cafeterias
Tray-line dining halls
Cafeterias is the plural of cafeteria, a self-service restaurant where customers select food from a counter or buffet line and carry it to their tables.
The format is common in schools, workplaces, and hospitals: The hospital cafeterias stay open around the clock.
Cafeterias emphasize efficiency and volume over service.
Customer performs the task
- trayShallow portable platform
- lineContinuous mark or queue
- counterFlat service surface
- steam tableHeated serving station
sneeze guard · buffet · serving · portions · ladling · scooping · dispensers · utensils
Flat-topped furniture pieces
- chairsFurniture for sitting
- seatingAvailable places to sit
- traysFlat serving surfaces
- fluorescentEmitting light when energized
linoleum · noise · crowded · buzzing · clatter · plastic · stackable · benches
Place of instruction
- hospitalMedical treatment facility
- universityHigher education institution
- workplaceEmployment location
- corporateOf or relating to companies
military · prison · dormitory · government · factory · office · campus · employee
Heated midday food service
- entreesPrincipal meal courses
- sidesLateral edges or teams
- meatloafBaked ground beef dish
- pizzaTopped flatbread dish
tacos · rice · curry · noodles · vegetables · soup · casserole · spaghetti
Noon eating period
- gatheringCollection of people meeting
- conversationExchange of spoken ideas
- cliquesExclusive social groups
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
gossip · networking · breaks · colleagues · classmates · community · meeting · socializing
self-service
Customer performs the task
steam table · sneeze guard · buffet · serving · portions · ladling · scooping · dispensers · utensils · stations
tables
Flat-topped furniture pieces
fluorescent · linoleum · noise · crowded · buzzing · clatter · plastic · stackable · benches · booths
school
Place of instruction
- hospitalMedical treatment facility
- universityHigher education institution
- workplaceEmployment location
corporate · military · prison · dormitory · government · factory · office · campus · employee · student
hot lunch
Heated midday food service
pizza · tacos · rice · curry · noodles · vegetables · soup · casserole · spaghetti · mashed potatoes
lunchtime
Noon eating period
- gatheringCollection of people meeting
- conversationExchange of spoken ideas
- cliquesExclusive social groups
hierarchy · gossip · networking · breaks · colleagues · classmates · community · meeting · socializing · tables
- food industryrestaurants, eateries, fast food, catering, food service
- building spacesroom, classrooms, hallway, hallways, lobby
- campusdorm, dormitory, dormitories, dorms, quad
- campus featureslibrary, libraries, dorm, dorms, dormitory
- public schoolselementary school, middle school, high school, kindergarten, classroom
- university studentscampus life, dorms, dormitory, dormitory life, exams
- school cafeteriaStudent dining facility
- cafeteria lineFood service queue
- hospital cafeteriaClinic's in-house dining area
- cafeteria tableCommunal dining furniture
- cafeteria trayRectangular serving surface
- cafeteria workerFood service employee