Canteen vs. Mess: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 26, 2023
Canteen is a place within an institution where snacks or meals are sold, often with a self-service format. Mess is a dining area in military bases or educational institutions, usually offering full meals with a more communal dining experience.
Key Differences
A canteen is commonly found in workplaces, educational institutions, or public facilities, offering a variety of food and drink options for purchase. It often emphasizes convenience and choice, catering to diverse tastes and dietary requirements. On the other hand, a mess is traditionally associated with military or institutional settings, where it serves as a communal dining area. The emphasis here is on providing regular meals to a specific group of people, such as soldiers or students, with less emphasis on individual choice.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
In terms of operation, canteens are typically managed by a third party or an internal team within the institution, operating much like a small restaurant or café. They may offer a range of services, from snacks and beverages to full meals. In contrast, a mess is often run by the institution it serves, such as a military organization, and is more focused on serving large groups at set meal times, with a set menu that changes daily or weekly.
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Dec 26, 2023
The ambiance and social aspect of a canteen and a mess also differ significantly. A canteen is a more casual, often self-service environment where individuals can choose when and what they eat. It's a place for social interaction but also for individual downtime. A mess, conversely, is more structured, with set meal times, often communal seating, and a focus on group dining, fostering camaraderie and a sense of community among its members.
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Dec 26, 2023
Accessibility is another differing factor. A canteen is generally open to anyone within the institution or sometimes even to the public, depending on its location and policy. In contrast, a mess is usually exclusive to members of the specific institution or organization, like military personnel or students, and is not open to the general public.
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Dec 26, 2023
Finally, in terms of the menu, a canteen often offers a wider variety of choices, including international cuisine, fast food, and healthy options, catering to individual preferences. A mess, however, typically serves a fixed menu, focusing on wholesome, hearty meals designed to meet the nutritional needs of its members in a more uniform manner.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 26, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Setting
Workplaces, educational institutions, public facilities.
Military bases, educational institutions.
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Service Style
Self-service, variety of food and beverage options.
Communal dining, set meal times, less individual choice.
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Dec 26, 2023
Management
Managed by a third party or an internal team.
Run by the institution it serves.
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Dec 26, 2023
Ambiance
Casual, individual or social dining.
Structured, communal seating, group dining focus.
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Dec 26, 2023
Accessibility
Often open to a wider audience, including the public.
Exclusive to members of the institution (e.g., military, students).
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Menu Variety
Broad selection, including international cuisine, fast food.
Fixed menu, focused on wholesome, hearty meals.
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Dec 26, 2023
Canteen and Mess Definitions
Canteen
A cafeteria or snack bar in a workplace or public area.
Employees gathered in the company canteen for their morning coffee.
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Dec 26, 2023
Mess
A communal dining hall, especially in a military setting.
The troops assembled in the mess for dinner.
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Dec 26, 2023
Canteen
A provision area in a recreational or educational setting.
The park's canteen was busy with families buying ice cream and snacks.
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Dec 26, 2023
Mess
An institution's dining area serving regular meals to its members.
The students had their lunch in the school mess.
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Dec 26, 2023
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Canteen
A place within an institution where food and drinks are sold.
I grabbed a sandwich from the school canteen during lunch break.
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Dec 26, 2023
Mess
A place where meals are served to a specific group, like students or soldiers.
The army mess was known for its hearty, nutritious meals.
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Dec 26, 2023
Canteen
A refreshment stand in a military or public establishment.
Soldiers frequented the canteen for a quick meal between duties.
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Dec 26, 2023
Mess
A group dining area in educational or military institutions.
New cadets were introduced to the regimented schedule of the mess.
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Dec 26, 2023
Canteen
A small store within a facility providing refreshments and snacks.
The canteen at the museum offers a variety of artisanal coffees.
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Dec 26, 2023
Mess
A designated eating facility for members of a particular organization.
The university's mess catered to hundreds of students daily.
