From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcafeteriacaf‧e‧te‧ri‧a /ˌkæfəˈtɪəriə $ -ˈtɪr-/ ●●● S3 noun [countable] DFa restaurant, often in a factory, college etc, where you choose from foods that have already been cooked and carry your own food to a table SYN canteen British English the school cafeteria► see thesaurus at restaurant
Examples from the Corpus
cafeteria• Student assemblies, cafeterias, and libraries provided a semi-institutional network within which radical ideas and literature could circulate.• The next morning I went for breakfast to the vast central cafeteria which served all the national pavilions.• Three years later, the worker wounded two coworkers and killed three others in the company cafeteria.• For dining, resort cafeterias often serve hearty, inexpensive breakfasts.• We would encourage all restaurants, cafeterias, delicatessens, food vending services and convenience stores to do the same.• In addition to a small cafeteria at the new center, the main Visitors' Center has many meal choices.• Students complained about the cafeteria food.• Esther posed for me, hand on hip, by the cafeteria door.• No, it was just a little like reception underneath in the cafeteria.From Longman Business Dictionarycafeteriacaf‧e‧te‧ri‧a /ˌkæfəˈtɪəriə-ˈtɪr-/ noun [countable] a place in a factory, office etc where meals are provided, usually quite cheaplySYNcanteen BrEOrigin cafeteria (1800-1900) American Spanish “coffee shop”, from Spanish café “coffee” 