Meaning & use
automat
A cafeteria-style restaurant where food is dispensed from coin-operated vending compartments.
See it in a sentence
In the 1950s, workers grabbed a quick lunch at the automat downtown.
The old automat let customers slide coins into a slot to open a glass door and take a sandwich.
A note on using this word
Automats were especially popular in American cities in the early to mid-20th century and are now largely historical.
Words with a similar meaning
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