restaurateur
noun
res·tau·ra·teur
ˌre-stə-rə-ˈtər 
variants
or less commonly restauranteur
: the operator or proprietor of a restaurant
Did you know?
Restaurateur Has French Roots
Restaurateur and restaurant are French words from Latin restaurare, meaning "to restore." Of the two words, restaurant is more common—a fact that may have influenced the development of the variant spelling restauranteur for restaurateur. Some people consider restauranteur to be an error, but it is still on the menu as an acceptable word choice.
Examples of restaurateur in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Co-owners Matthew Harber and Annette Marin are first-time restaurateurs and long-time concert promoters.
—
Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
His father came to the United States from Mexico illegally then became a pioneering Mexican restaurateur in Los Angeles.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Some Lake County restaurateurs participating in the annual February Flavor Festival are noticing its impact on customer behavior, as well as bargain hunters trying their establishments for the first time.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
The closure points to increasing pressure put on independent restaurateurs who struggle to make ends meet in today’s California.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restaurateur
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Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
His father came to the United States from Mexico illegally then became a pioneering Mexican restaurateur in Los Angeles.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Some Lake County restaurateurs participating in the annual February Flavor Festival are noticing its impact on customer behavior, as well as bargain hunters trying their establishments for the first time.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
The closure points to increasing pressure put on independent restaurateurs who struggle to make ends meet in today’s California.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restaurateur
Cite this Entry
“Restaurateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restaurateur. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
restaurateur
noun
res·tau·ra·teur
ˌres-tə-rə-ˈtər
variants
also restauranteur
: a person who owns or runs a restaurant
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