1. a restaurant where customers serve themselves from a counter and pay before eating
2. a dining hall in a school, workplace, or institution where meals are served

Examples

• The students lined up in the school cafeteria for lunch.
• We grabbed trays and went through the cafeteria line.
• The hospital cafeteria serves meals 24 hours a day.
• She works as a cashier in the company cafeteria.
• The cafeteria offers both hot and cold food options.
• Many colleges have multiple cafeterias on campus.
• The cafeteria was crowded during the lunch rush.