Fast food is fast and cheap.

Any place that serves unpackaged food, averages less than three minutes from order to delivery, and charges less than the local hourly minimum wage for the majority of their entrees is fast food.

The cheap part is actually more relevant that the fast part, most of the time. Fast food's mass appeal is due to its affordability. Its affordability is often due to taking maximum advantage of mass production and farm subsidies (see http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/magazine/22wwlnlede.t.html?ex=1335067200&en=56d0833dcf38897c&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink).

I'm guessing that DC wants to define fast food so they can impose health regulations such as requiring posted nutrition information. The price point method is probably the best way to do that.

DC might be the most self-important city in the world. You can find someone to object to anything there. I worked in DC and have a perfect example of why this is ridiculous. If you walk up 19th or 20th Street between M and N, about halfway up the block is an alley. At either end of the alley is a small sign, about a foot square that has a penguin with a mariachi hat and a towel over his arm. The sign reads "The Well Dressed Burrito" and "in the alley" at the bottom. For those brave enough to venture down the alley and through the barely marked door on the side of a building, you will find one of the best lunches you've ever had. The Well Dressed is open only M-F from 11:30 to 2:15. I believe they share or are an outcrop of one of the kitchens to one of the schmaltzy banker/lawyer/lobbyist-$12-for-weeds-and-pine-nuts-with-raspberry-vinaigrette-on-a-sidewalk-table. Nothing on the regular menu over $7.00, but it is all good, all generously portioned, the salsas are all freshly made, and everything is good. You order, get your ticket number and step to the side. When your number is called, you pick it up in a Styrofoam clamshell, pay and unless you are lucky enough to get one of about 8 seats, you take it to go. It is not uncommon for there to be a line out the door from noon to 2:00, or at least 15-20 people crowded into the ordering area, a roughly triangular 10x12' space. The food is way above what I would generally qualify as "fast food." There's almost no seats though, so is a place that is open less than three hours a day weekdays only with almost no tables and no wait staff fast food? If it is, do all pizza takeout/delivery places become fast food? How about the Chinese place just down the block that serves a lower quality meal in the same clamshells much faster and cheaper? The Well Dressed isn't fast food, but may wind up being classified as such. *rolls eyes*