Fast food in runeterra?

usul1202·Jul 26, 2019·19 votes·15,749 views

I generally count fast food as a pretty modern thing, and would associate it with some of the more modern societies in league lore, like Piltover. Recently learned I'm wrong about that, it's historically present in some form and even ancient Rome had fast food ( https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/romans-loved-fast-food-much-we-do-180971845/ for the interested). This got me wondering about fast food in Runeterra. Could Galio really be serving fried chicken in Demacia? Is Shurima into pizza enough to warrent Sivir's violent delivery methods? Do noxian happy meals have spikes on their boxes, and do those have a mortality rate if so? (weeding out the weak)

(generically qualifying fast food as drive-thru/quick takeout style food, although open to discussion about the bounds of that definition)

What kinds of fast food do you think are popular in the different areas of Runeterra?

52 Comments

RiotBioluminescenceJul 26, 201923 votes

I like this topic.

I think that, historically, 'fast' or street food was present less because people were in a hurry and had disposable money to spend on premade food, as it was about the fact that running an oven or other intensive cooking setup was very expensive and the majority of homes in many places and times did not have one.

That's why it used to be that bread was baked in a central oven in a settlement, rather than each home baking their own. Having an oven was a big investment, took a long time to get up to heat (which meant a lot of expensive fuel) and generally would only be used a few times a week - thus, not worth.

So look to nations where fuel would be expensive or hard to get a hold of, or where living situations favor smaller homes, or where heat (ovens generate a lot of it) is highly undesirable within the living spaces.

Without looking at my notes (which I've got a bunch of - we did a Thunderdome) I'd say look to:

Piltover: Apartment living is a thing, and having an oven in every apartment would be crazy. Also, it's a big city so getting fuel would be expensive.
Zaun: Similar problem with the added fun of open flames and smoke adding fun times in the often-smoggy, frequently-affected-by-gas-leaks, lower tiers.
Shurima: In the cities at least, communal cooking would probably be a thing, especially where fuel would be difficult to find.
Bilgewater: Populated by boom-and-bust workers unlikely to have a stable home situation, there are probably food options for every price range, depending on how your last monster hunt, theft, or trade went down.

usul1202Jul 26, 20193 votes

That is something I hadn't considered at all, very interesting! How much of a stigma is there for eating sea monsters in a place like bilgewater?

Also, what's your opinion on Ionia's ff choices? After another comment pointed out instant ramen and I did some quick googling. Found out stir-fry and other modern Asian food is relatively new, more ming-dynasty and on kinda stuff, while older Asian culture was more into boiling, roasting, and stews. Stews tend to make good "community food", but it's also a very "sit down and eat for a while" kind of thing, so I'm not sure how much they qualify for this topic.

RiotBioluminescenceJul 26, 20198 votes

{quoted}

That is something I hadn't considered at all, very interesting! How much of a stigma is there for eating sea monsters in a place like bilgewater?

Also, what's your opinion on Ionia's ff choices? After another comment pointed out instant ramen and I did some quick googling. Found out stir-fry and other modern Asian food is relatively new, more ming-dynasty and on kinda stuff, while older Asian culture was more into boiling, roasting, and stews. Stews tend to make good "community food", but it's also a very "sit down and eat for a while" kind of thing, so I'm not sure how much they qualify for this topic.

I imagine that the majority of food eaten in Bilgewater is sea monster derived! You've seen the concept pieces of the Slaughter Docks showing their butchering processes, right?

https://universe.leagueoflegends.com/en_US/region/bilgewater/?mv=image-gallery (Image 7, for example)

https://lolstatic-a.akamaihd.net/frontpage/apps/prod/universe-map/en_US/61d0e6fadd7044bbdacb73ba6fdcc10fa1c31ef0/assets/images/bilgewater_slaughterdocks_07.jpg

https://lolstatic-a.akamaihd.net/frontpage/apps/prod/universe-map/en_US/61d0e6fadd7044bbdacb73ba6fdcc10fa1c31ef0/assets/images/bilgewater_slaughterdocks_06.jpg

(There are a few more on Universe and the Runeterra map)

Folks native to the Serpent Isles probably have a significantly more varied diet (to tie into another thread, Illaoi loves her mangoes) and the consumption of sea monster is probably more meaningful to them than your typical Bilgewater scrub.

