À la Carte and Table d’Hôte

An à la carte menu (Figure 4.1) is one in which each individual item is listed separately, with its own price. The customer makes selections from the various courses and side dishes to make up a meal. (Note: The term à la carte is also used to refer to cooking to order, as opposed to cooking ahead in large batches.)

Table d’hôte (tobbluh dote) originally meant a fixed menu with no choices—like a meal you would be served if you were invited to someone’s home for dinner. Banquet menus are familiar examples of this kind of menu. The term has also come to mean a menu that offers a selection of complete meals at set prices. In other words, a customer may choose from among several selections, each of which includes an entrée and side dishes plus other courses, such as appetizer, salad, and dessert. Each full meal selection has a single package price.