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• fast food
  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
  fast-food

  adjective

  of or specializing in fast food.

fast food

¹ American  

noun

1. 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.

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fast-food ² American  

[fast-food, fahst-] / ˈfæstˈfud, ˈfɑst- /

adjective

1. of or specializing in fast food.

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fast food British  

noun

1. food that requires little preparation before being served

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adjective

1. (of a restaurant, café, etc) serving such food

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

They’re the last ones owned and operated by Ed Hackbarth, the founder of the Mexican fast food chain.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

The data also showed drinks litter present on 72.1% of roads, with fast food waste seen on 67% of routes.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Chicken tenders, buttered noodles, the multi-billion dollar industries of American fast food and ultra-processed snack foods have created a category that didn’t necessarily need to exist.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

“It’s fast food or it’s packing boxes,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The star atop his drive-in sign became the mascot of his fast food chain.

From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser