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cafeteria
📅 Updated:2026-09-01
🕒 Created:2026-09-01
🆔 ID:111537
Description
A cafeteria, sometimes called a canteen outside North America, is a type of food service space or room with little to no waitstaff where people take food from service counters, booths, or stalls and place it on a tray. Customers pay a flat rate like in a buffet or per-item upon checkout.
Cafeterias are often found at large institutions such as schools, hospitals, military bases, prisons, and office buildings. College or university cafeterias often have payment plans where students may pay a large fee for a set number of visits during an academic term.
The word is derived from the Spanish word for coffeehouse, cafetería. However, this tag should not be used for such here; use coffee shop instead.
