Food Court

After a busy morning of holiday present shopping, it's about time for some lunch. The mall food court is full of other families, couples, and fellow last minute shoppers. A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls, airports, and parks. In various regions (such as Asia, America and Africa), it may be a standalone development. In some places of learning such as high schools and universities, food courts have also come to replace or complement traditional cafeterias. The average cost of a meal per person in an American food court in 2004 was $6.