fast casual

American

[fast-kazh-oo-uhl] / ˈfæstˈkæʒ u əl /

Or fast-casual

adjective

noting or relating to a restaurant that does not have table service but offers made-to-order food that is of higher quality than fast food.

fast casual dining; a fast casual spot for fresh, authentic burritos.

fast casual British

noun

a style of fast food involving healthier, fresher, and more varied dishes than traditional fast food, served in more attractive surroundings

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fast casual

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

fast casual

It is also an unusually affluent crowd for fast casual: More than 60% of patrons earn more than $80,000, and only 14% make under $40,000.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Chipotle shares have fallen more than 37% over the past year, and they are not the only fast casual company to struggle in the stock market.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026

As fast food and fast casual felt less affordable, casual dining started to look competitive again.

From Barron's ● Dec. 28, 2025

Dine-in restaurants raised prices about 5.8% for the year, while fast food and fast casual chains hiked up menu prices 7.1%.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2023

Ross also has stakes in Equinox Fitness, SoulCycle and several fast casual restaurant chains.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2022

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023