1
: a person who dines (as in a restaurant) or who is dining
2
a
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
Examples of diner in a Sentence
we'll just grab a quick hamburger at the local diner
Recent Examples on the Web
Denny's, the national diner chain known for its breakfast fare and 24-hour menu, plans to close 150 restaurants by the end of 2025.
—
Anthony Robledo, Journal Sentinel, 24 Oct. 2024
In addition to Colorado, McDonald’s diners also reported getting sick between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11 in Oregon, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.
—Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2024
Frisch's is not the only diner or casual restaurant concept to face troubles after consumers have cut back on eating out amid high inflation in the past couple of years.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2024
The ubiquitous and popular diner chain Denny’s will close 150 locations by the end of next year amid declining revenue and changing consumer habits, the company announced Tuesday.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for diner 
Anthony Robledo, Journal Sentinel, 24 Oct. 2024
In addition to Colorado, McDonald’s diners also reported getting sick between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11 in Oregon, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.
—Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2024
Frisch's is not the only diner or casual restaurant concept to face troubles after consumers have cut back on eating out amid high inflation in the past couple of years.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2024
The ubiquitous and popular diner chain Denny’s will close 150 locations by the end of next year amid declining revenue and changing consumer habits, the company announced Tuesday.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for diner
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Diner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diner. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
diner
noun
din·er
ˈdī-nər 
1
: one that dines
2
a
b
: a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car
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