fast food
1 Americannoun
adjective
noun
adjective
Usage
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.
Etymology
Origin of fast food1
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70
Origin of fast-food2
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70
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.
The actor, who won for his performance in the vampire-blues film Sinners, stopped by fast food chain In-N-Out Burger after the Hollywood ceremony.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
Previous work has shown that stressed parents are more likely to depend on fast food and less healthy eating habits.
From Science Daily • Mar. 8, 2026
On a visit to Texas on Friday, US President Donald Trump gave a raucous speech on the economy and then stopped off at a fast food joint.
From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026
Over the following days, the individual visited a few San Gabriel Valley fast food restaurants, potentially exposing others to the measles virus.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
It is a fast food parable about how the industry started and where it can lead.
From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser
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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.