Jump To:

• 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.

---

fast-food ² American  

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

adjective

1. of or specializing in fast food.

---

fast food British  

noun

1. food that requires little preparation before being served

---

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

See Examples For:

fast food fast-food

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

“It makes waiting for food less irritating,” said Gulati, who eats fast food several times a week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Less than three weeks later, Americans began experimenting with another way fast food might carry meaning.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

The natural cut-and-thrust of the fast food pizza business looks set to continue.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

All I know about him is the fast food chain.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

By the time federal agencies were still publicly trying to identify the source of the outbreak, the fast-food chain had already started taking food off its menus.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Taylor Farms announced a voluntary recall of lettuce sourced from central Mexico, while the US fast-food chain Taco Bell said it has removed lettuce from the supplier from its menu.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

A decade ago, McDonald’s was an early mover among U.S. fast-food chains investing in self-service kiosks, digital menu boards and app ordering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

The Los Angeles City Council is set to vote on an ordinance Tuesday that seeks to implement more protections for fast-food workers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

His client the next day could be a fast-food CEO trying to deal with an E. colt outbreak.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt