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Q. Did the customers stop for narrow selection of food?

A. The customers stopped for wider selection of food.

Does it mean the customers just ignored or didn't shop for food?

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I am not sure what is confusing about "stop." It means "stop." If you provide more context, you might be able to explain why you find this sentence confusing. Also, there is no "stop for" in your question, so you might want to edit your title. – KitFox♦ Apr 17 '12 at 11:59
@KitFox: I edited the question. – user7843553 Apr 17 '12 at 12:07
I believe you have your quote wrong. "Stop by" is more likely here. – tenfour Apr 17 '12 at 12:13
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In the example you've provided, the answer doesn't seem to match the question. There is no answer to the "when" that was asked. – Milind Ganjoo Apr 17 '12 at 12:17
@MilindGanjoo: Edited it to clear that up. Thanks. – user7843553 Apr 17 '12 at 12:33

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

To "stop for (something)" means to make a stop in your travels in order to do, buy, or accommodate something. You could say, for instance, "We stopped for a drink on the way home" or "while we were out walking around the block, we stopped for a chat with a neighbor."

So in the context given, "stop for" means the customers specifically came into the store, rather than choosing to pass it by, because of the store's wider selection of food: They made a stop in their travels in order to buy food there.

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up vote 2 down vote

In the given sentence and without further context I'd imagine it means that the customers came (to a particular shop or salesman) for the wider selection of food that is available at the particular shop. So the sentences should be:

Q. Why did more customers come?

A. The customers came for the wider selection of food

or alternatively

A. The customers came because of the wider selection of food

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Thanks for answering. Could you please see the edited question? – user7843553 Apr 17 '12 at 12:37
please see answer by @Hellion as his is a good explanation – Toby Apr 17 '12 at 12:50

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