A restaurant (in French: [stoise](meal)), or an eaterie, is a privately owned business that prepare and serve food and beverages for customers onsite. In Western countries, the term restaurant typically refers to mid-range eateries that serve only a single menu item (such as a fast food restaurant), whereas in Japan, the term din refers to a restaurant that serves many different meals.
In other countries and cultures, din is used for any privately owned business with multiple seating capacity.
The word “dining” can mean several things. In some cases, it refers to the act of consuming food and drinks while dining, and sometimes it refers to a specific business entity that provides dining services. In some cultures, dining is considered to be an important social activity. In other societies, however, dining is usually just a means to provide food and drink to friends and family. In most developed countries, it is rare for families to dine out; instead, families typically go out for a nice lunch or dinner at a familiar fast food establishment before returning to the formal dining room for an evening meal.
Unlike eating places, most restaurant staff are formally trained chefs, but instead of making a meal, they prepare dishes. This is unlike most traditional European or Asian eateries, which tend to employ food service workers who prepare the food at the dining table.
Most trappers are trained chefs who cook the food themselves using pre-packaged recipes; in some cases, the chef may prepare one of the dishes, or even the entire buffet, while serving the other dishes himself.
A French chef named Albert Variette was responsible for creating the first French restaurant, which was housed in an old church. The newly built restaurant provided a home for the chef and his wife, as well as their four children; the original church was torn down, and the family moved into the restaurant. Variette was so skilled that he was able to quickly set up the entire restaurant in just a few days. As the years went on, more eating places would be created, and many chefs from all over the world came to France to study under Variette.
In America, the concept of dining outdoors has been around much longer than any other country’s history, though it seems to be gaining popularity in European and Asian countries. The trend started in the United Kingdom, where street dining gained popularity for its fresh local ingredients and British style atmosphere. Today, there are dozens of restaurants all across the United States and Canada where people eat outdoors and appreciate the fresh air and scenery that the restaurants provide.
With all the changes that have taken place in the world of fine dining, the restaurant industry itself has changed quite a bit as well. Some of the most common types of seating options that have been used for centuries are wood-backed chairs, high backed leather chairs, and modern metal or glass lounge chairs. Today, metal lounge chairs are being replaced by stainless steel, plastic, and other materials that are much more durable. Even the menu has changed quite a bit over the years, with more emphasis being placed on cuisine and cooking techniques rather than classic food and side dishes.
