greasy spoon

noun

|Updated on: 1 Jun 2018

Examples: greasy spoon in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of greasy spoon

: a dingy small cheap restaurant

See greasy spoon defined for English-language learners

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Examples of greasy spoon in a Sentence

We ate at some greasy spoon near the bus station.

Recent Examples of greasy spoon from the Web

Of course, Little Pete’s was just one of the latest old-school greasy spoons to bite the dust of gentrification, succumb to changing tastes (or cheaper chain options nearby), or simply slide into the mediocrity of an indifferent new owner.

— craig laban, Philly.com, "Middle Child a bright new player in luncheonette revival," 25 May 2018
For the last eleven years, everyone’s favorite purveyor of scattered, smothered, covered, and chunked hash browns transforms from a beloved greasy spoon to a fine dining establishment brimming with romance.

— melissa locker, Southern Living, "Waffle House Is Pulling Out The White Tablecloths and Flowers for Valentine’s Day Again," 7 Feb. 2018
Her life is built on routines (the same omelet at the same greasy spoon, exactly two brandies per night), and her past is full of heartache.

— will nevin, OregonLive.com, "TBT #25: 'Abbott' joins canon of great crime comics; 'Death of Love' laughs at the unlovable," 23 Jan. 2018
But the Betsy Ross isn’t all greasy spoon and transients.

— caroline leavitt, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Brass,’ by Xhenet Aliu," 17 Jan. 2018
Like its greasy spoon inspiration, though, Shake Shack anoints its burgers with a piquant secret sauce.

— grey poupon, Bon Appetit, "100 Years of Sandwiches," 31 Oct. 2017
Pop over to the itty-bitty, upscale greasy spoon next door, Box Kitchen, to grab some unique bar snacks.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Tempest," 1 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'greasy spoon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In the decades following its first use in 1902, the surrounding context of greasy spoon usually included words along the lines of lousy, wind up eating in, slinging hash, the underside of society, settle for, or rather starve. And while things haven't changed entirely, a recent wave of nostalgia has elevated the status of greasy spoons. Since the 1970s, the descriptions might contain words like fabled, distinction, beloved, classic, an institution, fondness for, and comfort food. Now you can consult a Greasy Spoon Guide and read up on Best Greasy Spoons, or lunch at a diner restored to look like a greasy spoon. Some of these eateries are now even named "The Greasy Spoon."