‘Restaurateur’ or ‘Restauranteur’: How to Spell It Correctly 

By Shanea Patterson, updated on November 15, 2022

Should you spell it ‘restaurateur’ or ‘restauranteur’? We’ll discuss that in a bit more detail below and teach you how to use the term properly.

The quick answer is that the correct spelling is ‘restaurateur.’ It’s incorrect to say ‘restauranteur,’ even though ‘restaurant’ has an ‘n’ in it. The English language can be tricky that way.

‘Restaurateur’ versus ‘Restauranteur’

As you’ve just discovered, the word's correct spelling is ‘restaurateur.’ It can be a pretty tricky word to remember how to spell, similar to words like ‘amateur,’ ‘memoriam,’ and ‘boarders/borders.’

Why is There No N in 'Restaurateur'?

It might seem confusing that there’s no ‘n’ in ‘restaurateur’ even though there’s an ‘n’ in restaurant.

Why is that?

Well, the word has French origins. The word ‘restaurer’ is French for “to restore.”

‘Restaurant’ is the present participle form of the verb (restoring in English).

So what does 'restaurateur' mean exactly? Let's take a look.

Definition and Meaning 

The definition of ‘restaurateur’ is “the operator or proprietor of a restaurant,” according to Merriam-Webster.

We already know that the word comes from the French verb, ‘restaurare,’ meaning to restore.

The Cambridge dictionary’s definition is “a person who owns and manages a restaurant.”

But let’s also define ‘restaurant.’

The definition of 'restaurant' is “a business establishment where meals or refreshments may be purchased.”

Synonyms of the word include:

  • Beanery
  • Caff (British)
  • Grill
  • Café
  • Diner
  • Eatery
  • Du Jour
  • Raw Bar
  • Transport Café
  • Tea Garden
  • Coffee Shop
  • Bill of Fare
  • Booth
  • Bistro
  • Brasserie
  • Creperie
  • Drive-Through
  • Pizzeria
  • Refectory
  • Roadhouse
  • Teahouse
  • Truck Stop

How to Use it in a Sentence

We’ve seen the definitions of each word, so let’s take a look at how you’d use the term in a sentence correctly.

Check out a few examples of how to do just that:

  • I have a date with a restaurateur on the 31st of this month.
  • Being a restaurateur is complicated; it can be stressful and time-consuming.
  • There’s a famous restaurateur in town to take photos of his new establishment.
  • My brother’s a restaurateur, and his new restaurant will be open in the summer.

If you’d also like to see how to use ‘restaurant’ in a sentence, take a look at a few examples:

  • I’m opening a restaurant next year, with the help of my best friend.
  • We went to the trendiest restaurant in town last night and had a blast.
  • I want to go out to eat at my favorite restaurant for my birthday next month.
  • Salsa Fresca is my favorite restaurant; I go there every Friday.

Final Thoughts on ‘Restaurateur’ and ‘Restauranteur’

 You already know that the correct way to spell the term is ‘restaurateur,’ and not ‘restauranteur.’ It might be tempting to spell it that way because restaurant has an ‘n’ in it.

But you have to remember that it’s spelled somewhat differently than restaurant.

If you struggle with confusing words and phrases, such as ‘whether/weather/wether,’ you’re not alone.

You can always pop back over and refresh your memory with our library of articles dedicated to explaining confusing words and idioms, and figures of speech.

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Written By:
Shanea Patterson
Shanea Patterson is a writer based in New York and loves writing for brands big and small. She has a master's degree in professional writing from New York University and a bachelor's degree in English from Mercy College.

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