Plot Summary

Fast Food Nation follows marketing executive Don Anderson (Greg Kinnear), who works for the fast-food giant “Mickey’s.” When troubling rumors begin to circulate about the company’s new best-selling burger, “The Big One,” Don is sent on an investigative trip to uncover the truth behind the beef supply used in the product.

His journey takes him deep into the American heartland, where he visits the cattle farms and meat-processing plants responsible for producing the meat that fuels the fast-food empire. What begins as a routine corporate inspection soon exposes a harsh and disturbing reality about industrial food production, labor exploitation, and the hidden costs of mass consumption.

As Don comes face to face with practices he would rather ignore, he is forced to confront the moral consequences of the system he represents. The truths he uncovers challenge not only his professional loyalty but also his personal conscience, leaving him torn between career ambition and ethical responsibility.

Blending drama with sharp social critique, Fast Food Nation offers an unflinching look at the fast-food industry and the interconnected lives affected by it. Rather than focusing on a single storyline, the film paints a broader picture of corporate power, consumer ignorance, and the human cost hidden behind a seemingly harmless hamburger.