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Dec 26, 2023
Mess
A cluttered, untidy, usually dirty place or condition
The kitchen was a mess.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A recreational facility, bar, or small general store formerly established for the patronage of soldiers.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
Something that is disorderly or dirty, as a accumulation or heap
Who left the mess on the kitchen floor?.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
A confused, troubling, or embarrassing condition or situation
With divorce and bankruptcy proceedings pending, his personal life was in a mess.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A temporary or mobile eating place, especially one set up in an emergency.
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Mess
One that is in such a condition
They made a mess of their marriage. Her boyfriend is a real mess.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A usually metal container for carrying drinking water, as on a hike.
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Mess
An amount of food, as for a meal, course, or dish
Cooked up a mess of fish.
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Canteen
A box with compartments for carrying cooking gear and eating utensils.
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Mess
A group of people, usually soldiers or sailors, who regularly eat meals together.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A small cafeteria or snack bar, especially one in a military establishment, school, or place of work.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A temporary or mobile café used in an emergency or on a film location etc.
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Mess
To make disorderly or dirty
The wind has messed your hair. The puppy messed the floor.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A box with compartments for storing eating utensils, silverware etc.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A water bottle, flask, or other vessel, typically used by a soldier or camper as a bottle for carrying water or liquor for drink
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Canteen
A small vessel used by soldiers or hikers for carrying water, liquor, or other drink.
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Mess
A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding.
He made a mess of it.
My bedroom is such a mess; I need to tidy up.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A chest containing culinary and other vessels for military officers in a garrison.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
(colloquial) A large quantity or number.
My boss dumped a whole mess of projects on my desk today.
She brought back a mess of fish to fix for supper.
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Mess
(euphemistic) Excrement.
There was dog mess all along the street.
Parked under a tree, my car was soon covered in birds' mess.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
A store or small shop within a larger establishment where refreshments and sometimes other supplies are sold. At a military base the canteen may be as large as a general store; within a school or small company it may be only a small counter with very limited supplies, or a snack bar.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
(figuratively) A person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck.
Between the pain and the depression, I'm a mess.
He's been a mess and a half ever since you excommunicated him.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
(archaic) A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; also, the food given to an animal at one time.
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Oct 19, 2023
Canteen
Sells food and personal items to personnel at an institution or school or camp etc.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
(collective) A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common, especially military personnel who eat at the same table.
The wardroom mess
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Mess
A set of four from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner.
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Mess
(used with "with") To screw around with, to bother, to be annoying to.
Stop messing with me!
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
(intransitive) To eat (with others).
I mess with the wardroom officers.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time.
At their savory dinner setOf herbs and other country messes.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
A set of four; - from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
To make a mess{5} of; to disorder or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb; to mess up.
It was n't right either to be messing another man's sleep.
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
A state of confusion and disorderliness;
The house was a mess
She smoothed the mussiness of the bed
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
Informal terms for a difficult situation;
He got into a terrible fix
He made a muddle of his marriage
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Oct 19, 2023
Mess
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent;
A batch of letters
A deal of trouble
A lot of money
He made a mint on the stock market
It must have cost plenty
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Oct 19, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is a canteen?
A place within an institution selling food and drinks, often with self-service.
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Dec 26, 2023
What defines a mess?
A communal dining area, usually in military or educational settings.
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Dec 26, 2023
What kind of meals does a mess serve?
Regular, often nutritious meals for its members.
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Dec 26, 2023
Are mess meals served at specific times?
Generally, yes, with a set schedule.
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Dec 26, 2023
Can outsiders access a canteen?
Yes, depending on the institution's policy.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is a mess open to the public?
Typically, no; it's for specific institution members.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does a canteen have self-service options?
Often, it does offer self-service.
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Dec 26, 2023
Do canteens cater to dietary needs?
They often offer a range of dietary options.
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Dec 26, 2023
Does a mess have a communal aspect?
Yes, focusing on group dining experiences.
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Dec 26, 2023
Is seating in a mess typically communal?
Yes, fostering a sense of community.
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Dec 26, 2023
Where are messes usually found?
Primarily in military and educational institutions.
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Are messes exclusive to their members?
Yes, they are not generally open to outsiders.
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Dec 26, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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