There are some basic differences between a restaurant and cafe. Here is how you decide between a restaurant or cafe.
Restaurant or Cafe: How to Choose Between the Two
If you are like me, you have no idea if you want to dine in a restaurant or cafe. With the growing trend of people dining in different establishments instead of eating the traditional home-cooked dishes, there is an eruption of restaurants and cafes.
If you travel hack, you’ll need to know the how to choose from both a restaurant and a cafe before you go exploring. Definitely as it relates to the particular city.
Well the first tool that is a must-have is my travel hacking spreadsheet that is completely free to download. My travel hacking spreadsheet includes:
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A cafe in Southern Spain might look a lot different than one in Portland, Oregon. The difference is very important.
Cafe or Restaurant? Why does it matter?
Despite many people use the words a restaurant or cafe interchangeably but they are not the same in some aspects.
Not only are they eateries, but they also serve as excellent meeting points for business people.
The pattern which is greatly influenced by the busy schedules in our current lives makes people lack time to prepare their meals at home and instead opt for fast food outside of their home.
More and more people throng into these establishments for quick meals. Although these two terms are commonly used by many, how many know the key differences between a cafe and a restaurant?
In this article, we are going to discuss the various aspects that make a restaurant or a cafe and their differences. We will look at various aspects including:
- Meaning
- Origin
- Functionality
- Price Variations
Booking.com
So, let’s start with fundamental aspects of a restaurant.
Overview of Restaurants
The first difference between a restaurant and café is in the underlying meaning of their name. Here we will break down restaurants in terms of definition, origin, functionality and price variation.
Meaning of Restaurant
Let’s break it down a bit further in two different buckets, including the meaning in a dictionary and literal sense.
Dictionary meaning of restaurant
When trying to establish whether an establishment is a restaurant or café, we can look at the definition as they are in the English dictionary.
A restaurant refers to an establishment In the French language where customers get served with drinks and meals. In a restaurant, customers not only order for their desired meals, but they also dine there in style.
Restaurants do not in most cases serve ready-made food but rather prepare orders from clients who make their choice from the provided menu. These establishments have a broad serving criterion whereby they offer delivery services to homes and offices. Customers can order at the convenience of their offices or homes, and the meals will be delivered.
Literal Meaning of restaurant
The word restaurant has its origin in the French language. Although restaurants have been there for a long time, the modern idea of it started in the 18th century in France.
The name restaurant came from the French name “restoratives” which meant soups served in the first restaurant called Bouillon. The initial aim of restaurants was to improve the quality of meals that were being served in the local inns.
Origin of Restaurant
Another difference that comes out when trying to find out if an establishment is a café or restaurant is in the history of their origin.
The history of restaurants goes way back into Rome and Ancient Greece where they were referred to as thermopolia. They were commercial places that served hot and ready-to-eat foods and drinks.
Since during this era many homes lacked kitchens, the restaurants were prevalent and were also highly used as meeting points for socializing.
The original thermopolia had L-shaped serving points (counters) with containers that carried hot meals and drinks.
Restaurants also were popular in China during the 11th century where they became trendy and even widened their scope of served meals. They now serve various styles of cuisine, varying prices and even foods for different religions.
However, the concept of restaurants as we know it in the modern word was perfected in Paris France in the 18th century and then grew to other regions in the globe such as the United States and Europe.
Functionality
The major and most notable difference between cafe and restaurant that anyone can identify with is their scope of service. A restaurant is a commercial establishment that serves their customers with foods and almost every kind of a drink including alcohol in the licensed ones.
Restaurants usually offer a wide range of options for a single meal such as the appetizers, entrees, salads, soups, and desserts. The mode of service in a hotel involves a waiter who attends to the customer as the customer sits and waits.
Most restaurants are built indoors, but some can have outdoor points where people can dine in good weather.
In restaurants, the waiters serve food upon order and tipping the waiter that serves you is a common practice.
Price Variations
Restaurants have higher prices as they have a wide variety of meals and don’t specialize in specific meals. Although you can still get a meal for as low as $5 in some restaurants, the high-end ones can charge significantly high prices for their meals.
In some restaurants, you can dine using free gift cards. I’ve been building a large balance of gift card balances with Dosh (get $5 free if you use my link) and Drop (get 1,000 point free if you use my link).
