Automat

American  

[aw-tuh-mat] / ˈɔ təˌmæt /

Trademark.

1. a type of self-service restaurant in which customers obtain food from small compartments by depositing the required number of coins in slots so that the doors can be opened.

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automat British  

/ ˈɔːtəˌmæt /

noun

1. Also called: vending machine.  a machine that automatically dispenses goods, such as cigarettes, when money is inserted

2. an area or room, sometimes having restaurant facilities, where food and other goods are supplied from vending machines

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Explanation

An automat is a food-dispensing machine or a restaurant with many such machines. If you prefer getting your take-out without speaking to another human being, an automat is the place to go. The word automat has the same beginning as automatic, meaning "operating with minimal human intervention." Automats were quite popular in the early- to mid-1900s. These restaurants had fresh food selections, usually made on-site and displayed in glass compartments. Diners dropped a coin into a slot beside their chosen dish, turned a knob, and then lifted the glass door to take their food. The original term was automated cafeteria.

Example Sentences

Apart from the tellingly-named ghost kitchens, fast-food companies, the successors of the original Automat, seem eager to find out.

From Salon • Jan. 22, 2024

He also picked the endeavor’s code name: Project Automat, later amended to HTAutomat or HTA.

From Washington Post • May 28, 2022

This story has been updated to reflect the closure of Automat Kitchen in Jersey City.

From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2022

The superfan Mel Brooks sings a tribute to the Automat, with a 26-piece orchestra.

From New York Times • Feb. 18, 2022

Not the heat that glued her skin to the plastic chair, not an outing to the beach, not even a movie followed by a beef pot pie at the Automat.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

Related Words

• bistro
• booth
• coffee shop
• saloon