Countries
North America remains the world’s largest fast food market, with sales rising from $318.9 billion in 2009 to $418.9 billion in 2023, a 31.4% increase. But that growth rate looks modest compared to what’s happening elsewhere. The Asia-Pacific region saw sales jump 53.2% over the same period, climbing from $174.7 billion to $267.7 billion. The Middle East and Africa grew even faster in percentage terms, up 59.3%, largely driven by expansion in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The pattern tracks closely with a country’s income level. Upper-middle-income countries experienced 42.4% growth in per-capita fast food sales between 2009 and 2023. Lower-middle-income countries followed at 36.4%. High-income countries, where fast food markets are already saturated, grew a more restrained 21.7%. In practical terms, this means the fast food model that took hold in the U.S. decades ago is now spreading rapidly through countries experiencing rising incomes and urbanization.
Portions and Calories Keep Growing
It’s not just that people eat fast food more often. The food itself has gotten bigger. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics compared fast food menus in 1986, 1991, and 2016 and found that entrée portion sizes increased by about 13 grams per decade, while dessert portions grew by 24 grams per decade. Calories climbed across every menu category, with desserts showing the largest jump at 62 additional calories per decade. Sodium also increased significantly in entrées, sides, and desserts.
The variety of items on fast food menus has expanded dramatically too, which encourages more ordering. A modern fast food menu offers far more choices than its 1980s counterpart, and many of those additions are higher-calorie items like specialty sandwiches, loaded fries, and blended coffee drinks.
Sodium Levels Remain Stubbornly High
Despite public pressure and voluntary pledges from major chains, the sodium content of fast food hasn’t improved much. A review of menu items from 1996 to 2013 found that sodium decreased in only about 27% of the items studied, while it actually increased in 39% of them. Saturated fat showed a more mixed picture: french fries saw a noticeable drop in saturated fat after chains switched from beef tallow to vegetable-based frying oils in the early 2000s, and some cheeseburgers saw modest decreases. But overall, the nutritional profile of a typical fast food meal has not changed as much as the industry’s marketing might suggest.
Who Eats the Most Fast Food
Age is the strongest predictor. Nearly 45% of adults aged 20 to 39 ate fast food on a given day during the 2013 to 2016 survey period, compared to about 24% of those 60 and older. This gap likely reflects a combination of factors: younger adults have less time for cooking, are more likely to eat on the go, and grew up with fast food as a normalized part of daily life.
Income plays a less straightforward role than many people assume. CDC data shows fast food consumption is common across all income levels, not concentrated among lower-income households. Middle- and higher-income adults eat fast food frequently too, though they may choose different types of restaurants. The convenience factor cuts across economic lines, and the rise of fast-casual chains with higher price points has expanded fast food’s reach into demographics that might not visit a traditional drive-through.