fast food
noun
food, as hamburgers, pizza, or fried chicken, that is prepared in quantity by a standardized method and can be dispensed quickly at inexpensive restaurants for eating there or elsewhere.
fast food
1 Americannoun
fast-food
2
American
[fast-food, fahst-]
/ ˈfæstˈfud, ˈfɑst- /
adjective
fast food
British
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.
See Examples For:
“They positioned themselves as a cut above traditional fast food, a little bit higher quality,” Mark Kalinowski, a restaurant analyst and CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research, told MarketWatch in August.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
This year, the retail giant teamed up with Subway, Dunkin’, and Papa John’s to offer fast food delivery.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
"People pick up a bag of fast food and just throw the bag out the window," he added.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Despite outperforming other fast food chains and posting impressive same-store sales, the Mexican-inspired chain Taco Bell has taken a hit after being linked to Cyclospora.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
Thaya Jaan turns his head, taking in the row of retail shops selling cheap souvenirs, fast food, magazines, and candy.
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
Chipotle’s stock is down 22.4% so far this year, as the chain tries to stand out among a sea of discounts and promos from sit-down restaurants and fast-food chains.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
Trian, a longtime shareholder in the struggling fast-food chain, is leading a group that has offered to pay $7.35 a share in cash, a 20% premium to the prior close.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
He added litter was particularly common near convenience stores, fast-food outlets and motorway service stations.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Shares for the fast-food chain have slid 50% this year as its sales sag.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Everything fascinated him— street signs, traffic, traffic lights, speed bumps, speed limits, medians, fast-food restaurants, police cars, fire trucks.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
