Auto-mat is a term used to describe a vending machine or a self-service restaurant. There are several synonyms for the word "auto-mat". These include vending machine, automatic vendor, automatic restaurant, self-service restaurant, and automatic cafeteria. The term vending machine is the most commonly used synonym for auto-mat. It is a mechanical device that dispenses a specific item when a customer inserts money or a card. On the other hand, automatic restaurant is a term used to describe a self-service restaurant where customers can select and purchase prepared food items without the need for staff assistance. Self-service restaurant and automatic cafeteria are also similar concepts where the customer can collect food and drink items from various dispensing machines before paying at the end.