restaurateur
noun
res·tau·ra·teur
ˌre-stə-rə-ˈtər 
variants
or less commonly restauranteur
: the operator or proprietor of a restaurant
Did you know?
Restaurateur Has French Roots
Restaurateur and restaurant are French words from Latin restaurare, meaning "to restore." Of the two words, restaurant is more common—a fact that may have influenced the development of the variant spelling restauranteur for restaurateur. Some people consider restauranteur to be an error, but it is still on the menu as an acceptable word choice.
Examples of restaurateur in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nick’s Restaurants, led by fourth-generation restaurateur Nick Nickoloff, operates several namesake restaurants in Lagna Beach, San Clemente and Newport Beach, along with outposts in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
—
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The announcement sparked concern from local restaurateurs, with chef Andrew Weissman warning of a wave of closures and urging residents to support dining spots.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 3 May 2026
The San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival was created by Daniel Atkinson, the founder of the nonprofit San Diego Jazz Ventures, in partnership with Tijuana restaurateur Julian Plascencia, who is the founder of the annual Tijuana Blues & Jazz Festival.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
The building was previously owned by local restaurateur Frank Schultz, who took out a loan from Elway in 2022.
—Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restaurateur
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Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The announcement sparked concern from local restaurateurs, with chef Andrew Weissman warning of a wave of closures and urging residents to support dining spots.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 3 May 2026
The San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival was created by Daniel Atkinson, the founder of the nonprofit San Diego Jazz Ventures, in partnership with Tijuana restaurateur Julian Plascencia, who is the founder of the annual Tijuana Blues & Jazz Festival.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
The building was previously owned by local restaurateur Frank Schultz, who took out a loan from Elway in 2022.
—Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restaurateur
Cite this Entry
“Restaurateur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restaurateur. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
restaurateur
noun
res·tau·ra·teur
ˌres-tə-rə-ˈtər
variants
also restauranteur
: a person who owns or runs a restaurant
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