If you saw me walking on campus, you would probably think something like, “That guy likes to eat” and you would be right.  I’m a big guy, and I do enjoy eating some good food.

I am, however, also a college student on a budget, so most of the time I cannot afford to purchase the fine cuisine I so enjoy, so like most college students, I have to settle for a fast food alternative.

As I traverse the world of fast food, I’ve started to notice a recent trend, which frankly I find quite disturbing.

For some reason, fast food chains are starting to push a classier side of their foods.  From McDonalds to Dominos and even Taco Bell and Burger King, fast food chains are advertising these “artisan crafted” meals cooked by professionally trained chefs.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love eating a finely-crafted meal, but these meals have their place in this world, and the drive-thru window is not that place.

I miss the good old days when fast food was simple and I didn’t have to worry about Ronald trying to shove his Angus burger with Swiss cheese and “fresh” mushrooms down my throat.

The fast food industry may not realize it, but by serving these meals, they are throwing off the natural balance of today’s modern society, if not the entire universe.

Some of the worst offenders are brands that have been around and have had a working formula for years.

Take McDonald’s for example, with their Angus burgers and fancy chicken salads. They don’t sell millions of burgers on promises of high quality meat; it’s the two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun, in all of its greasy and cheap glory, that makes the big bucks.

And since when did McDonald’s become a trendy coffee house?  I don’t know what Mickey D’s is trying to prove by re-designing the interior looks and selling terrible cappuccinos, but you’re not fooling me.

Another fast food company that seems to have forgotten its place is Domino’s.

From their cheesy bread to their deep dish pizzas, Domino’s is trying their hardest to prove to America that they are more than your average pizza place.  Well Domino’s, I have a news flash for you, you sell $5 pizzas; you are THE average pizza place.

Your average Domino’s consumer is more than likely going to be a low-income college student, and I can tell you from firsthand experience we don’t expect or want gourmet pizza with truffles and five fancy cheeses.

While McDonald’s and Domino’s are over reaching their bounds, the most heinous offender by far is a restaurant that is near and dear to my heart, Taco Bell.

For a while it seemed like Taco Bell was headed down the right path; selling 79 cent tacos and coming up with meals like the glorious Doritos Locos taco. But then, all of a sudden, Taco Bell went down a dark and dismal path that it may never recover from when they unveiled their Cantina Bell “gourmet” menu.

Who do you think you are Taco Bell?  You used to be a haven for hungry college students with a hankering for some cheap Mexican food and a few dollars in their pockets.

I don’t even know who you are anymore, and it breaks my heart.  Yo quiero my Taco Bell back.

All that being said, I still have faith in the fast food industry.  Earlier today as I was eating at Taco Bandito, I was reminded of better, simpler times.

The food came wrapped in plain white paper; the drinks were served in Styrofoam cups; the floor was dirty and there was a faint smell of cleaner on the table.

But you know what, I didn’t even care. They were serving cheap food, and they knew it and were proud of it.