Fast Food Is Not Just a LifestyleAsep Haryono's Blog Asep Haryono Personal Blog From Indonesia

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A few months ago, I stopped by Transmart Kubu Raya to redeem my Point Reward vouchers from Astra Motor Pontianak at Wendy’s and Coffee Bean.

Each point could be exchanged for one menu item at those outlets. At Wendy’s, I received a package consisting of two pieces of chicken, one portion of white rice, and a cup of cola. At Coffee Bean, I got a slice of chocolate cake (I don’t remember the exact name) and one cup of ice-blended drink—also no idea what it was called. Hahaha. I rarely eat “fancy” food like this. I’m not familiar with fast-food names, so I don’t really remember them.

Foto Asep Haryono / www.simplyasep.com

Not Just to Fill Your Stomach

This part is subjective. People go to fast-food outlets for different reasons. One thing is clear: fast-food lovers should not be judged as “junk food eaters” just because these places are often labeled as junk food.Culinary preferences come in many forms, and everyone is different. When it comes to taste especially personal taste here’s no need for debate.

Food is still food. It doesn’t matter whether it’s considered elite, like caviar served on a first-class flight. (Sorry, that’s an extreme example!) For those who don’t know, caviar is a very expensive type of fish egg. It’s one of the priciest foods in the world.But does eating caviar automatically make someone a member of the elite class? And does loving simple traditional snacks like kerupuk or bakwan make someone “lower class”? Of course not.

Even though caviar and bakwan are very different, food is still food. Many office workers love traditional snacks bakwan, kerupuk, and others even though they work in professional settings. So what really counts as “elite” food? Is it just the price? Does eating expensive food really raise someone’s social status?

Fast food, for example, doesn’t increase or decrease the prestige of the people who enjoy it. Food is simply part of human needs whether it’s to survive, to feel full, or just to enjoy eating with style. Everything is fine, and everything is valid.

Fast Food Is Not Just a Lifestyle
People often say that eating fast food is a “lifestyle.” They talk like it is simply a choice you make every day. You choose to eat burgers, fried chicken, or instant noodles because you like it, and that becomes your lifestyle. But for me, fast food is not just a lifestyle. It is much more complicated than that. There are many reasons why people eat fast food, and most of them have nothing to do with style, trends, or personal taste. They are connected to real life, real problems, and real situations.

First, fast food is about convenience. Many people today are very busy. Some work more than one job, have long commutes, or take care of children and family. After a long day, not everyone has the energy to cook. Cut vegetables? Season the meat? Wash dishes? That takes time and effort that some people just don’t have. Fast food is quick. You order, you wait a few minutes, you eat. That’s it. For many people, it becomes a solution, not a lifestyle choice.

Second, fast food is often cheaper. In many countries, including Indonesia, cooking at home is not always the cheapest option. Ingredients can be expensive. Not everyone has access to fresh vegetables or a nearby traditional market. Some people live in kosts or small apartments with limited kitchen space. Buying fast food for Rp20.000–Rp30.000 sometimes feels more practical than buying groceries, especially for people who live alone. In this situation, fast food becomes an economic decision, not a fashion statement.

Third, fast food companies know exactly how to attract us. They spend billions on advertising. They use bright colors, catchy songs, cute mascots, and special promos. Their goal is simple: make you crave their food. When you see a juicy burger on your phone or a hot crispy fried chicken on TV, your brain reacts. You start feeling hungry even if you were not hungry before. This is not about lifestyle; this is marketing. And they are very good at it.

Fourth, fast food is everywhere. In big cities, you can find it on nearly every corner. Even in smaller towns, delivery services like GoFood and GrabFood make fast food super easy to get. When something is always there, always open, and always available, people will naturally choose it. It becomes part of daily life not because people want to be “fast food people,” but because the system makes it convenient.

Of course, fast food also affects health. Many people talk about it as if eating fast food means you automatically have an unhealthy lifestyle. But I don’t fully agree. Health is not only about what you eat. It’s about sleep, stress, exercise, mental well-being, and many other habits. A person who eats fast food sometimes but exercises, drinks enough water, and gets enough rest can still be healthier than someone who cooks every day but never moves their body or sleeps only four hours a night.

So for me, fast food is not just a lifestyle. It’s a mix of many things: time pressure, economic situations, marketing influence, convenience, and modern city life. It is something that many people use to survive their busy days, not something they choose to show their identity.

In the end, the most important thing is balance. Fast food is okay sometimes. Cooking at home is good too. We don’t need to judge ourselves or others based on what we eat. Life is already stressful enough. If fast food helps you get through the day, that’s fine. Just make sure you also take care of your body in other ways. Because at the end of the day, your lifestyle is more than just what’s on your plate.

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