Band 6+: The charts below show the percentage of their food budget the average family spent on restaurant meals in different years. The graph shows the number of meals eaten in fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants. You should write at least 150 words. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

The pie charts provide information about the persentage of food budget the average family spent on restaurant meals in comparison with the persentage of home cooking from 1970 to 2000, with the graph illustrating the number of meals consumed in fast food and sit-down restaurants.

Overall, the persentage of food budget spent on restaurant meals increased gradually. In addition, the number of meals eaten in fast food and sit-down restaurants per year is also showed an upward trend.

In 1970, the propotion of food budget spent on restaurant meals constituted a mere one tenth, dominated by home cooking. However, by 1980, it rose on 5% and after a decade rocketed until just over one third (35%). At the end of the period, the persentage of food budget spent on restaurant meals was equal to the persentage of food budget spent on home cooking and constituted one half.

In 1970, the number of meals consumed in fast food and sit-down restaurants was equal (20 meals). The number of meals consumed in sit-down restaurant increased gradually over three decades and was around 50 in 2000. The number of meals eaten in fast food restaurants was slightly over figures of sit-down restaurants in the first decade and rose steadily. After it reached just under 30 meals by 1980, the number of meals consumed in fast food restaurants soared and overtook figures of sit-down restaurants, reaching around a massive 85 meals.