Fast food restaurant

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 at the restaurant. 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 MerriamWebster in 1951.[1]
Arguably, the first fast food restaurants originated in the United States with A&W in 1919 and White
Castle in 1921.[2] Today, American-founded fast food chains such as McDonald's (est. 1940)
and KFC (est. 1952)[3][4][5][6] are multinational corporations with outlets across the globe.
Variations on the fast food restaurant concept include fast casual restaurants and catering trucks.
Fast casual restaurants have higher sit-inratios, and customers can sit and have their orders brought
to them. Catering trucks often park just outside worksites and are popular with factory workers.

Value meals[edit]
A value meal is a group of menu items offered together at a lower price than they would cost
individually. A hamburger, side of fries, and drink commonly constitute a value meal
or combo depending on the chain. Value meals at fast food restaurants are common as
a merchandising tactic to facilitate bundling, up-selling, and price discrimination. Most of the time
they can be upgraded to a larger side and drink for a small fee. The perceived creation of a
"discount" on individual menu items in exchange for the purchase of a "meal" is also consistent with
the loyalty marketing school of thought.[12]