1. Plural of automat; restaurants or cafeterias where food and drinks are dispensed from coin-operated compartments or vending machines.
Usage: Chiefly historical; common in the early-to-mid 20th century, particularly in the United States.

Examples

• Automats were popular lunch destinations in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s.
• Customers would insert coins into the small glass doors of automats to retrieve their meals.
• The decline of automats reflected changing dining habits and the rise of fast-food chains.
• Many people have nostalgic memories of eating at automats as children.
• Automats represented an innovative approach to quick, affordable dining before modern fast food.