A fast casual restaurant is a type of restaurant

Restaurant

A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...

 that does not offer full table service, but promises a higher quality of food and atmosphere than a fast food restaurant

Fast food restaurant

A fast food restaurant, also known as a Quick Service Restaurant or QSR within the industry itself, is a specific type of restaurant characterized both by its fast food cuisine and by minimal table service...

. In the US, it is a relatively new and growing concept positioned between fast food

Fast food

Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...

 and casual dining

Casual dining

This is a list of casual dining restaurant chains around the world, arranged in alphabetical order. A casual dining restaurant is a restaurant that serves moderately-priced food in a casual atmosphere...

. The typical cost per meal is in the US$8–$15 range.

History

The concept did not become a popular and common one for restaurants until the early to mid 1990s, and did not truly become mainstream until the beginning of the 2010s.

During the economic downturn beginning in 2007, fast casual dining saw an uptick in sales from the 18-34 demographic. Customers with limited discretionary meal spending tend to use it on dining perceived as healthier.

Logistics

Counter service accompanied by handmade food (often visible via an open kitchen) is typical. Alcohol may be served. Dishes like steak

Steak

A steak is a cut of meat . Most are cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, improving the perceived tenderness of the meat. In North America, steaks are typically served grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole...

 may be offered. The menu is usually limited to an extended over-counter display, and options in the way the food is prepared are emphasized. Health-conscious items have a larger-than-normal portion of the menu. Some restaurants may emphasize high quality ingredients like free range

Free range

thumb|250px|Free-range chickens being fed outdoors.Free range is a term which outside of the United States denotes a method of farming husbandry where the animals are allowed to roam freely instead of being contained in any manner. In the United States, USDA regulations apply only to poultry and...

 chicken

Chicken

The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...

 and freshly made salsas

Salsa (sauce)

Salsa may refer to any type of sauce. In American English, it usually refers to the spicy, often tomato based, hot sauces typical of Mexican and Central American cuisine, particularly those used as dips. In British English, the word typically refers to salsa cruda, which is common in Mexican ,...

. Overall, the quality of the food is presented as much higher than conventional fast food. While full table service is not offered, conveniences like non-plastic utensils and plates are common.

Publisher and Founder of FastCasual.com Paul Barron is credited for coining the term "Fast Casual" in the late 1990s, while the company Technomic Information Services defined the term "fast casual restaurants" as meeting the following criteria:

• Limited-service or self-service format
• Average meal price between $7 and $11
• Made-to-order food with more complex flavors than fast food restaurants
• Upscale or highly developed decor