refreshment room

plural refreshment rooms

1. UKA room that was once common at larger railway stations in Britain and the British Commonwealth for the purpose of serving food and drink to travellers.

   There were no waiting rooms. [...] But there were licensed refreshment rooms, provided by those pioneers of station dining Messrs Spiers and Pond.

   2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, The Metropolitan Railway, pages 38–39

   3 more examples

   But when his slender, big-wheeled engine had brought him as far as York, in a non-corridor compartment, his inside had begun to make urgent representations. So, to this day, the York refreshment room is extraordinary; the dining room is a regular banqueting hall.

   1941 August, C.Hamilton Ellis, “The English Station”, in Railway Magazine, page 356

   While we were waiting, Eugène suggested a drink in the refreshment room; I assumed this would be more wine, but Eugène marched in and demanded two Cognacs.

   1961 March, 'Balmore', “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 147

   Calling at Stalybridge, I cast one eye at the refreshment rooms and one eye at my watch, but 'beer o'clock' it isn't! Besides, I have a long way to travel!

   2022 November 2, Paul Bigland, “New trains, old trains, and splendid scenery”, in RAIL, number 969, page 58