This was an assignment to get us ready for watching Super Size Me.

No fast food chain is regarded as more unhealthy, more stomach-churning, or more cheap than Taco Bell. With nicknames like Toxic Hell, it’s commonly thought of as having the lowest-grade ingredients and dirtiest environment.

And yet, business keeps flowing in. I arrived at 11:50 AM and 15 minutes later, there is still a full line of customers in the corral. They’ve already had to open their second register to deal with the lunch rush, and the “Now Hiring” sign seems to have been up for quite some time.

I watched the line of people and the seated customers while I munched on my hard-shell taco and chicken quesadilla. I thought about packaging and behavior while I sipped on my lemonade (just as much sugar as any of the Pepsi products they carry). I tried to figure out why, despite all that these people know about the food they’re purchasing, do they return to the lines and the drive thru queues of these horrible places?

Their convenience is unparalleled. Even at a slow pace, no sit-down restaurant can deliver food as quickly as a fast food joint. Meals are pre-arranged and numbered, so you don’t have to spend time worrying if you’re getting a “full meal.” The giant pops that come with the meals have cups that are designed to fit in your car’s cup holder, which is in turn designed for a smaller cup. ATM and credit cards are now accepted, with no minimum purchase. Even the location is optimized for your convenience.

We no longer wish to enjoy our food, relish its taste, appreciate the roundness of a good meal, or think about it at all. We want to eat and get back to the “real” living.