What does fast food mean? Fast food is food quickly prepared and served, often at chain restaurants and typically associated with less expensive and less nutritious items like hamburgers, french fries, and soft drinks.
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fast food and beverage companies say they need to watch out for consumer concerns about contaminants in produce and packaging.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
Fast food restaurant worker Hassan Ali Tipu said it would "help us with our utilities because prices are getting high, it would help us in our daily life to meet our goal".
From BBC • Oct. 21, 2025
Fast food joints are in the midst of a budget-meal war, offering promotions to lure customers back to their restaurants despite inflation woes and a minimum-wage increase in California and other states.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2024
Fast food prices have risen dramatically in the last few years due to a variety of factors, including elevated costs for labor, food and paper products.
From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024
Fast food was not only tasty but also affordable.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
