"Our customers are primarily suburban, dual-income households," Ms. Rosen said.

Which might not have mattered much when shortcake got its name - but now, in an era of dual-income households and all that implies, expediency is as valuable as nostalgia.

And regardless of how affordable, convenient and irresistible to-go food becomes in modern America, a hole in the hearts and homes of dual-income households will gape.

Other changes to the landscape of American family arrangements include dual-income earner households and delayed independence among American youths.

Moreover, for dual-income households with young children, it makes having to shop on Saturdays a family ordeal.

He said tenants were ultimately persuaded to sign on for space by "evidence that there were enough dual-income households" nearby to support the project.

As a result, single-income families (and families with children) typically get coverage for more people than do single people and partners in dual-income households.

Mr. Schneider described the typical on-line shopper as "a time-constrained individual who represents a dual-income household with children."

Do you think is right that our system allows very affluent dual-income households to pay less tax than single income-households?