restaurant
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of restaurant
An Americanism first recorded in 1820–30; from French, noun use of present participle of restaurer, from Latin restaurāre “to restore, reestablish”; cf. re- ( def. ), store
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How does restaurant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A restaurant is a place — usually inside a building — where you go to eat food, which, most of the time, you must pay for. Restaurant comes from the French restaurer, which means "to provide food for." Restaurants will provide food for you if you've got the cash, and most of the time they'll even let you sit down right there and eat it. Common examples of restaurants include burger joints, cafeterias, pizzerias, sandwich shops, steak houses, seafood shacks, (some) hot-dog stands, ice cream parlors, taquerias, Chinese takeout, (some) bakeries, and fine-dining establishments.
Vocabulary lists containing restaurant
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.
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In its defence the restaurant owner argued that just 60% of diners had opted to try the ants, while the rest were served alternatives like fermented vinegar and edible flowers.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Last year, a fellow California restaurant chain chief executive, Lynsi Snyder of In-N-Out, left California for Tennessee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The outbreak is heavily concentrated in five states, affecting people who ate at a Taco Bell restaurant.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Cracker Barrel also said that the quarter to date has seen a 2.5% decline in same-store restaurant sales and a 0.5% increase in same store retail sales compared to the same period last year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
She was busy painting a portrait of Jerry Garcia or making dream catchers or trying to launch a restaurant that served nothing but herbal teas.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The group plans to expand the franchise, create new products and enhance the brand’s presence across restaurants and retail, according to a news release.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The best-laid plans can still result in visitors facing significant lines at the park’s gate and restaurants, crowded hiking trails and a relentless search for parking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
"Can't do some restaurants either, or most restaurants."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
A marketing representative said the robot was already being used in hotels and restaurants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
It’s in Soho—a square mile of soot-stained chimney pots in a sector rife with artists, musicians, restaurants, and a street market.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
