Ordering each dish separately from the menu, each at its own price, as opposed to a set menu. Most everyday restaurant service is à la carte.
See also: Prix fixe, Tasting menu, Menu
À la carte
Ordering each dish separately from the menu, each at its own price, as opposed to a set menu. Most everyday restaurant service is à la carte.
Nov 8, 2026
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Front of house
The guest-facing part of a restaurant and the staff who work there: host stand, dining room, bar, servers, bussers and managers on the floor. Front of house greets each party, quotes waits, seats tables and takes orders.
Back of house
The parts of a restaurant guests do not see and the staff who work there: kitchen, prep, dish and storage. Back of house cooks and plates what front of house orders, and its pace sets how fast tables can turn.
Two-top and four-top
Restaurant shorthand for a table by the number of seats it holds: a two-top seats two, a four-top seats four, and so on. Hosts match each party size to a table size so large tables are not given to small parties.
Bar seating
Seats at the bar or a counter, usually given first come, first served instead of from the reservation book. Restaurants often offer bar seating to small parties as a shorter alternative to waiting for a table.
Expo
Short for expediter: the person or station at the kitchen pass who checks each plate against the order, groups a table's dishes and sends them out together. Expo is the hand-off point between back of house and front of house.