Harder to speak to Ionia, seeing as it has such a variety of living situations, biomes, resources, etc. Getting fuel might be tricky or at least, wasting it may be very looked down upon, as most fuel types we're used to seeing are wood, coal, or dried dung - and the first two of those don't seem very in harmony with the land (except for fallen wood, but cooking uses a lot of fuel). They may be more into magically cooked food, solar cooking, chemically cooked food (acids like lemon juice or vinegar), fermentation, drying, and the like. In other words, it's less clear cut than some of the other comparable locations, imo.

usul1202Jul 26, 20193 votes

I see, I figured them more for fish based diets with sea monsters only during big hauls, but from your wording it sounds like they fit more into the pre-historic man type setup, where you hunt something big and eat it for a while, then hunt again.

As an odd pedantic question, where do you draw the line between sea monster and fish? I feel like it's a size thing, like when the thing is large enough to eat a person or two. But then I realize a tuna fish can get up to 1,500 lbs, and I don't really consider tuna to be sea monsters whereas an Anglerfish is ~100 lbs and would probably qualify as one to me. Is it just how ugly they are?

Is Ionia overwhelmingly vegan then? I didn't realize they were far enough on the scale to not cut down trees as fuel, and that vastly limits food options. Can they eat beans for their daily protein?

RiotBioluminescenceJul 26, 20197 votes

{quoted}

I see, I figured them more for fish based diets with sea monsters only during big hauls, but from your wording it sounds like they fit more into the pre-historic man type setup, where you hunt something big and eat it for a while, then hunt again.

As an odd pedantic question, where do you draw the line between sea monster and fish? I feel like it's a size thing, like when the thing is large enough to eat a person or two. But then I realize a tuna fish can get up to 1,500 lbs, and I don't really consider tuna to be sea monsters whereas an Anglerfish is ~100 lbs and would probably qualify as one to me. Is it just how ugly they are?

Is Ionia overwhelmingly vegan then? I didn't realize they were far enough on the scale to not cut down trees as fuel, and that vastly limits food options. Can they eat beans for their daily protein?

Some may well be, others not so much - there are stories of animals 'offering themselves' as they emerge from the ocean in droves ready to be caught and eaten. With Ionia, it's tricky to work out the line between what is actually magic and what is nature, so I personally don't know if the spirit of Ionia is offering up the creatures as a reward for living in harmony, if it's a natural phenomenon when populations of the creatures get too high (due to favorable conditions) or if there's some other mechanism at work. There are likely other groups of Ionians who hunt for food (we know there are Ionians who hunt for protection - see the Varus comics) but do so in a way that reinforces the natural order, rather than upsetting it. Lastly, not everyone in Ionia is successfully living in harmony with the land. I'm sure there are some who kill and eat what they please, and to hell with the consequences, maybe due to a lack of education, lack of options, or as intentional snub to the old ways.

usul1202Jul 26, 20193 votes

That is some grade A animal wingmanning right there. "hey mate, I see you've got a date tonight. Imma just hop out of the water here so you two can have some fish tonight!"

Regional differences definitely are going to play a big part in fast food choice. I would see bilgewater as being one of the more homogenized states, whereas I think an area like Demacia would be much more regional in their food. Ionia would have some decent variance due to their varied environment maybe, but with its size I'm not sure that will be the limit. Education definitely would be though. Does Ionia have squirrel-eating rednecks out there in the outskirts of the forest markets?

KazekibaJul 31, 20191 votes

If Ionians dont cut down trees ... I do not want to live in Ionia during the winter.

What about pinecones and chestnuts that can be replanted? assuming deciduous trees are native to Ionia that is.

Madjack01Jul 26, 20193 votes

{quoted}

I like this topic.

I think that, historically, 'fast' or street food was present less because people were in a hurry and had disposable money to spend on premade food, as it was about the fact that running an oven or other intensive cooking setup was very expensive and the majority of homes in many places and times did not have one.

That's why it used to be that bread was baked in a central oven in a settlement, rather than each home baking their own. Having an oven was a big investment, took a long time to get up to heat (which meant a lot of expensive fuel) and generally would only be used a few times a week - thus, not worth.

