<P> A fast food restaurant, also known as a quick service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast food cuisine and has minimal table service . The food served in fast food restaurants is typically part of a "meat - sweet diet", offered from a limited menu, cooked in bulk in advance and kept hot, finished and packaged to order, and usually available for take away, though seating may be provided . Fast food restaurants are typically part of a restaurant chain or franchise operation that provisions standardized ingredients and / or partially prepared foods and supplies to each restaurant through controlled supply channels . The term "fast food" was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam--Webster in 1951 . </P> <P> Arguably, the first fast food restaurants originated in the United States with A&W in 1919 and White Castle in 1921 . Today, American - founded fast food chains such as McDonald's (est. 1940) and KFC (est. 1952) are multinational corporations with outlets across the globe . </P> <P> Variations on the fast food restaurant concept include fast casual restaurants and catering trucks . Fast casual restaurants have higher sit - in ratios, and customers can sit and have their orders brought to them . Catering trucks often park just outside worksites and are popular with factory workers . </P>

What was the first fast food restaurant to open