Throughput

"Throughput" is essentially the rate at which a factory can produce a product, including how quickly and efficiently the workers and equipment are doing their jobs, as well as how much product is being made in sheer volume. This is especially important to industries that create cheap, low quality products such as the fast food industry. In "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser, the author refers to historian Alfred D. Chandler's argument that throughput was the most important aspect of mass production systems such as the fast food industry to illustrate his position on  fast food production and distribution. The position Schlosser takes is a logical one seeing as how all fast food chains adhere to a theme of uniformity, and because there are so many branches throughput must be prioritized to a degree to ensure customer satisfaction. Chandler's argument, supported by the assembly line philosophy used in McDonald's kitchens that was later adopted by so many other fast food chains, seems to encourage the idea that the priority with all of these restaurants is getting the product sold as quickly and as in the largest quantities that they can. However, the cost of eating this food may end up being much more than what comes from the customer's pocket.