In the old days, the devil was painted with horns and a forked tail. Today, he is more likely to be portrayed in a clown suit or with a little white beard. Fast food is on the nose, and market research company IBISWorld predicts sales will decline in 2018-19, despite more restaurants offering takeaway through new delivery services.

We’re falling out of love with fast food
In its 2017 report on eating out, Intermedia found that the popularity of Australia’s four most popular fast food chains over the previous year had slumped (McDonald’s was down by 19.5%, KFC by 19.2%, Hungry Jack’s by 16.4%, Subway by 15.4%). The report saw an opposing rise in the popularity of healthier takeaway options – up 14.7%. No wonder, then, that the fast food chains – under attack from multiple sources – have scrambled to maintain their relevance. They’ve introduced vegetarian and vegan items, so-called ‘healthy options’, and (with varying levels of commitment) displayed nutritional information on-pack, in store or, most likely, somewhere on their website.

Fast food contradictions
Our relationship to fast food is a complex one. Why is it that I’m happy to go through a drive-thru in the US but would run screaming from one here? Why will I queue for a $9 battered, beaten-flat, deep-fried breast of chicken from a new Taiwanese chicken shop when I’d never buy a 12-piece, $20 bucket in Oz? It can’t just be a question of price and quality, or the comparative value of their Instagrammability. Is it that unusual fast food offers an exotic alternative to the norm both at home or overseas? Is it because eating sweet-spicy crunchy Korean wings from a hole-in-a-wall chain like Beer King is a cultural experience in Seoul, but not in a similar air-conditioned suburban Aussie food court?

Fast food at home
While the roads might be increasingly clogged with poorly paid food delivery riders/drivers, the biggest challenge for fast food chains is how to deliver something other than convenience and fattening, high-sugar, processed-white-flour options. So much research these days points to the importance many of us place on authenticity, honesty and community. The big chains, whether multinational or local, struggle to authentically deliver on these concepts.

So why not instead create your own super-fast food at home? With delicious. food whiz Phoebe Wood, I came up with this steak sandwich recipe in real time while demoing at last year’s Western Sydney Parklands Food Fest. It takes as long to cook as it does to  toast two bits of bread, and it tastes freakin’ delicious. It also hits that other great buzz concept of new fast-casual restaurants – affordable luxury, in every meaty mouthful.

See here for Phoebe and Matt’s perfect steak sandwich.