Segregated lunch counters were a form of racial segregation that was prevalent in the United States during the Jim Crow era, particularly in the southern states. These lunch counters were typically found in restaurants, diners, and other public eating establishments where Black people were not allowed to sit and eat alongside white patrons.

Black customers were often required to order their food from a separate entrance, take their orders to go, or eat in a designated area for Black patrons only. This practice was a clear manifestation of institutionalized racism and served to reinforce the idea of white supremacy and Black inferiority.

One of the most famous examples of resistance to segregated lunch counters occurred during the civil rights movement in the 1960s with the sit-in protests. Black activists, often joined by white allies, would peacefully occupy white-only lunch counters to demand equality and an end to segregation. These protests played a significant role in raising awareness about the injustices of segregation and ultimately helped to bring about legal changes, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.