Patronized, in a way

ATEAT

Think of what you might do at a restaurant where the food is already prepared and served buffet-style.

"Patronized, in a way" hints at the idea of being a customer at a restaurant, where you might "eat at" a place. The answer "ATEAT" plays on the phrase "ate at," turning it into a past-tense verb ("ate") followed by "at." It’s a clever way to suggest you’ve dined somewhere before, blending the literal act of eating with the preposition to form a single word. The wordplay relies on interpreting "patronized" as visiting a place to eat.