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Restaurant: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Restaurant
The word restaurant itself began as a medical remedy. In 1507, the term appeared in correspondence to describe a fortifying food or remedy that restored strength, derived from the French verb restaurer meaning to restore. By 1521, Marguerite d'Angoulême used the phrase ce qui répare les forces to describe a restorative beverage. The concept of eating to heal the body was so central to the early definition that the first establishments bearing this name in Paris, opened around 1765 by Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau, served bouillon, a meat and egg broth, specifically marketed as a health tonic. These early venues were not merely places to eat but were designed to cure the weary traveler or the sick citizen, transforming the act of dining from a necessity into a therapeutic experience. The modern restaurant was born not from a desire for luxury, but from a belief in the restorative power of food.
Ancient Tables And Roman Bread
Long before the word restaurant existed, public eating establishments thrived in the ancient world. In 512 BC, records from Ancient Egypt describe a public establishment serving a single dish of cereal, wildfowl, and onions, marking one of the earliest known instances of a public eating house. In the Roman Empire, thermopolia served as the forerunners to modern fast food, with 158 such establishments identified in Pompeii alone. These structures featured service counters along the main axis of the town, catering to residents who lacked private kitchens. The Romans also developed the popina, a wine bar where the plebeian class socialized over simple foods like olives, bread, cheese, and stews. While some popinae were standing-room only, others offered tables and even couches, creating a social hub for the lower classes. In Ancient Greece, similar establishments sold ready-to-eat food and beverages, functioning as a public alternative to the private kitchens that only the wealthy could afford. These ancient venues laid the groundwork for the communal dining experience, proving that the desire to eat outside the home is as old as civilization itself.
Song Dynasty Dining And Tea Houses
The first recognizable modern restaurants emerged in Song dynasty China during the 11th and 12th centuries. In bustling cities like Kaifeng and Hangzhou, food catering establishments grew out of tea houses and taverns, catering to traveling merchants who needed dishes familiar to their home regions. By 1126, a Chinese manuscript described patrons being greeted with pre-plated demonstration dishes, with orders taken by waiters who sang them to the kitchen for precise execution. These establishments were located in entertainment districts alongside hotels, bars, and brothels, serving a burgeoning merchant middle class. The restaurants offered written menus, a revolutionary concept for the time, and catered to different styles of cuisine, price brackets, and religious requirements. In Japan, a similar culture emerged in the 16th century when tea house owner Sen no Rikyū created the kaiseki multi-course meal tradition. His grandsons expanded this to include specialty dishes and cutlery that matched the aesthetic of the food, establishing a dining philosophy that prioritized harmony and seasonality. These Asian developments predated European restaurant culture by centuries, demonstrating that the sophisticated dining experience was not a Western invention but a global evolution of social eating.
When did the word restaurant first appear as a medical remedy?
The word restaurant first appeared in 1507 to describe a fortifying food or remedy that restored strength. This term derived from the French verb restaurer meaning to restore and was used in correspondence to describe a restorative beverage by 1521.
Where did the first modern restaurants with fixed menus open?
The first modern restaurants with fixed menus and waiting staff opened in late 18th century Paris. In 1786 the Provost of Paris issued a decree giving official status to these new establishments allowing restaurateurs to serve clients until eleven in the evening in winter and midnight in summer.
What was the earliest known public eating house in history?
Records from Ancient Egypt in 512 BC describe a public establishment serving a single dish of cereal wildfowl and onions marking one of the earliest known instances of a public eating house. These early venues laid the groundwork for the communal dining experience proving that the desire to eat outside the home is as old as civilization itself.
How many restaurants were there in the United States by 2016?
By 2016 there were 1,000,000 restaurants in the United States one for every 310 people. The average person ate out five to six times weekly and Americans spent $683.4 billion a year dining out in 2014.
Why did the number of restaurants skyrocket after the French Revolution?
The aftermath of the French Revolution caused the number of restaurants to skyrocket as unemployed cooks from aristocratic households opened their own businesses. The closure of culinary guilds and the Industrial Revolution further contributed to the prevalence of restaurants in Europe transforming dining from a private luxury into a public institution.
What are the common health violations found in restaurant inspections?
Common violations concern the storage of cold food proper sanitation of equipment regular hand washing and proper disposal of harmful chemicals. Restaurants are subject to inspections by health inspectors to maintain standards for public health such as proper hygiene and cleanliness.