Example of a Restaurant
Let’s now look at the features of a cafe.
What is a café
A café in Japan might include cats or hedgehogs. This is completely different than a café in Paris. Use these Japan travel tips to ensure you explore in the right way.
There is a difference between the meaning of a restaurant and that of a cafe. Here we will break down restaurants in terms of definition, origin, functionality and price variation.
Meaning of Café
Let’s break it down a bit further in two different buckets, including the meaning in a dictionary and literal sense.
Dictionary meaning of café
When trying to establish whether an establishment is a restaurant or cafe, we can also look at the definition of the cafe as it is in the English dictionary. A cafe, unlike a restaurant, can be defined as an establishment where customers come to have coffee. It refers to a place that serves their customers with coffee and snacks.
In most cases, the serving point is enclosed, but the customers can enjoy their coffee in an outdoor section of the establishment. Although the primary objective of a cafe is to serve coffee, in the US, the name has adapted another meaning whereby people regard it as an informal restaurant that serves burgers and sandwiches.
Literal Meaning of café
Similarly to restaurants, a cafe has its origin in France. Although the word has been in use in the English-speaking countries since the 19th century, it had been used in France for a long time.
The word cafe albeit originated from the French language is spelled the same way in various languages. In the English language, cafe and coffee come from the word caffe which is a variation of an Italian name spelled as cavee.
Origin
The history of origin is the other difference that comes out when trying to find out if an establishment is a cafe or restaurant.
In comparison to restaurants, cafes or coffeehouses as they were initially called started much later in history. A significant difference between cafe and restaurant can be seen in their place of origin and time in history. Cafes history is coined back to the Middle East even though much later than restaurants.
The original and initial cafes were established in Mecca during the 15th Century as political meeting points for Imams in the Muslim religion. However, they were banned in the 16th century but later emerged in Damascus, Cairo, and Istanbul.
The establishment of cafes and use of coffee then found its way to Europe from the 17th century and after that became as popular as we today know. The first cafe to be opened in the United States was opened in New York as a place for various entertainers in the 20th Century. Today, cafes are trendy, and they are now in almost any populated area around the globe.
Functionality
Cafes, on the other hand, are generally commercial business points that serve coffee and in some instances tea. In cafes unlike in restaurants, they have a broad scope of the types of coffee they serve including specialty coffees like lattes and mochas.
These joints are known for their variety in coffee types and snacks they serve. In recent times, some cafes are being referred to as informal restaurants as some have added to their menu things like soups and sandwiches.
Most of these joints have an open-air place where people can relax as they enjoy their coffee. Unlike in restaurants, in cafes, self-service is the order of the day and tipping the waiter in the cafes is optional.
Price Variations
When it comes to pricing, cafes tend to offer lower prices since the establishments have specialized in few products like coffee and maybe some snacks.
One can enjoy a cup of coffee for as low as $2 and up to $10. In most cafes, if you pay for coffee using specific credit cards, you save some few dollars. A good example of a credit card is a Starbucks rewards visa card by Chase.
A café in Amsterdam, Netherlands may look a lot different than the Dallas, Texas. Or, a café in Paris might seem just as expensive as a restaurant. Sometimes is all relative and you need to use your best judgement call based on your geography at the time.
Cafe de Flore – Paris, France
Cafe de Flore is one of those classic Parisian cafes. Most of the old writers and painters used to hang out there like Ernest Hemingway and more. If you know a cafe from a restaurant, you’ll be in good shape travel abroad (especially Paris). Use these other travel hacks that don’t need a credit card.
Conclusion on Restaurant or Cafe
The two most known eating points in the world are either a restaurant or cafe. A restaurant or cafe is an ideal business opportunity. Personally, I love the cafe route much more than a restaurant. It allows me to take my time in a more relaxed setting. Plus, I loveeeeeee coffee.
And although many people may not differentiate between the two, the above differences can be found between them. I hope that this article has been of help on the same and you can now know whether you are dining at a restaurant or a cafe.
I would love to hear your opinion on the difference between a restaurant and cafe. Do know how to choose the difference from a restaurant or cafe? Let us know in the comments below.
Related Resources
- VAT reclaim overview to ensure you get your full refund back
- Use these cashback apps to earn money for dining at restaurants
- Credit card churning guide: The most important part of travel hacking
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