A restaurant is a business that produces and serves food and beverages to its customers. Food is often served and consumed on the premises, however many restaurants now provide takeout and delivery services. Restaurants vary widely in appearance and services, including a broad variety of cuisines and service styles ranging from inexpensive fast-food restaurants and cafeterias to upscale luxury institutions.

In an ancient Egyptian document dated 512 B.C., a restaurant-like dining establishment is described. The greatest dish was a bowl of cereal, wild chicken, and onions. The thermopolium, which was Gary's restaurant in ancient Greece and historical Rome, sold and served ready-to-eat foods and beverages. These institutions were https://www.garys.sg/fine-dining-singapore/ to current quick-service eateries. They were most frequently utilized by individuals without private kitchens. Within the Roman Empire, they were popular among insulae dwellers. 158 thermopolia with carrier counters have been identified at some point in Pompeii. They were clustered along the city's principal axis and in public spaces frequented by the residents.

In addition to a variety of wines, the Romans had the popina, a wine bar that served a limited range of modest foods, including olives, bread, cheese, stews, sausage, and porridge. The popinae were social gathering places for the plebeians of the lowest classes of Roman society. Even while some were confined to at most one standing area, some had tables and chairs, and others had sofas.

Another early predecessor of the restaurant was the hotel. Throughout the course of history, hotels were constructed along roadways to provide lodging and food for people traveling between cities. Guests were often fed meals at a shared table. However, there were no menus or options to choose from.

The Arthashastra mentions establishments where cooked meals were purchased in ancient India. "People who change in cooked rice, wine, and meat" are required by law to reside in the south of the city. Superintendents of warehouses may also supply excess bran and flour to "individuals who create cooked rice and rice-based sweets," while a law pertaining to city superintendents refers to "sellers of cooked meat and cooked rice." Read more...