The modern restaurant as a public venue with a fixed menu and waiting staff dates to late 18th century Paris. In 1786, the Provost of Paris issued a decree giving official status to these new establishments, allowing restaurateurs to serve clients until eleven in the evening in winter and midnight in summer. The first luxury restaurant, La Grande Taverne de Londres, opened at the Palais-Royal by Antoine Beauvilliers, a former chef of the Count of Provence. It featured mahogany tables, linen tablecloths, chandeliers, and a long wine list, combining an elegant room, smart waiters, a choice cellar, and superior cooking. The aftermath of the French Revolution caused the number of restaurants to skyrocket as unemployed cooks from aristocratic households opened their own businesses. By 1791, Méot, the former chef of the Duke of Orleans, opened a restaurant offering a wine list with twenty-two choices of red wine and twenty-seven of white wine. The closure of culinary guilds and the Industrial Revolution further contributed to the prevalence of restaurants in Europe, transforming dining from a private luxury into a public institution.
American Dining And The Civil Rights Act
In the United States, establishments providing meals without lodging began appearing in major metropolitan areas in the late 18th century, initially known as coffee and oyster houses. The term restaurant did not enter common parlance until the following century, with regional names like eating house in New York City and restorator in Boston. The industry grew in sophistication during the mid-19th century due to a more affluent middle class and urbanization, with the highest concentration of restaurants in the West and industrial cities on the Eastern Seaboard. Prohibition in 1920 forced fine dining restaurants to struggle, leading to the rise of cafeterias and diners, while the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression allowed luxury restaurants to reappear. A pivotal moment occurred with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed segregation in public accommodations including restaurants. The Supreme Court decision Katzenbach v. McClung held that Congress acted within its power under the Commerce Clause to forbid racial discrimination in restaurants, establishing a legal precedent that transformed the social landscape of American dining. By 2016, there were 1,000,000 restaurants in the United States, one for every 310 people, with the average person eating out five to six times weekly.
The Economics Of Eating Out
The restaurant industry is a massive economic engine, employing 10 million workers in the United States alone, with one in every 12 U.S. residents working in the business. Despite this scale, the industry is known for low wages and thin profit margins of 4 to 5 percent, which are lower than the 1 percent profit margin of Walmart. Restaurant employees suffer from three times the poverty rate as other U.S. workers and use food stamps twice as much, with 39 percent of workers earning minimum wage or lower. The industry is the largest employer of people of color and the second largest employer of immigrants, though these workers are statistically concentrated in the lowest paying positions. In 2013, restaurants employed 912,100 cooks earning an average of $9.83 per hour, while waiting staff numbered 4,438,100 earning an average of $8.84 per hour. The failure rate for new restaurants is high, with one in four changing ownership or going out of business after one year, and six out of ten doing so after three years. Despite these challenges, Americans spent $683.4 billion a year dining out in 2014, and the proportion of meals consumed outside the home rose from 25 percent in 1950 to 46 percent in 1990, driven by the growing number of older people, single-parent households, and the convenience of eating out.
Global Varieties And Michelin Stars
Restaurants vary globally, from the piqueteadero in Colombia serving meat, yuca, and potatoes, to the diverse mix of Japanese, Arab, German, Italian, and Portuguese cuisines in Brazil. In Peru, indigenous, Spanish, and Chinese dishes are frequently found, with many Chinese and Japanese restaurants in Lima due to recent immigration. The restaurant industry in Vietnam has seen strong growth, with the number of restaurants increasing from 20,000 in 2000 to over 400,000 in 2022, reaching revenue of VND610 trillion. Restaurant guides play a crucial role in the industry, with the Michelin guide awarding one to three stars to restaurants perceived to be of high culinary merit. The main competitor in Europe is the Gault Millau guide, which rates restaurants on a scale of 1 to 20. In the United States, the Forbes Travel Guide and AAA rate restaurants on a 1 to 5 star or diamond scale, while the Zagat Survey compiles individual comments without passing an official critical assessment. Nearly all major American newspapers employ food critics and publish online dining guides, and internet sites now publish both food critic reviews and popular reviews by the general public. These guides help consumers navigate the vast array of dining options, from fast food to fine dining, and influence the success of establishments worldwide.
Health And The Future Of Dining
Restaurants are subject to inspections by health inspectors to maintain standards for public health, such as proper hygiene, cleanliness, and the storage of cold food at appropriate temperatures. Common violations concern the storage of cold food, proper sanitation of equipment, regular hand washing, and proper disposal of harmful chemicals. Restaurant workers face many health hazards including long hours, low wages, minimal benefits, discrimination, high stress, and poor working conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic drew attention to the prevention of community transmission in restaurants, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending reduced dining capacity, face masks, adequate ventilation, and physical barrier installations. Regulations vary by country, with some restaurants prohibited from selling alcoholic beverages without a meal, while others are fully licensed or permit customers to bring their own booze. The industry continues to evolve, with new trends like food trucks, pop-up restaurants, and ghost restaurants emerging as alternative routes to becoming a restaurateur. As the industry grows, it faces the dual challenge of maintaining high standards of food safety and quality while ensuring fair wages and working conditions for its vast workforce.