cafeteria-style
adjective
caf·e·te·ria-style
ˌka-fə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌstī(-ə)l 
: cafeteria
cafeteria-style benefits
Examples of cafeteria-style in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For anyone who appreciates no-frills, honest food served cafeteria-style, the meat-and-three format is a Southern institution worth seeking out — choose one protein and three sides from a rotating daily menu.
—
Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Johnnie’s Grill has a more expansive, cafeteria-style feel, with a broader menu of breakfast plates, sandwiches, and burritos.
—Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2026
Youngsters at the club’s flagship location on South Genesee Street in Waukegan — 70 overall — take their dinner cafeteria-style from an opening in the kitchen.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Tucked in the back of the store lies a row of tables and an old-school cafeteria-style counter.
—Natalie Hoy, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Nebu, the cafeteria-style eatery, is open for breakfast and lunch every weekday.
—Janae Williams, Oklahoman, 3 Feb. 2026
Dinner is served by volunteers, cafeteria-style, and guests eat the meal out on the patio.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Brennan, who had previously just played small background parts, went on to describe how his childhood home had a cafeteria-style milk machine and a milkman who delivered.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
Over at Hirafu, the locals tend to gravitate toward Bo-Yo-So, which is right on the slopes, and the King Bell Hut is a cafeteria-style mid-mountain spot with warming noodles and soup curries (a must-try local dish).
—Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Dec. 2022
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Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Johnnie’s Grill has a more expansive, cafeteria-style feel, with a broader menu of breakfast plates, sandwiches, and burritos.
—Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2026
Youngsters at the club’s flagship location on South Genesee Street in Waukegan — 70 overall — take their dinner cafeteria-style from an opening in the kitchen.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Tucked in the back of the store lies a row of tables and an old-school cafeteria-style counter.
—Natalie Hoy, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Nebu, the cafeteria-style eatery, is open for breakfast and lunch every weekday.
—Janae Williams, Oklahoman, 3 Feb. 2026
Dinner is served by volunteers, cafeteria-style, and guests eat the meal out on the patio.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Brennan, who had previously just played small background parts, went on to describe how his childhood home had a cafeteria-style milk machine and a milkman who delivered.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
Over at Hirafu, the locals tend to gravitate toward Bo-Yo-So, which is right on the slopes, and the King Bell Hut is a cafeteria-style mid-mountain spot with warming noodles and soup curries (a must-try local dish).
—Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Cafeteria-style.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cafeteria-style. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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