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
Founded in 2011 by restaurateurs Jeffrey and Zach Chodorow alongside chef Joe Ng and the late Ed Schoenfeld, the brand became known for its upscale takes on Chinese dishes, including Peking duck and playful items like Pac-Man dumplings.
—
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
Many of Chicago’s top chefs and restaurateurs gathered Sunday night in the Loop for the annual Banchet Awards to celebrate the excellence, depth and diversity of the city’s food community.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Britton has been a restaurateur for 15 years as the owner of a wine bistro and restaurant called The Funky Door in Lubbock.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
Hunter is a graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas and is following in his father's footsteps as a chef and restaurateur.
—Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restaurateur
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Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
Many of Chicago’s top chefs and restaurateurs gathered Sunday night in the Loop for the annual Banchet Awards to celebrate the excellence, depth and diversity of the city’s food community.
—Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
Britton has been a restaurateur for 15 years as the owner of a wine bistro and restaurant called The Funky Door in Lubbock.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
Hunter is a graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas and is following in his father's footsteps as a chef and restaurateur.
—Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 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 2 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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