Fast-food Restaurants

Although fast-food restaurants are often seen as a mark of modern technological culture, they are probably as old as cities themselves with the style varying from culture to culture. For instance, Ancient Roman cities had bread-and-olive stands. East Asian cultures feature noodle shops. 

  The modern history of fast food is connected with the earliest fast-food outlets selling hamburgers as their primary product. A fast-food restaurant is characterised both by the food which is supplied quickly after ordering, and by minimal service. The food is often cooked in bulk in advance and kept hot or reheated to order. 

  Many fast-food restaurants are part of restaurant chains or franchise operations, which ship standardised foodstuffs to each restaurant from central locations. There are also simpler fast-food outlets such as stands or kiosks. They may or may not provide shelter or seats for customers. 

  Fast-food outlets are take-away or take-out providers. Usually, they are with a drive-through service to allow customers to order and pick up food from their cars. However, most also have a seating area in which customers can eat the food on the premises. 

  Finger food comprises most fast food and so can be eaten without cutlery. Examples of fast food include fish and chips, sandwiches, pitas, hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizzas or ice cream although many fast-food restaurants offer 'slower' food like mashed potatoes or salads.