cafeteria
Americannoun
-
a restaurant in which patrons wait on themselves, carrying their food to tables from counters where it is displayed and served.
-
a lunchroom or dining hall, as in a factory, office, or school, where food is served from counters or dispensed from vending machines or where food brought from home may be eaten.
noun
Etymology
Origin of cafeteria
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; from Latin American Spanish cafetería “café,” Spanish cafeter(a) “coffeemaker,” from French caf(f)etière (equivalent to café + etière feminine of -ier ); t apparently by analogy with words such as bouquetière “flower seller,” from bases ending in t ) + -ía; coffee, -ier 2
Explanation
A cafeteria is a restaurant where you serve yourself, then pay a cashier. Most schools have a cafeteria serving up sloppy joes and square pizza. "Let's go to the cafeteria!" usually means "Let's eat!" Most people think of school cafeterias, but they can exist elsewhere — a lot of Ikea stores actually have cafeterias for the customers. Cafeteria-style refers to any restaurant where you grab what you want and then pay for it before eating. Cafeterias usually aren't known for having the best food in the world, so if you have another option, go for it.
Vocabulary lists containing cafeteria
"Journeys," Vocabulary from Lesson 26
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Cuisine
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Excerpt from "Speak"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"People are talking more, going to the shops instead of just sitting in the cafeteria on their phones," he says.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
To pay the bills at Eastern Michigan University, she worked two jobs, at the cafeteria and as student supervisor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026
The basic stuff worked just fine, even if it smelled faintly like a school cafeteria.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026
The union represents more than 30,000 district employees, including teacher aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, computer techs, custodians and gardeners.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
I frowned, but before I could say anything about meeting Oliver and Alyx myself, Rachel Allan strolled into the cafeteria.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
