Dine-In Evolution Through Centuries

The Roots of Restaurants

Have you ever asked yourself why people dine out? One would think, for leisure, business, or just to avoid the troubles of cooking at home. In fact, as we move forward, our reasons change, and we simply adapt to the norms and customs of ‘today’s’ society.

The word restaurant derives from the French verb ‘restaurer’, “to restore oneself,” purported to ‘health-food shops’ selling one principal dish:?bouillon. The French describe this type of slow-simmered bone broth, otherwise known as?consommé, as a “restorative broth.”?

Interestingly, in China, they were dining out almost 1000 years ago; in England, the working-class communal meals were called “ordinaries” and were founded in 1714. However, as noted above, the culinary revolution, still evolving to this day, launched in 18th-century Paris.

Dining out in restaurants

Strikingly enough, during the initiation of dining out, there was neither a menu nor a choice of meals for guests. Meals prepared and served were decided at the cooks’ discretion, not the guests. Let that sink in for a minute. In fact, such practices are still carried out today, with tasting menus at Michelin star restaurants and other set menus, decided by chefs, for events such as New Year’s and Valentine’s Day.

Moving forward, the first table reservations are said to have been recorded in the 19th?century. In Chicago and New York, people booked tables in private settings, usually ordering dinner beforehand to avoid any delays upon arrival of guests. A few years later, in the eras of affluence, the privileged would treat the restaurant as a public extension of their home. As norms changed, (deeming private settings at times inappropriate), it was proper for guests ‘to be seen’, hence, extending the restaurant setting a step closer to what it is today.

While orders were still made and paid beforehand upon booking a table, (including the waiter's tip), men began to invite their single women guests to these now ‘public extensions of their home,’ as to conform to proper customs, (since inviting them directly to private settings was not very proper). Amusingly, we now simply translate this to: ‘a date.’?

With time, a pivot in dining out was the necessity to greet patrons with a selection of pre-plated “demonstration” dishes and appetizing options. Naturally, the need to please brought along a well-trained and theatrical team of waiters, with the intention to promptly tend to the demands of every patron! Naturally, with such choice, payment came later.

Notably, as modern science was given more weight, (and a definite link was identified between health and hygiene), in the early 20th?century, the desire for cleanliness gave rise to a whole new kind of restaurant tactic:?the all-white environment!

Taking all the above into consideration, the restaurant experience we enjoy today, with anything and everything available, anytime and anywhere, has only come about because of hundreds of years dedication and evolution.?

The Role of Picado

Undoubtingly, Picado combines elements from the very start of dining out with its ground-breaking technological innovation of the 21st?century. Taking it back to the roots, users are given options of pre-ordering and pre-paying their bookings as seen in the 19th?century, whilst a grand list of top-notch modern cuisines and settings are provided to ‘restaur’?oneself on our platform. Reservations are still an option without pre-ordering requirements and the need for numerous phone calls to find an availability, as experienced since the 1900s, is now outdated and debatably obsolete.?

At Picado, we combined creativity and technology, for high-end food brands and hospitality establishments, all at your disposal, with an end-to-end dining experience just a click away.?

So, the next time you’re thinking of enjoying a meal out, either for leisure, business or simply because you dread overcooking your meal at home, (we’ve all been there), check out your options on Picado and dare to be part of the dining evolution by booking your table online instantly.