Is Chinese Takeout Considered Fast Food?

Few places offer a greater breadth of convenient dining than the U.S. Whether you're having your favorite neighborhood restaurant delivered to your doorstep, picking up a sandwich from a deli, or hitting up a go-to fast food drive-thru, the options for receiving food in minutes are numerous. Fast food's business model combo of instant enjoyment and convenience is particularly prevalent, and as a result, fast food's popularity may seem to encompass every takeaway-style dining experience. Take Chinese takeout, an amalgamation of American and Chinese dishes served in iconic paper-based containers. Should this dining style be considered under the fast food umbrella?

Well, it's not a question that can be answered definitively, though contentious discussions occur on internet forums such as Reddit. Chinese takeout and fast food both have unique histories, including Chinese-American dining preceding fast food by several decades. Simultaneously, fast food offers its own type of cultural appeal, with nostalgic affiliations to the 1980s golden era. Backed by different contexts, the two dining styles have some distinctions to consider.

Takeout classics, such as orange chicken and fried rice, represent more than Asian comfort food — they emerged from a unique homegrown food culture. Chinese dining in America traces back well over a century, to the mid 1800s. The first wave of immigrants arrived in California from Cantonese provinces and set up businesses feeding fellow workers. From the start, the vibe was casual; while there weren't takeout containers yet – the iconic takeout container was patented in 1894 and its use became widespread during the 1950s — prices were kept low. 

By the turn of the 20th century, trendy chop suey restaurants dished out uniquely American stir fry, and dishes such as lo mein, chow mein, and various deep-fried chicken creations became established classics in the U.S. While Chinese fine dining restaurants also opened during the 20th century, convenience remained a central part of the cuisine. They operated in both suburbs and city centers, often with family-style portions. And so, the delights of Chinese takeout emerged as its own creation.

The specifics of the term fast food aren't definite, but there are certain characteristics most would agree on. For one, there's the standardized menu that arises from mass production. Order one of the best McDonald's burgers from any McDonald's location across the United States, and the details don't deviate much. Furthermore, you can expect low prices, as well as extended opening hours. To make such a business model possible, frozen and highly processed foods are frequently employed. Plus, there's likely a drive-thru and prepackaged containers, which are commonalities with Chinese takeout.

However, fast food dining entails its own qualities, with several distinctions from Chinese-American eating. Many cite White Castle as the original fast food restaurant; the eatery opened in 1921, at a time when chop suey restaurants were already well-established. Over a century later, burger-based restaurants still reign as the fast food go-to, although fast food fried chicken and Mexican-inspired creations such as Taco Bell are also part of the conversation. 

What intertwines all such offerings are chains: Fast food relies on huge multi-location operations. Sure, Chinese takeout also has big businesses such as Panda Express and P.F. Chang's, but they don't fit into such commonalities of the fast food niche. The former could qualify, but its menu style and pricing is more akin to fast casual businesses such as Chipotle or Sweetgreen, where you can assemble ingredients from a counter selection. Otherwise, Chinese takeout exists as a class of its own, ready for enjoyment sans label.