Cafeteria
/ˌkæf.əˈtɪə.ri.ə/noun
A self-service restaurant where customers serve themselves from a counter.
Did you know?The term 'Cafeteria' derives from the Spanish 'cafetería', which originally referred to a place for drinking coffee, but evolved to signify any self-service eatery!
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
cāfē
“a place for drinking coffee or a brew.”
Spanish
Spanish
cafetería
“a coffee house or establishment for serving coffee.”
19th Century
English
cafeteria
“an establishment where patrons serve themselves, typically in a buffet style.”
20th Century
Modern English
cafeteria
“a further generalization of self-service dining, often in schools or institutions.”