Confused by some restaurant terms and definitions you’ve come across recently? Or just want to make sure you’re up to date on all the restaurant lingo? This guide is here to help.

👋 In this guide, we’ll share 50 restaurant terms and definitions broken down into categories. All so you can get to grips with restaurant terminology fast.

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50 restaurant terms and definitions for beginners

If you’re in the restaurant industry, or you’re a customer looking to get clued up, the following restaurant terms and definitions are essential.

We’ve broken them into sections for context, starting with restaurant operations and management.

Restaurant operations and management

If you’re working in restaurant operations or management, the following restaurant terms and definitions are vital to know. By knowing these, you’ll be able to keep up with restaurant managers and staff.

1. Back of the House/Back of House (BOH). The area of a restaurant where food is prepared and cooked, including the kitchen and storage areas.
2. Front of House (FOH). The area of a restaurant where guests are seated, served, and interact with staff, including the dining room and bar.
3. Maitre d’. The head host or hostess responsible for overseeing the dining room, greeting VIP guests, and ensuring a smooth dining experience.
4. Restaurateur. The owner or proprietor of a restaurant, responsible for its overall management and success.
5. Shift Meal. A complimentary meal provided to restaurant staff during their shift, typically enjoyed before or after service as a perk of employment.
6. Station. A designated area or section of the kitchen where specific tasks are performed, such as the sauté station, grill station, or pastry station.
7. Tipping Point. The minimum number of guests required to cover the restaurant’s fixed costs and achieve profitability during a given shift or time period.
8. Table Turnover Rate/Table Turn. The number of times a table is occupied by new customers over a specific amount of time, usually during a meal service.
9. Yield Management. A revenue management strategy used to optimize pricing and inventory to maximize profits during peak and off-peak periods.

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Food and beverage preparation

Next, we’ll take a look at food and drink prep. These restaurant terms and definitions will help streamline your restaurant, speed up service, and help you keep up with staff.

10. Amuse-bouche (origins French term). A small, complimentary appetizer or palate cleanser served before the meal to stimulate the appetite.
11. Garnish: Decorative or edible embellishments added to dishes to enhance their appearance, flavor, or texture, such as herbs, citrus zest, or sauce drizzles.
12. Expeditor. A key staff member who coordinates between the kitchen and dining staff to ensure that orders are prepared correctly and served promptly to the guests.
13. Line Cook. A kitchen staff member responsible for preparing specific dishes or components of a meal, typically working on a specific station or section of the kitchen.
14. Prep Cook. A kitchen staff member responsible for preparing ingredients, mise en place, and basic cooking tasks to support the line cooks and expedite service.
15. Runner. Staff responsible for delivering food from the kitchen to the dining room and ensuring that each dish meets presentation standards before reaching the guest.
16. Sous Chef. The second-in-command in the kitchen, responsible for assisting the head chef with menu planning, food preparation, and kitchen management.

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Menu and dining concepts

Depending on the restaurant you run or work in, the following restaurant lingo might apply to you. These terms and definitions refer to different types of menu items or menu styles.

17. À la carte. Ordering individual items from a menu rather than a set meal.
18. Degustation. A tasting menu consisting of multiple small courses chosen by the chef to showcase their culinary skills.
19. Prix Fixe. A fixed-price menu offering a set number of courses for a set price, typically offering choices within each course.
20. Table d’Hôte. A fixed-price menu offering a complete meal with limited choices for each course, typically served in a communal setting.
21. Tasting Menu. A multi-course menu curated by the chef to showcase their culinary creativity and highlight seasonal ingredients.
22. Specials. Menu items offered for a limited time or on specific days, often featuring seasonal ingredients, chef’s creations, or promotional discounts.
23. Entrée. Particularly in the United States, an entrée refers to the main course of a meal. This is typically the most substantial dish, often featuring protein such as meat, fish, or a vegetarian equivalent, accompanied by side dishes like vegetables or grains.

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Service and hospitality restaurant terms and definitions

If you’re working front of the house, you’re a food runner, or you’re wait staff, the following terms are important to know. Some are basic, some are a little more advanced.

