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restaurant
/ˈɹɛst(ə)ɹɑːnt/
place where meals are served
Let's eat at that new Italian restaurant downtown.
The speaker suggests dining at a recently opened Italian dining establishment in the city center.
formal
A place where meals are prepared and served to customers.
The restaurant offers vegan options on its menu.
The dining establishment provides plant-based dishes.
We reserved a table at the restaurant for 7 PM.
We booked a dining seat at the venue for 7 PM.
Often used with qualifiers like 'fast-food restaurant' or 'fine-dining restaurant' to specify type.
Collocations
fast-food restauranta restaurant serving quick, inexpensive mealsfine-dining restauranta restaurant offering high-quality, gourmet mealsrestaurant chaina group of restaurants owned by the same companyrestaurant ownerthe person who manages or owns a restaurantreserve a table at a restaurantto book a seat in advance
Pro Tip
Ordering in a restaurant
Use phrases like 'Can I see the menu?' or 'What do you recommend?' to navigate dining customs. Tipping is customary in many English-speaking countries (e.g., the U.S.), typically 15-20% of the bill.
Gold Rule
Countable vs. uncountable
'Restaurant' is a countable noun. Use 'a' or 'the' before it (e.g., 'a restaurant', 'the restaurant').
Word Origin
From French 'restaurant', originally meaning 'restorative food' (from 'restaurer' meaning 'to restore'), referring to the restorative properties of soups served in early Parisian restaurants.
Usage Notes
In English, 'restaurant' can refer to any establishment serving meals, regardless of price or cuisine. The word is often shortened to 'resto' in informal contexts.
Word Breakdown
restaurant
from French 'restaurer' (to restore)
rootEnglish Dictionary