#1940: The Food Size Cycle

[There is a chart with the x-axis shown on top labeled “Food item size” and the y-axis labeled “Time”. There are arrows pointing away from the top left corner on both axis.]

The food size cycle

[A normal sandwich is shown high up the chart. The text on the right reads:]

Initial normal-sized food (sandwich, burger, burrito, taco, etc)

[The next part below, further in time, has no pictured item but the text reads:]

Food becomes more popular

[Next below a larger sandwich is shown.]

[And below again an even larger sandwich is shown. The text to the right is:]

Size arms race: average item grows as restaurants compete to offer the largest version to hungry customers

[On the left side, representing small food sizes, the text embedded in arrows pointing to every direction is:]

Void

[Below of that an enormously large sandwich is shown. The text is:]

Food gets too large to eat comfortably

[More below a new row on the left for small sizes comes up, inside is a panini. The text reads:]

New format appears and fills the void (panini, burrito bowl, taquito, slider, etc)

[Below of all the two paths may converge, indicated by two arrows pointing downwards and slightly together. The final text reads:]

Merger or replacement