Cafe (British)

In Britain, a cafe or café (/ˈkæfeɪ/),[1] also known colloquially as a caff[1] or greasy spoon,[2] is a small eatery typically specialising in fried foods or home-cooked meals.

[6] It is commonly an independently owned business; the only notable chain of roadside cafes is OK Diner since the demise of Happy Eater in 1997 and Little Chef in 2018.

The cafe was the mainstay of British lorry drivers who travelled the major trunk roads such as the A1 and the A6 prior to the opening of the motorways.

These cafes were not only stops where the driver could eat, but also made convenient meeting places where the trade unions could talk to their members.

A motorway service station will typically include one or more fast food restaurants such as Burger King, Greggs, or McDonald's, and possibly a transport cafe for the lorry drivers.