restaurant

Written by

George Lang

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

May 1, 2026 •History

restaurant, establishment where refreshments or meals may be procured by the public. The public dining room that ultimately came to be known as the restaurant originated in France, and the French have continued to make major contributions to the restaurant’s development. The first restaurant proprietor is believed to have been one A. Boulanger, a soup vendor, who opened his business in Paris in 1765. The sign above his door advertised restoratives, or restaurants, referring to...