Use fast to make food at the beginning.

[Ale]

At the beginning some equipment to deal with the clients patience are locked, and food that takes a while like Fry food or Lasagna can be frustrating because you still get new orders and those rack up the dishes too.

Recommendations for the beginning:
- Sodas
- Beer
- Salads
- Soup (This one has preparation, but unlike the others you make the dish THEN you wait to serve.)
- Ice Cream

When you get some equipment, such as Air Conditioner, you are free to try other foods. =)

[The Hermit]

Soup is good for the reason you stated, but I also find it's a very good food for various other reasons. Soup is a staple and never gets menu rot. Soup is lucrative to sell to reflect its relative difficulty to make. As you upgrade soup, the price per bowl rises quite a great deal.

And like anything, you will eventually memorize all of your recipes you have available, and so when preparing soup during a 4-star rush-hour, you can just put one finger on the down arrow and then rapidly tap it while the left hand simple clicks A/L/Y/etc.

[Katya Stevens]

Also recommended from my trials:

Baked potato -- slow cooking item, so you can easily hit the number button to get it cooking and focus on other items, only needs attention when the toppings are put on it (and I've also seen a few people order it dry)

Salad -- reasonably easy key combos (even default), someone wants everything on it? BOMG. Considered a healthy item, and it doesn't get menu rot.

Corn dogs and pretzels -- easy, quick, memorable key combos (corn dogs, K and/or M; pretzels B/S/C), also considered snacky foods so won't be ordered during rush hour (reduces the items you do need to prep by one)