24. Host/Hostess. The staff member responsible for greeting and seating guests, managing reservations, and coordinating the flow of the dining room.
25. Mixologist (for cocktails). A bartender who specializes in creating and mixing cocktails, often using unique ingredients and techniques.
26. Sommelier (for wine). A wine expert responsible for curating the restaurant’s wine list, assisting guests with wine selection, and ensuring proper wine service.
27. Barista (for coffee). A trained professional specializing in preparing and serving coffee, espresso, and other specialty beverages.
28. Bussers. Staff responsible for clearing and resetting tables, replenishing supplies, and assisting servers to ensure a clean and organized dining area.
29. Dead Plate. A dish that has been prepared and plated by the kitchen but has been sitting for too long before being served to the customer.
30. Fine Dining. A category of restaurants known for offering high-quality food, elegant ambiance, and attentive service.
31. Gastropub. A pub-style establishment that serves high-quality food alongside a selection of craft beers and cocktails.

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Customer interaction and experience

This section focuses solely on the customer experience side of your restaurant. It will help you quickly talk to other staff members about customers, and ensure you’re up to date on the latest terms.

32. Reservation. A booking made in advance to secure a table at a restaurant at a specific date and time.
33. No-Show. A guest who fails to honor a reservation without canceling or notifying the restaurant in advance.
34. Patio/Al Fresco Dining. Outdoor seating area where guests can dine, often used in conjunction with good weather and scenic views.
35. Open Kitchen. A kitchen layout where guests can see the food being prepared and cooked, adding a sense of transparency and interaction.
36. Tip Pooling. A system where tips collected by restaurant staff are combined and distributed among all employees, typically based on a predetermined formula.
37. Upselling. The practice of suggesting additional items or upgrades to guests to increase the average check size, such as recommending a premium wine or dessert.
38. Walk-In. A guest who arrives at a restaurant without a reservation and requests a table on the spot, subject to availability.
39. Camper. A customer who stays at their table for a long time, often well after they have finished eating. This can slow down the turnover of tables and affect the restaurant’s ability to seat new customers.

Financial and inventory management

While this is a short section, inventory management, and financial terms shouldn’t be overlooked. Here are some to keep you up to date.

40. Corkage Fee. A charge levied by a restaurant for serving wine brought in by the customer.
41. FIFO (First In, First Out). A method of inventory management where older stock is used or sold first to minimize waste and ensure freshness.
42. Sourcing. The process of selecting, acquiring, and procuring ingredients, products, or services from suppliers or vendors, often emphasizing quality, sustainability, and local sourcing.
43. Takeout/Delivery. Offering food and beverages for off-premise consumption, either through pickup or delivery services, catering to customers who prefer dining at home. Often added to a restaurant through an online ordering system.
44. POS/POS System. POS is an acronym for point of sale. It’s a specialized hardware and software setup that helps manage orders, process payments, and streamline restaurant operations. This typically includes devices like tablets or computers, cash drawers, receipt printers, and the software that runs the system, handling tasks like order tracking, payment processing, and sales reporting.

👋 Want to add an online ordering system to your restaurant website for take away/delivery? Check out our online ordering system guide.

Industry practices and terminology

This section encompasses some of more miscellaneous terms we have in our list. These either refer to industry practices, or restaurant terms and definitions that didn’t fit into any of the above categories.

45. Farm-to-Table. A culinary concept where restaurants source ingredients directly from local farms and producers, emphasizing freshness and sustainability.
46. Mixologist. A bartender who specializes in creating and mixing cocktails, often using unique ingredients and techniques.
47. Specials. Menu items offered for a limited time or on specific days, often featuring seasonal ingredients, chef’s creations, or promotional discounts.
48. Zero-Waste. A sustainability initiative aimed at minimizing food waste, packaging waste, and energy consumption throughout the restaurant’s operations.
49. QSR. A quick service restaurant, which is a type of establishment known for fast food service, minimal table service, and a focus on speed and convenience. Examples include popular fast food chains and drive-thrus.
50. 86 (to indicate an item is unavailable). A term used to indicate that an item is no longer available on the menu or that a particular ingredient has run out, often communicated verbally to kitchen staff and servers.

Get to grips with restaurant terms and definitions today

So there we have it. 50 of the latest restaurant terms and definitions for you to get to grips with. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting your own restaurant business or training as a staff member. These industry terms are essential to know.

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