diner

noun

din·​er ˈdī-nər 

1

: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining

2

a

: dining car

b

chiefly US : a typically small, informal, and inexpensive restaurant that has an extensive menu and that is often made from or designed to resemble a modified railroad dining car

had lunch at a roadside diner

Synonyms

• beanery
• café
• cafe
• caff [British]
• eatery
• grill
• restaurant

Examples of diner in a Sentence

we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner

Recent Examples on the Web

Barring individual state laws saying otherwise, restaurants are well within their power to charge automatic gratuities (which from a consumer perspective is often treated as a tip) for large parties or even solo diners, and this is somewhat common in the United States. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025

The same red and white diner set and red and yellow waitress costumes are also included in several of the account's videos. —Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025

There’s now seating available for about 200 diners inside the restaurant, with a modern-meets-rustic design that matches the elevated comfort food. —Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025

The restaurants range from fast-casual to fine dining, so there’s something for every hungry diner. —Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing diner

• diner-out

Kids Definition

diner

noun

din·​er ˈdī-nər 

1

: one that dines

2

a

: dining car

b

: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car