self-service

noun

self-ser·​vice ˈself-ˈsər-vəs 

: the serving of oneself (as in a restaurant or gas station) with goods or services to be paid for at a cashier's desk or by using a coin-operated mechanism or a credit or debit card

self-service adjective

Examples of self-service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While Tsingtao is widespread across China's mainland these days, this mode of self-service street brewery has become a hit for pretty obvious reasons. —New Atlas, 8 May 2026

Greater Sum Ventures Announces Majority Investment in Tapin2 Greater Sum Ventures (GSV) announced a majority investment in Tapin2, a provider of self-service, suite catering and mobile ordering technology for sports and entertainment venues. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 8 May 2026

McDonald’s has continued redesigning restaurants around digital ordering kiosks and drive-thru focused layouts, where large self-service drink stations may no longer fit the company’s newer setup. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2026

One-way, one-day, seven-day, and round-trip tickets can be purchased through the self-service ticket vending machines at the stations or via the CATS-Pass app. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 4 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-service

• disservice
• preservice
• interservice
• nervous
• nervus

Kids Definition

self-service

noun

self-ser·​vice

ˈself-ˈsər-vəs

: the serving of oneself (as in a restaurant or gas station) with things to be paid for at a cashier's desk or by means of a mechanism that is operated by coins

self-service adjective