--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The traditional fast food model is built…" description: "\"The traditional fast food model is built on buying the cheapest ingredients - and that usually means poor-quality, heavily processed foods. But you can..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/steve-ells-9755_cooking_the-traditional-fast-food-model-is-built_1707105.png" --- # The traditional fast food model is built on buying the… ![“The traditional fast food model is built on buying the cheapest ingredients - and that usually means poor-quality, heavily processed foods. But you can use quality ingredients, cook food using classic cooking techniques, and still serve something that's fast and inexpensive.” quote by Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/steve-ells-9755_cooking_the-traditional-fast-food-model-is-built_1707105.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/steve-ells-9755_cooking_the-traditional-fast-food-model-is-built_1707105.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90f/steve-ells-9755_cooking_the-traditional-fast-food-model-is-built_1707105.png) > “The traditional fast food model is built on buying the cheapest ingredients - and that usually means poor-quality, heavily processed foods. But you can use quality ingredients, cook food using classic cooking techniques, and still serve something that's fast and inexpensive.” [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fast food can be affordable without sacrificing quality by using efficient processes and smart sourcing. **In simple terms:** Cheap food can still be good if made wisely. Key Takeaway Prioritize efficient cooking and sourcing to keep costs low. Themes food industry cost management quality Mood optimistic pragmatic Type business inspirational When to use this quote - restaurant startup - menu redesign - budget catering - fast‑casual expansion Key Concepts supply chain optimization culinary techniques pricing strategy Questions to Reflect On - Can you maintain profit while improving ingredients? - What compromises are acceptable? A Different Perspective Balancing cost and quality may limit profit margins or require higher volume. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cook Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cook-food-436291/) [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast/) [Fast food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-food/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Food Model](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-model-1210133/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Traditional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditional/) [Traditional Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditional-fast-1210132/) ## Related quotes > [We want to make the old fast food model irrelevant. We want to make great ingredients and classic cooking techniques accessible to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-want-to-make-the-old-fast-food-model-irrelevant-we-want-to-make/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [I've always loved food too much to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-ve-always-loved-food-too-much-to-be-a-model/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I swear I want to be a food model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-swear-i-want-to-be-a-food-model/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I have two young boys, and my wife is at home. Most of the time, I will cook the food, and we'll eat together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-puck/i-have-two-young-boys-and-my-wife-is-at-home-most-of-the-time-i-will/) [Wolfgang Puck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-puck/) > [If we want to cook food we need to leave the stove on continuously and not keep turning it on and off. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/if-we-want-to-cook-food-we-need-to-leave-the-stove-on-continuously/) [Geshe Kelsang Gyatso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/) > [The issue I have is that the cooking techniques are up for questioning, today more than ever before. If you waterbath beef at 22-degrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/the-issue-i-have-is-that-the-cooking-techniques-are-up-for/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [Marriage is functional in which the woman must cook the food every day and the man has to eat it every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/marriage-is-functional-in-which-the-woman-must-cook-the-food-every/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I cook the food of Macau, my roots and soul food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-machado/i-cook-the-food-of-macau-my-roots-and-soul-food/) [China Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-machado/) > [Come cook food with me and do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/come-cook-food-with-me-and-do-nothing/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [I exercise regularly and try to cook my own food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-kim/i-exercise-regularly-and-try-to-cook-my-own-food/) [Claudia Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-kim/) > [I've discussed this with many doctors, and it is just so imperative that people learn how to properly cook food to get those vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-puck/i-ve-discussed-this-with-many-doctors-and-it-is-just-so-imperative/) [Wolfgang Puck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-puck/) > [Understand that nutrition plays a huge role in athletes' lives, and one of the most nutritious ways to eat is to cook your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-guarnaschelli/understand-that-nutrition-plays-a-huge-role-in-athletes-lives-and-one/) [Alex Guarnaschelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-guarnaschelli/) > [I eat well. I don't really, I guess, like, steam my own food and cook my own food in advance. I enjoy food, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/i-eat-well-i-don-t-really-i-guess-like-steam-my-own-food-and-cook-my/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [Technology is, of course, a double edged sword. Fire can cook our food but also burn us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/technology-is-of-course-a-double-edged-sword-fire-can-cook-our-food/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [I love to feed people, and I like to cook food they want to eat and food that will be good for them. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-glick/i-love-to-feed-people-and-i-like-to-cook-food-they-want-to-eat-and/) [Ruth Glick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-glick/) ## More by Steve Ells > [You know, I hate to borrow Apple's tag, but think different. Really. From the very beginning. I didn't know what the fast-food rules were.