So look to nations where fuel would be expensive or hard to get a hold of, or where living situations favor smaller homes, or where heat (ovens generate a lot of it) is highly undesirable within the living spaces.

Without looking at my notes (which I've got a bunch of - we did a Thunderdome) I'd say look to:

Piltover: Apartment living is a thing, and having an oven in every apartment would be crazy. Also, it's a big city so getting fuel would be expensive.

Zaun: Similar problem with the added fun of open flames and smoke adding fun times in the often-smoggy, frequently-affected-by-gas-leaks, lower tiers.

Shurima: In the cities at least, communal cooking would probably be a thing, especially where fuel would be difficult to find.

Bilgewater: Populated by boom-and-bust workers unlikely to have a stable home situation, there are probably food options for every price range, depending on how your last monster hunt, theft, or trade went down.

Absolutely love posts like these. Ever considered to make recurring issues about daily trivia in Runeterra? You know, the stuff not made of legends but that make a world feel vibrant and lively.

I am trying to write an epic/high fantasy story myself and the research I have to do just to make the small things feel right is killing me at times (even though it's very interesting, but sometimes I'm not even sure what exactly to look for).

Lots of respect for your work.

RiotBioluminescenceJul 26, 20195 votes

{quoted}

Absolutely love posts like these. Ever considered to make recurring issues about daily trivia in Runeterra? You know, the stuff not made of legends but that make a world feel vibrant and lively.

I am trying to write an epic/high fantasy story myself and the research I have to do just to make the small things feel right is killing me at times (even though it's very interesting, but sometimes I'm not even sure what exactly to look for).

Lots of respect for your work.

Thank you, and from one worldbuilder to another, good luck with all your current and future research rabbit-holes!

I'd love to do something more worldbuilding-focused for players, but I agree with our current direction to focus on getting more stories featuring characters and champions first, with the worldbuilding supporting them, as the majority of players (I believe) aren't quite as focused on the background as you and I :)

IlyaK1986Jul 27, 20191 votes

I mean you can have the champions interact with the world. What do Ionians do for entertainment? Well, show it off by having Riven's adoptive parents take her to see a dance performance--in which Irelia gets a solo performance in gorgeous silk-dancing regalia (cue Riven blush and nosebleed =P).

How do Piltovans invest their money? Well, you could have Vi buy some shares of a blue-chip international trading firm that Cait or Jayce told her about (inb4 Jinx blows up one of the ships...because Jinx).

What do Freljordians do for entertainment, aside from get plastered on the strongest stuff? You could have Sejuani actually taking a break from being a hard-headed badass all the time and show her having some fun for once.

And so on.

RiotBioluminescenceJul 27, 20194 votes

{quoted}

I mean you can have the champions interact with the world. What do Ionians do for entertainment? Well, show it off by having Riven's adoptive parents take her to see a dance performance--in which Irelia gets a solo performance in gorgeous silk-dancing regalia (cue Riven blush and nosebleed =P).

How do Piltovans invest their money? Well, you could have Vi buy some shares of a blue-chip international trading firm that Cait or Jayce told her about (inb4 Jinx blows up one of the ships...because Jinx).

What do Freljordians do for entertainment, aside from get plastered on the strongest stuff? You could have Sejuani actually taking a break from being a hard-headed badass all the time and show her having some fun for once.

And so on.

So... precisely what I'd said above?

...but I agree with our current direction to focus on getting more stories featuring characters and champions first, with the worldbuilding supporting them.

ZaneShadowJul 27, 20191 votes

{quoted}

So... precisely what I'd said above?

I'm super excited at that idea! One of the reasons Orianna's color story is among the most memorable to me is that it feels like it was just a casual, random encounter with a piece of the world. Personally still rooting for a color story between Ori and Blitz because this comic is amazing.

IlyaK1986Jul 28, 20192 votes

Yes, precisely :D

Just spitballing some ideas ^_^

usul1202Jul 26, 20193 votes

Just glanced back at this (slow day at work), and realized I haven't given much thought to shurima. They've got plenty of potential for long cooking solar ovens and such, which would make for good traveling food (i know in South America they solar cooked potatoes to make them last well for travels/winter). With how nomadic they're setup to be, I think they'd have an abundance of "fast food", although it would be more energy density focused rather than tastiness.

