food court

American  

noun

1. a space, as in a shopping mall, with a concentration of fast-food stalls and usually a common eating area.

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Etymology

Origin of food court

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

At Plaza Mexico, where a framed picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe looks over the food court, customers filled about half the tables during lunchtime recently.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

At the end of the day, the women from Ohio made their way back to Union Station, convening in the basement food court to wait for the bus.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2025

I met him in the food court within eyeline of where it all happened.

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2025

The colourful glare of the Oasis food court, which then included restaurants like Rock Island Diner and Ma Potter's, was a magnet for visitors.

From BBC • Sep. 10, 2025

Her father marveled at the industrial carpeting in the hallway of her apartment building; her mother hoarded faux-leather handbags at Kmart, paper napkins from the mall food court, even plastic shopping bags.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie