Fast Foodies

Interesting questions, Tina. You certainly could describe "fast food" as any place with counter service where the food comes out, um, fast. Shiraz would definitely qualify there. So would Seafood Connection, and a number of other indies. Pizza? Not if it's any good. Real pizza needs to be made to your order, and that takes time. Expect a half-hour wait at Impellizzeri's, even if there's no crowd. "Slow Food" is a good thing, but fine places like Shiraz that use the counter-service model can make slow food fast.

To me, though, the catchall term "fast food" strongly implies mega-corporate entities like McDonald's or Taco Bell, churning out least-common-denominator chow as fast as it can go.

I agree with your definitions.

However, I consider Boombozz to be excellent pizza, but they get it to my door within 20 minutes of ordering.

So then by the mega corp definition, I rarely if ever get fast food. Occasionally, I'll get a McDs coffee at the drivethru.

To me, though, the catchall term "fast food" strongly implies mega-corporate entities like McDonald's or Taco Bell, churning out least-common-denominator chow as fast as it can go.

Gosh, I didn't expected to have started such a chain. Anyway, Wikipedia includes a different level of establishment that prabably answers our musings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_casual

It's FAST CASUAL: According to them:
"A fast casual restaurant is a type of restaurant which is similar to a fast-food restaurant in that it does not offer full table service, but promises a somewhat higher quality of food and atmosphere. It is a growing concept to fill the space between fast-food and casual dining."

Fast food, on the other hand is:
"Fast food is food that can be prepared and served very quickly. Stereotypical restaurant fast food is cooked in bulk and in advance and kept warm, or reheated to order. Many fast-food restaurants, (also known as "Quick Service Restaurants" or QSR) are part of restaurant chains or franchise operations, and standardized foodstuffs are shipped to each restaurant from central locations"

Some of the places on their list of fast casual are:
Atlanta Bread Company, Baja Fresh, Boston Market, Buffalo Wild Wings, CiCi's Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, Fazoli's, Fuddruckers, Moe's Southwest Grill, Panera Bread, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Schlotzsky's, Zaxby's.

I think it's Fazoli's who use the motto that they are not fast food but Italian Food fast.

BW3's is anything but fast if you dare to do something crazy like go at lunch time.