fast-food
/ˌfɑːst ˈfuːd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌfæst ˈfuːd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfas(t)-ˌfüd/ (ame, mw)
fast-food — noun
1. meals such as burgers, fried chicken, or pizza that are prepared and served in a
meals such as burgers, fried chicken, or pizza that are prepared and served in a very short time, usually at a counter or drive-through window where customers order and pick up their food without waiting long
Brandon grabbed fast food from the drive-through on his way home from work.
collocation: grab fast food
Since the family was in a hurry, they stopped at a fast-food place for a quick dinner.
compound modifier: fast-food place
Heloísa tries to avoid eating too much fast food because she prefers home-cooked meals.
Jabari picked up fast food for the children after their football practice ended late.
- home-cooked meal
food prepared at home rather than bought ready-made
- slow food
food prepared with care and traditional methods, the opposite of fast food in philosophy
用法筆記
Uncountable — 'a fast food' is non-standard; say 'some fast food' or 'a fast-food meal'.
常見錯誤
fast-food — adjective
1. describing a restaurant, business, or product that specialises in preparing meal
describing a restaurant, business, or product that specialises in preparing meals very quickly, usually with customers ordering at a counter and taking the food away or eating it on the premises
Padma works part-time at a fast-food restaurant near the university campus.
collocation: fast-food restaurant
The fast-food industry has grown rapidly in many countries over the past few decades.
collocation: fast-food industry
Sirin ordered a fast-food meal because she only had fifteen minutes for lunch.
A new fast-food franchise opened next to the train station, offering breakfast wraps and coffee.
- takeaway
British English; describes food sold to be eaten off the premises, not necessarily served quickly
- drive-through
narrower — only describes restaurants with a drive-through service
- fine-dining
describes restaurants with a formal atmosphere and carefully prepared dishes
用法筆記
Used attributively before a noun — 'fast-food chain', 'fast-food worker', 'fast-food menu'. Not used predicatively (❌ 'This restaurant is fast-food').
2. created or provided very quickly, often implying that little thought or care has
created or provided very quickly, often implying that little thought or care has gone into its quality, depth, or lasting value — used metaphorically about things like information, entertainment, or education
The article was fast-food journalism — short on facts and long on dramatic headlines.
figurative: fast-food journalism
Tamar criticised the fast-food approach of the training programme, which crammed everything into a single weekend.
figurative: fast-food approach
Some streaming platforms produce fast-food entertainment that people watch once and forget.
The lecture felt like fast-food learning — a lot of buzzwords but no real depth.
- throwaway
emphasises disposability rather than speed of production
- mass-produced
focuses on the industrial process rather than the speed-quality trade-off
- artisanal
suggests careful craftsmanship and attention to detail
- thoughtful
implies care and depth, the opposite of the speed-focused approach
用法筆記
Metaphorical and evaluative — carries a critical tone. Typically appears in reviews, opinion pieces, and cultural criticism rather than neutral description. The noun being modified is abstract (journalism, culture, education, art).