There's also the raiders, who have been confirmed as partially canabalistic at least. There may be potential for some Sweeney Todd type pie services among their camps.

RiotBioluminescenceJul 26, 20194 votes

{quoted}

Just glanced back at this (slow day at work), and realized I haven't given much thought to shurima. They've got plenty of potential for long cooking solar ovens and such, which would make for good traveling food (i know in South America they solar cooked potatoes to make them last well for travels/winter). With how nomadic they're setup to be, I think they'd have an abundance of "fast food", although it would be more energy density focused rather than tastiness.

There's also the raiders, who have been confirmed as partially canabalistic at least. There may be potential for some Sweeney Todd type pie services among their camps.

I think you might find value in defining what you mean by fast food :) There seems to be quite a few categories of food you're talking about, from travel rations to long-term-storage staples, to communal. How are you categorizing these things?

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

I'm mostly going by street food type standards. Walk by shop, hand money, acquire food, move on, maybe eat as you walk. I originally considered it in the context of quick cooking, but with the input of the Smithsonian article I'm not sure that's as good of a cultural look at food, and more of a technological standpoint. Would be good to add in the op, although I am interested to hear what others set as their standard for what makes for fast food.

TerozuJul 26, 20195 votes

But Noxus has Tacos.

IfnethJul 27, 20191 votes

I had this same thought too when imagining how Taliyah’s tribe must eat. Would they have had the fuel and funds to, say, boil a large, flat pan of oil and fry doughy cakes in it, to top with goat cheese, game, and gathered vegetables for a hearty dinner for the whole tribe?

The IcebornJul 26, 20197 votes

I hope that there is some tasty, fried poros as a delicacy at the Frostguard :)

usul1202Jul 26, 201911 votes

Riot has warned us about the dangers of eating poros. I feel like making a fast food joint out of it is akin to being a serial killer!

General MattyJul 26, 20197 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Iceborn,realm=EUW,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=aaHYgvgt,comment-id=0002,timestamp=2019-07-26T16:46:01.339+0000)

I hope that there is some tasty, fried poros as a delicacy at the Frostguard :)

No.

IlyaK1986Jul 27, 20191 votes

You vicious, heartless monster!

POROS ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOOD!

LordRedStone Nr1Jul 26, 20195 votes

You know about Tacos, right? So my vote is on Noxus.

Demacian food is mostly agricultural, so I don't think they would have something to eat on the go.

Piltover does have food stands - and probably Zaun too, though you don't want to know what you just bought.

Shurima is a bit tricky - it can only be a thing in the cities (obviously). While there is evidence of merchants selling food and water on the street (specifically water in Bloodline, but I assume food too), it's not clear if it's really fast food in the sense that it's "to go". You'd rather buy supplies that last long on your journey through the desert, and not something to eat right away. Most fast food also spoils very fast.

Bilgewater - maybe.

Ixtal, Freljord, Targon, Ionia - nah.

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

I figured Ixtal would be more of a taco place than noxus would be tbh, they've struck me with a Mayan vibe. Although, I do generally think of noxus as subtly sinister, and I'd guess that influences my decision there.

Demacia I think would be super similar to ancient Rome, with the meat and cheeses, as well as a plethora of fish products near the coast.

Only other thing I really disagree on is bulge water. Especially in the context of some of the stuff in the Smithsonian link, I really think bilgewater would have a thriving fast food setup with fish markets and the tapas-style servings.

Ebonmaw DragonJul 26, 20193 votes

{quoted}

I figured Ixtal would be more of a taco place than noxus would be tbh, they've struck me with a Mayan vibe. Although, I do generally think of noxus as subtly sinister, and I'd guess that influences my decision there.

Actually tacos ARE from noxus, it was confirmed by Riot. That is why Kled mentions them

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

Oh cool, I never knew that! (only played kled like, twice, and haven't followed lore stuff till recently) I guess it's not surprising that there's a champion whose lines taco-bout that then

Jesi OniJul 26, 20193 votes

Ionia Ramen

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

Oh, yea I didn't consider that as fast food. I'm not sure how much ancient China was into the eat-and-run culture. BRB, research time.

