Take-out or takeout is a prepared meal or other food items, purchased at a restaurant or fast food outlet with the intent to eat elsewhere. A concept found in many ancient cultures, take-out food is common worldwide, with a number of different cuisines and dishes on offer.
Thermopolium in Herculaneum
Street food vendors in early 20th century New York City.
Customers queueing for takeaway at a fish and chip shop in England
A market stall in Thailand selling take-out food
Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredients and served in packaging for take-out/takeaway. Fast food was created as a commercial strategy to accommodate large numbers of busy commuters, travelers and wage workers. In 2018, the fast food industry was worth an estimated $570 billion globally.
Pulling wheat dough into thin strands to form lamian
Blue plaque in Oldham, England commemorating the 1860s origins of fish and chip shops and the fast food industry
Fish and chips in a wrapper
Neighboring fast food restaurant advertisement signs in Bowling Green, Kentucky for Wendy's, KFC, Krystal and Taco Bell. A McDonald's sign can be seen in the very far background.
