This glossary covers 35 terms used in dining guides, catering proposals, and restaurant menus. Definitions are organized by theme so related terms appear together. Each definition is written as a standalone entity description you can reference mid-planning without needing broader context.
Catering Terms
A la carte catering - A catering format in which individual dishes or items are priced separately rather than bundled into a set menu or package. Guests or hosts choose and pay for specific items. Compare to prix fixe catering, where a fixed number of courses is offered at a single per-person price.
Action station - A catering format featuring a staffed interactive food station at which a cook prepares dishes to order in front of guests. Common at cocktail receptions and corporate events. Examples include carving stations, pasta stations, and stir-fry stations. Action stations typically cost more than a self-serve buffet because they require a dedicated staff member per station.
Buffet - A self-serve catering format in which food is arranged on tables or chafing stations and guests serve themselves. Buffets are generally less expensive per person than plated service because they require fewer servers. Full-service buffets include staff who replenish trays and clear plates; drop-and-go buffets do not.
Caterer - A business that prepares and delivers food for events or gatherings, typically with a minimum headcount and a team of servers, chefs, and support staff. Most caterers offer multiple service styles (drop-off, buffet, plated) and price on a per-person basis above a revenue minimum. See our comparison of caterer vs private chef for when each is the right choice.
Catering guarantee - The minimum headcount a host commits to when finalizing a catering contract, usually submitted five to ten business days before the event. The host pays for the guarantee even if fewer guests attend. Caterers typically allow a 5 to 10 percent overage above the guarantee with advance notice.
Catering minimum - The least amount a host must spend on food, or on food and beverages, for a caterer to accept a booking. Minimums reflect the caterer's revenue floor for the event and are stated before tax and service charges. Falling below the minimum typically results in the shortfall being charged as a fixed fee.
Drop-off catering - A catering format in which the caterer delivers prepared food without providing servers, setup beyond basic arrangement, or on-site staff. The least expensive catering format, typically $15 to $35 per person. Common for office lunches, casual parties, and events where the host handles service.
F&B minimum - Short for food-and-beverage minimum. The least amount a group must spend on food and drinks combined to access a private venue space, such as a private dining room. Calculated on the pre-tax, pre-service-charge subtotal. Tax and service charges applied on top of the spending do not count toward meeting the minimum. For a detailed explanation, see our guide on private dining room cost.
Family style - A catering and restaurant service style in which large shared dishes are placed at the center of the table for guests to serve themselves. Common at Italian-American, Chinese, and Middle Eastern restaurants and catered events. Pricing is typically per person based on a set menu, and the format works well for groups with varied dietary preferences.
Full-service catering - A catering format that includes on-site staff for setup, service, and breakdown. Staff may include servers, a captain or event coordinator, a bartender, and a cleanup crew. The most expensive catering format per person because of the labor included.
Plated service - A formal catering format in which individual dishes are prepared and plated in the kitchen and served directly to seated guests. Requires the highest staff-to-guest ratio of any catering format and is the most expensive style per person. Standard at weddings, galas, and formal corporate events.
Restaurant Service Terms
Amuse-bouche - A small, single-bite appetizer offered complimentarily by the kitchen before the meal begins. Common at fine-dining and tasting menu restaurants. The term is French for "mouth amuser." It signals the chef's style and introduces the flavor direction of the meal.
Chef's table - A reserved seating experience, typically at or near the kitchen, in which the chef designs a custom menu for the guests and often interacts with them during the meal. Chef's tables are usually priced as a fixed tasting menu and must be booked well in advance.
Mise en place - A French culinary term meaning "everything in its place." It refers to the practice of preparing, measuring, and organizing all ingredients and tools before cooking begins. Mise en place is a foundational discipline in professional kitchens that allows cooks to execute dishes reliably during service.
Prix fixe - A French term for a fixed-price meal. A prix fixe menu offers a set number of courses -- typically two to four -- at a single per-person price. Guests may have limited choices within each course. Common at tasting menu restaurants, private dining events, and restaurant week promotions. For a cost comparison with a la carte ordering, see our guide on prix fixe vs a la carte.
Table d'hote - A French term for a fixed-price meal with limited course choices, similar to prix fixe. The distinction is subtle: table d'hote historically implied a set time and menu shared by all guests at a communal table. In modern restaurant use the terms are largely interchangeable.
Tasting menu - A multi-course meal -- typically five to twelve courses -- in which the chef presents a curated sequence of dishes rather than offering standard a la carte ordering. Tasting menus are priced per person and are common at Michelin-rated and fine-dining restaurants. Wine pairings are usually available as an add-on.