Edit: apparently Asian cuisine has changed dramatically over time, and stir fry type stuff and noodles is relatively newer. Boiling, roasting, and stews were more common back then (and Disney has been lying to us), and that may not have been as conductive to fast food. Noodles got bigger around the Ming* dynasty, which was the start of modern Asian cuisine.

SEKAIJul 26, 20192 votes

{quoted}

Edit: apparently Asian cuisine has changed dramatically over time, and stir fry type stuff and noodles is relatively newer. Boiling, roasting, and stews were more common back then (and Disney has been lying to us), and that may not have been as conductive to fast food. Noodles got bigger around the mind dynasty, which was the start of modern Asian cuisine.

I assume you meant ming dynasty? It would still be pretty far back since the dynasty fell in 1644, 400 years ago. Also, I think noodle got smaller as the year went on, not bigger; after all, the ability to make them thinner only came later with the development of techniques and later the machines (Northern Chinese food still prides itself of making their own noodle by hand, tho, and their noodle is a lot thicker than the ones made from a factory).

The "fast food" of Ancient China wouldn't be like today's take-away menu. Depending on the region within China but it would probably be something like getting steamed buns and take it with you, communal township eating place of sort where you sit and eat very casually, or small food stands that typically provide very casual food like giving you a bowl of watery rice or soy milk and you finish it there and return the bowl and move on.

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

I do, autocorrect strikes again. Thanks for the note! As someone just getting back into the lore, I'm not super sure what time frame Ionia draws most of its culture from, so I'm not sure which is more relevant.

Second paragraph really asks the question I was considering in my thread with biolum, at what point does fast food become community eating? I think you're right that it's utensil limited with bowls and such, and to me that feels like a normal restaurant. Webster's definition of fast food kinda sucks, and doesn't give much clarity (not that the pedantic really matter to the discussion, but I enjoy them).

HungryAngry2SPPJul 26, 20192 votes

######Who has the best fast food? DEEEEMAAAAACIAAAAAAA!!!

Wait, what was the question?

usul1202Jul 27, 20191 votes

I am surprised at the number of demacia votes, for how little they've come up in the comments. And that they beat out tacos. My vote definitely woulda changed if i knew noxus invented tacos :(

AModestSaintJul 27, 20192 votes

I like the idea of fast food being served street side. It's an interesting concepts that bring up a lot of new questions about the food of runeterra. Good thinking!

SEKAIJul 26, 20191 votes

People have been selling food that can either eat on the go or you sit in the shed and finish it in 3 min, for a long time already. In the western world there's the Ancient Rome's Thermopolium that is basically a fast food store that sold ready-to-eat food and funnily enough Ancient Rome were also the first inventors of hamburgers (soz Americans). Then you get quickie street food stalls that's one of the staples in Asian food culture which dates back however long. And I'm sure most cultures should have that sort of thing at least at some point in time.

Such infrastructure was often necessary because there needed to be ways to feed the hungry labouring force quickly (miners, fishers, sailors, etc; though for positions such as farmers, foragers and foresters, typically they have people who send food to the field so it's more about pre-modern UberEats than it is fast food), but also ofc being the money savvy many people are they were quick to set up businesses to cater to the demand and thus gave birth to fast food.

All in all, fast food joint/chain is modern, yes; but fast food as a concept, no not really.

............

Also fast food exists on Runeterra. it's called FEEDING.

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

Yea... That's the topic/what I linked. I'm wondering what people think about how fast food is influenced by different regions, and which region people think would have the "best". As a non-history buff, it's interesting learning from others who are more knowledgeable on the topic, like bioluminescence!

14daysuspensionkJul 26, 20191 votes

I wonder which ones Tahm eats.

usul1202Jul 26, 20192 votes

He seems to eat everything (he'll at least eat trash, as seen when kench's swallow me up mid game lol). I went to his voice lines to see if he had anything he was above eating or whatever and a quick skim didn't show anything. I did notice his taunts tho, didn't realize how absolutely savage kench is in a few of his taunts.