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/you-know-i-hate-to-borrow-apple-s-tag-but-think-different-really-from/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The economic model was formed by the constraints that I had: a small space, relatively inexpensive building materials, relatively inexpensive investment, a very efficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-economic-model-was-formed-by-the-constraints-that-i-had-a-small/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When I started on the very first day with just one restaurant, we used to pick oregano off the stems and chop them. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-i-started-on-the-very-first-day-with-just-one-restaurant-we-used/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We have two day-parts, lunch and dinner. We don't have breakfast. We don't have drive-thru. We don't have late night. We don't have 24-hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-have-two-day-parts-lunch-and-dinner-we-don-t-have-breakfast-we-don/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [If we really want to change the way Americans eat, we need to make delicious, sustainably-raised food accessible to everyone. Most people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-we-really-want-to-change-the-way-americans-eat-we-need-to-make/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [Our investors are here for only one reason: great returns. They want to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/our-investors-are-here-for-only-one-reason-great-returns-they-want-to/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [One of the pivotal moments for me was realizing that our 'food with integrity' approach at Chipotle was satisfying my passion. That's about bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/one-of-the-pivotal-moments-for-me-was-realizing-that-our-food-with/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When our folks focus on exactly what is needed to succeed in the restaurants, they should be able to lead themselves to restaurateur level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-our-folks-focus-on-exactly-what-is-needed-to-succeed-in-the/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [I'm very much looking forward to relentlessly focusing on ensuring an excellent guest experience, removing unnecessary complexity from our operations, championing innovation, and pursuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/i-m-very-much-looking-forward-to-relentlessly-focusing-on-ensuring-an/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [When our employees walk in in the morning, they see food. They have to cook. At the restaurants, we chop cilantro, onions, and limes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/when-our-employees-walk-in-in-the-morning-they-see-food-they-have-to/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We want to show all of our customers that the industry standards that we had been employing before - which are considered great standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-want-to-show-all-of-our-customers-that-the-industry-standards-that/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [The earliest recollection I have of being in the kitchen and cooking was in the third grade, and we lived in Germany. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/the-earliest-recollection-i-have-of-being-in-the-kitchen-and-cooking/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We aspire to make artisanal tortillas on an industrial scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-aspire-to-make-artisanal-tortillas-on-an-industrial-scale/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [We have a terrific team, and our managers are terrific managers, but we have made it too complicated for them and too complicated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/we-have-a-terrific-team-and-our-managers-are-terrific-managers-but-we/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) > [If food is processed - like canned or frozen - you can reduce the risks of pathogens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/if-food-is-processed-like-canned-or-frozen-you-can-reduce-the-risks/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) [Explore all 70 Steve Ells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## More Cooking quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [I enjoy cooking, but stick to modern dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/i-enjoy-cooking-but-stick-to-modern-dishes/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [My Mom always cooked healthy. Greek food lends itself to cooking healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-cora/my-mom-always-cooked-healthy-greek-food-lends-itself-to-cooking/) [Cat Cora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-cora/) > [Cooking brings me so much joy. I love everything, down to the execution of the plate to picking out fresh ingredients at the market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-budig/cooking-brings-me-so-much-joy-i-love-everything-down-to-the-execution/) [Kathryn Budig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-budig/) > [Recipes don't work unless you use your heart!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-jones/recipes-don-t-work-unless-you-use-your-heart/) [Dylan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-jones/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I have a great time cooking and eating Thai green chicken curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-have-a-great-time-cooking-and-eating-thai-green-chicken-curry/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There are times when born hollandaise heads, as well as nouveaux turbot freaks and recherche escargotphiles alike crave the saignet abundance of a New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-greene/there-are-times-when-born-hollandaise-heads-as-well-as-nouveaux/) [Gael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-greene/) > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Balance is key in cooking - you want a little acid, a little sweet, a little savory - the flavors should be harmonious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/balance-is-key-in-cooking-you-want-a-little-acid-a-little-sweet-a/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [A combination of the qualities of the scholar, the master cook, the painter, the gastronomer, the sportsman and the pantologist, assisted by the skill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellwanger/a-combination-of-the-qualities-of-the-scholar-the-master-cook-the/) [George Ellwanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ellwanger/) [Browse all 2,937 Cooking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The traditional fast food model is built on buying the cheapest ingredients - and that usually means poor-quality, heavily processed foods. 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