If you thought fast food was just about McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken, you’re wrong! Fast food originated in the late 19th century when American industrial and office workers were looking for quick, convenient meals during their lunch breaks.

Join the Behringer-Crawford Museum for the next virtual NKY History Hour on Tuesday, August 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., as historian Paul Tenkotte takes you on a journey through the origins and evolution of fast food in his presentation, “Fast Food: Much Older Than You Think.”

While many associate fast food with the rise of modern giants, its history stretches back much further. Tenkotte will explore how the fast food phenomenon was born out of necessity and has since grown into a billion-dollar industry. From the introduction of square little hamburgers to the global empire it is today, this exciting presentation will offer a new perspective on the culinary revolution that shaped American culture and cuisine.

Register and attend the Behringer-Crawford Museum’s free presentation online.

Information on how to connect to the Zoom session will be sent after registration. The event will also be streamed live on BCM’s Facebook page. All recordings of past episodes can be viewed at www.bcmuseum.org.

Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD, is a professor of history at Northern Kentucky University. He has published 16 books, contributed chapters and essays to 13 more books, and written/edited more than 600 articles and book reviews for a wide range of publications. In addition, he has contributed to 22 television documentaries, including his 2018 national PBS debut, “Ten That Changed America: Engineering Marvels.” Dr. Tenkotte’s textbook, “The United States since 1865: Information Literacy and Critical Thinking,” was published by Kendall Hunt in 2022. He is also the editor of the weekly column “Our Rich History” in the NKyTribune, an online publication of the nonprofit Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. Currently, Tenkotte is the co-director of a nonprofit regional initiative at the Kenton County Public Library (KY) called ORVILLE (Ohio River Valley Innovation Library and Learning Enrichment).

NKY History Hour programs are held every other Tuesday evening from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and are free to the public. To support NKY History Hour and gain free access to many other entertaining and thought-provoking programs, join BCM today.

Behringer Crawford Museum