dining hall
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dining hall
A large room in a public institution such as a hotel, school, hospital, or barracks, used for many people to eat their meals together.
Das Abendessen wird pünktlich um 18 Uhr im Speisesaal serviert.
Dinner is served punctually at 6 p.m. in the dining hall.
'Speisesaal' (dining hall) is made up of 'die Speise' (food/meal) and 'der Saal' (a large room). The 'n' in between is a linking element. Literally, then, it is a 'food hall' or 'meal hall'.
Alle Hotelgäste treffen sich zum Frühstück im großen Speisesaal.
All hotel guests meet for breakfast in the large dining hall.
Use 'in' with the dative to describe location ('im Speisesaal' = in the dining hall), and with the accusative to indicate direction ('in den Speisesaal' = into the dining hall).
Die Schüler essen im Speisesaal zu Mittag.
The students eat lunch in the dining hall.
This word is typically used for large, communal dining rooms in institutions such as hotels, youth hostels, hospitals, or company cafeterias.
In der Jugendherberge gibt es einen Speisesaal für alle Gäste.
In the youth hostel, there is a dining hall for all guests.
restaurant
'Restaurant' and 'Speisesaal' both have to do with eating in a specific place, but they do not mean the same thing. A restaurant is a business where guests order food and pay for it. A 'Speisesaal' is mainly a large room where many people eat together, for example in a hotel, school, or hospital. The focus there is not on a business with a menu and service, but on the room for eating. The words can be confused because in both places you sit and eat. If you mean the place as a business, 'Restaurant' fits. If you mean the large dining room in an institution, 'Speisesaal' fits.
Die Patienten essen um zwölf Uhr gemeinsam im Speisesaal.
The patients eat together in the dining hall at twelve o'clock.
Beim Termin in der Stadt ist das kleine Restaurant neben dem Rathaus sehr praktisch.
For the appointment in town, the small restaurant next to the town hall is very convenient.