food court
A group of take-out food providers located close to a large seating area shared by their customers.
A food court is a group of take-out food providers arranged in proximity to a large common seating area. This is a common feature of shopping centers, but is also found in many public buildings such as train stations. The object is generally to provide a variety of cuisines so that customers with diverse tastes can get what they choose and still eat together.
Several food providers share the nearby seating area. Customers can obtain food from different providers and still sit together, rather than needing to use a separate dining room for each business.
A canteen is mainly a dining amenity for building tenants. The food-court arrangement concerns multiple take-out providers and common seating, and it can occur in public buildings as well as shopping centers.
