diner

American  

[dahy-ner] / ˈdaɪ nər /

noun

1. a person who dines.

2. a railroad dining car.

3. a restaurant built like such a car.

4. a small, informal, and usually inexpensive restaurant.

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diner British  

/ ˈdaɪnə /

noun

1. a person eating a meal, esp in a restaurant

2. a small restaurant, often at the roadside

3. a fashionable bar, or a section of one, where food is served

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Etymology

Origin of diner

First recorded in 1800–10; dine + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Service was thoughtful, even as a solo diner, with spot-on recommendations.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Located just outside Abadiânia, an agricultural town about 60 miles from Brasília, Route 60 is family diner, truck stop and country store rolled into one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Over the course of several meetings, including one at an upscale Austrian diner built into a 12th-century monastery, the men said they wanted to feel out the government’s thinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Next I walk down the street to Max and Helen’s, the diner my family opened.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Lily trailed off, running a finger across a dusty display case filled with old steamer tickets, diner car menus, and various advertisements for trips around the world.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

Related Words

• bistro
• booth
• coffee shop
• saloon