A cafeteria is a restaurant where you choose your food from a counter and take it to your table after paying for it. Cafeterias are usually found in public buildings such as hospitals and stores.
cafeteria in British English
(ˌkæfɪˈtɪərɪə)
noun
a self-service restaurant
Word origin
C20: from American Spanish: coffee shop
cafeteria in American English
(ˌkæfəˈtɪriə)
US
noun
1.
a self-service restaurant in which food is displayed on counters
adjective
2.
allowing a choice from among several options: used chiefly to designate company benefit or insurance plans that allow each employee to select benefits or coverage best suited to his or her needs