self-service

Also self-serve

[self-sur-vis]

noun

1. the system of serving oneself in a restaurant, shop, gas station, or other facility, without the aid of a waiter, clerk, attendant, etc.

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to a cafeteria, store, etc., designed for the patron or customer to gather food or merchandise from a display counter or shelves without the aid of attendants and pay at a cashier's desk upon leaving.

2. of, for, or pertaining to something designed to be used or enjoyed without the aid of an attendant.

   self-service banking; self-service elevators.

self-service

adjective

1. of or denoting a shop, restaurant, petrol station, etc, where the customer serves himself

noun

1. the practice of serving oneself, as in a shop, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-service¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

To believe otherwise would be to admit that what the Kennedys always meant by “public service” was self-service.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Between sessions, conversation inevitably turns to how things got this way: the fracturing of the consumer landscape, the rise of the subscription model, the corporate pivot from “service” to “self-service.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Skip the massages and instead focus on the facilities: complimentary self-service masks and scrubs make it easy to relax and indulge in the spa experience.

Read more on Salon

His efforts have included remodelling stores to revamp seating and bringing back self-service condiment bars.

Read more on BBC

Berlin Brandenburg Airport is asking travellers to use online or self-service check-in instead of the desks while the outage is ongoing.

Read more on BBC