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.
"You will see fast food, Indian breads and curries, desserts, and whatever else people have been sending," said Kaanita, a 21-year-old student.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
BBC News has been told the kebabs from Kismet Kebabs, which describes itself as one of the UK's largest doner kebab makers, were sold to fast food outlets across the country for years.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
The party also wants an annual "national action day" to help "rekindle civic pride" and more action to tackle littering connected to fast food outlets.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
It’s quite thinkable to eat fast food in a car in L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
Eric took out the paper plates they used on the rare occasions they didn’t get fast food, but Jesse suddenly balked.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
In 2024, state law made it so that all eligible fast-food employees would receive a minimum wage of $20 an hour.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
US fast-food chain Taco Bell is removing lettuce from its menu in some states after investigations found it could be linked to an outbreak of explosive diarrhoea caused by a parasite.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
After leaving a club, the men crossed paths with the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, at a fast-food restaurant and they all went to the beach.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Minor Food is one of the biggest fast-food and casual dining chains in Asia-Pacific.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
How could she confuse him with a fast-food place—whatever that was.
From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn
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.
