With many McDonald's restaurants remodeling over the last several years, you've probably noticed that nearly all of the play places have disappeared. With how much fast food as a whole has changed, it may come as no surprise that the play places are gone, but you may not know how it all started.

Between 2000 and 2015 alone, fast food services increased by 20%, and they only continue to increase each year. To keep up, chains like McDonald's cut back in areas like play places and seating, and instead expanded mobile ordering, increased the number of drive-thru lanes available, and improved technology.

With fewer people eating in restaurants, it doesn't matter as much anymore whether a fast food chain has dozens of tables or a place for kids to play — everyone's always on the go. Fast food chains will likely become increasingly streamlined to satisfy demand, for better or for worse.