What does restaurant mean?
A restaurant is a business or establishment where food and drink are prepared and served to customers for payment. The term covers everything from a casual takeaway counter and a family dining room to an elaborate fine-dining venue, although particular words such as café, diner, or bistro often suggest a more specific atmosphere or style. Restaurants may provide table service, takeout, delivery, or several of these services. In general use, the word can refer both to the physical premises and to the business itself: people may discuss a restaurant’s atmosphere, prices, menu, location, or service. The word entered English from French in the eighteenth century and was associated with food or drink that restored a person’s strength. Its broad meaning remains useful because it identifies a familiar type of establishment without implying a particular cuisine, level of formality, or dining habit.
nounA place where food and drink are prepared and served to customers, usually for payment. It may offer table service, takeout, delivery, or a combination of these.
- An establishment or business that prepares and serves food and drink for customers.
- An eating place understood more broadly to include the building, its service, and its overall dining experience.
"They met at a small restaurant near the station and shared a bottle of wine."
"The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner throughout the week."
"Their restaurant has become a popular destination for locally sourced food."
The plural is formed by adding -s to the singular noun.
"Several restaurants in the neighborhood offer outdoor seating."
The word restaurant entered English from French, where it was connected with the idea of restoring strength through food.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does restaurant come from?
The English word entered through French restaurant, a term developed from the language of restoring or replenishing. Its origins are associated with food and drink regarded as restoring strength, a sense that also underlies related English words such as restore, restoration, and restorative. Over time, restaurant developed into a general term for an establishment where prepared food and drink are served to paying customers.
Related word forms
How restaurant is actually used
The word is standard in formal and informal English. “Café” and “bistro” may suggest a lighter or more informal style of dining, while “restaurant” is the general term. “Restaurateur” refers to a person, not the establishment.
Easily confused with restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment where people eat, while a restaurateur is a person who owns or operates such an establishment.