Yordle XayahJul 26, 20191 votes

I love how you acknowledge that we don't have that kind of edible trash in Bandle City. Everything's fresh and prepared to order here.

usul1202Jul 26, 20191 votes

With teemo's speed I figure that makes him the fast food /s

Tbh tho I kinda forgot about it. Haven't been a lore-nut historically and am still learning, so not seeing them on the universe map helped it slip my mind. Only 10 options available on polls tho, so it and shadow isles don't get a chance there

Yordle XayahAug 1, 20191 votes

{quoted}

With teemo's speed I figure that makes him the fast food /s

Tbh tho I kinda forgot about it. Haven't been a lore-nut historically and am still learning, so not seeing them on the universe map helped it slip my mind. Only 10 options available on polls tho, so it and shadow isles don't get a chance there

No those are not his rations, those are his ammo.

Your poll is yordle-approved, you don't need to worry 8) We only do fresh and cooked-to-order.

Ebonmaw DragonJul 26, 20192 votes

{quoted}

I love how you acknowledge that we don't have that kind of edible trash in Bandle City. Everything's fresh and prepared to order here.

As far as i remember, yordles dont need to eat when they are in Bandle

RiotBioluminescenceJul 26, 20194 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ebonmaw Dragon,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=aaHYgvgt,comment-id=00070001,timestamp=2019-07-26T20:29:39.180+0000)

As far as i remember, yordles dont need to eat when they are in Bandle

Tricky to say. In Tristana's color story, A Quiet Night, she eats some Ionian fish, which she says is pretty good for mortal food.

Hunger was still something surprising to her, even though she’d ventured beyond Bandle City more than most of her kind. A pair of spitted fish were roasting nicely over the flames and the smell of them was making her mouth water.

...

Deciding the fish were ready, she slid one from the spit onto a wooden plate she removed from her pack. She unwrapped a golden knife and fork from a rolled dreamleaf and cut the fish into slices. She might be on a mission, but that didn’t mean she had to eat like a savage. She took a mouthful of fish and rolled it around her mouth, savoring the taste and licking her lips in satisfaction. Mortal food was usually bland and tasteless compared to the smorgasbord of flavors she was used to, but the fish in this part of the world – Ionia, she’d heard it was called – wasn’t half bad. Perhaps it was the magic saturating every element of this landscape that made them extra tasty.

Ebonmaw DragonJul 26, 20193 votes

{quoted}

Tricky to say. In Tristana's color story, A Quiet Night, she eats some Ionian fish, which she says is pretty good for mortal food.

...

Yeah, the whole part about hunger made me think that yordles dont need to eat in bandle, even if they do.

I mean, cupcakes are still a thing after all... Right?

LarrietJul 27, 20191 votes

Yep, but no one knows where they come from... Lulu

Yordle XayahAug 1, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ebonmaw Dragon,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=aaHYgvgt,comment-id=00070001,timestamp=2019-07-26T20:29:39.180+0000)

As far as i remember, yordles dont need to eat when they are in Bandle

You got half of that right. We don't need to do it, but that doesn't mean we don't do it. As you may know, a high quality meal can be the highest of luxuries, and the top standards are the only way to go when in the city itself. You go out to a restaurant to propose to your man or lady, or maybe you simply fashion yourself a good order-to-take-home, everything is made fresh and by the best cooks you'll ever meet. That is the yordle way.

I'd welcome you to the city... ######except you can't find it 8)

Ebonmaw DragonAug 1, 20191 votes

{quoted}

You got half of that right. We don't need to do it, but that doesn't mean we don't do it. As you may know, a high quality meal can be the highest of luxuries, and the top standards are the only way to go when in the city itself. You go out to a restaurant to propose to your man or lady, or maybe you simply fashion yourself a good order-to-take-home, everything is made fresh and by the best cooks you'll ever meet. That is the yordle way.

I'd welcome you to the city... ######except you can't find it 8)

The last time that Dragons visited Bandle City, yordles used them as pets, so, i preffer Zaun.

IlyaK1986Jul 28, 20191 votes

Oh, as for who has the best fast food?

I'm an absolute sucker for ramen. So Ionia pls.