Billing and Tipping Terms
Auto-gratuity - A mandatory gratuity, typically 18 to 22 percent, automatically added to the bill for large parties or private dining events. Common for groups of 6 or more at sit-down restaurants. Always check the bill before adding additional tip: if auto-gratuity is already included, a second tip is at the guest's discretion. For detailed guidance, see our tipping guide at how much to tip at a restaurant.
Corkage fee - A fee charged by a restaurant when guests bring their own wine or other beverage. The fee compensates the restaurant for the service of opening, decanting, and serving the bottle, and for the foregone beverage sales revenue. Corkage fees typically range from $15 to $75 per bottle depending on the restaurant tier and market.
Cover charge - A fixed per-person fee charged by a restaurant independent of food and beverage spending. Common in dinner theater venues, jazz clubs, and some international restaurant markets. Rare in standard US restaurants but occasionally applied for live entertainment or prix fixe events.
F&B - Abbreviation for food and beverage. Used in catering contracts, private dining minimums, and hotel billing to refer collectively to food and drink purchases. An F&B minimum is the combined food and beverage spending floor required to access a private venue space.
Gratuity - An additional payment made to service staff above the stated bill amount, as acknowledgment of service quality. In the US, 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax food and beverage total is the standard expectation at sit-down restaurants. Gratuity may be voluntary (added by the guest) or mandatory (automatically included as a service charge). For a complete tipping framework, see how much to tip at a restaurant.
Service charge - A mandatory percentage fee -- typically 18 to 24 percent -- added to the bill by a restaurant or caterer, usually for private events or large-group dining. A service charge is not automatically equivalent to a tip: it may cover staffing overhead, insurance, and administration rather than going directly to the serving team. Always ask the venue whether the service charge is distributed to staff before deciding whether an additional tip is appropriate. For a full breakdown, see our guide on event food service charges.
Split the bill - The practice of dividing a shared restaurant bill among multiple guests. Methods vary from even splits to paying for individual orders. Many restaurants will process separate checks if asked in advance; some charge a split-bill fee. For etiquette and practical strategies, see our guide on splitting the bill etiquette.
Event Planning Terms
Buyout - A restaurant buyout is an arrangement in which a private group reserves the entire restaurant for a set time period, excluding all other guests. Full buyouts are common for corporate dinners, rehearsal dinners, launch events, and milestone celebrations. They require higher food-and-beverage minimums than a private dining room and a signed contract with a deposit.
Food truck catering - An event catering format in which a food truck parks at or near a venue and serves guests during a defined time window. Pricing typically takes the form of a per-person package or a minimum guarantee for the truck's time. Common at outdoor events, corporate lunches, and casual receptions.
Headcount guarantee - See catering guarantee. The number of guests a host commits to in a catering or event contract, which sets the billing floor regardless of actual attendance.
Menu minimum - A minimum food or spending requirement per guest at a restaurant or private event, below which the venue will not accommodate a booking. Menu minimums are common at prix fixe restaurants and tasting menu counters, where the chef designs a fixed experience and the minimum reflects the kitchen's required commitment per seat.
Private chef - An individual hired to cook in a private residence or at an event venue, typically for a small group. A private chef designs the menu, shops for ingredients, cooks on-site, and may also plate and serve. Pricing is typically per person for an event engagement or per hour for recurring meal prep. Private chefs generally serve groups of 4 to 20; larger events usually require a catering team.
Semi-private dining - A restaurant seating arrangement in which a section of the dining room is partitioned or reserved for a group but not fully enclosed. Guests in semi-private sections may share sight lines with the main dining room. Semi-private dining carries lower food-and-beverage minimums than fully private rooms and is common for business dinners and birthday groups of 10 to 20 guests.
Venue minimum - The total food and beverage spending required for a group to access a particular event space, such as a private dining room, private event room, or restaurant buyout. Similar to an F&B minimum but may apply to an entire venue rather than a single room. The venue minimum is always a pre-tax, pre-service-charge figure; the all-in total will be significantly higher.
Use the Glossary Before Reading Proposals
When a caterer or private dining coordinator sends a proposal, scan for these terms before you review any numbers. A quote that lists a service charge separately from a gratuity line item, distinguishes an F&B minimum from a room fee, and specifies what the guarantee covers is a transparent proposal. If any of these terms are missing or undefined, ask before you sign.
For a full explanation of how service charges layer onto dining bills and what portion -- if any -- goes to staff, our guide on event food service charges covers the legal and practical distinction in detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a service charge and a tip?
A service charge is a mandatory fee -- typically 18 to 24 percent -- added to the bill by the restaurant or caterer. A tip is a voluntary amount the guest adds. A service charge does not automatically go to the server; ask the venue whether it is distributed to staff. If not, an additional tip may still be expected.
What does a la carte mean in a restaurant?
A la carte means each menu item is priced and ordered individually, rather than as a fixed multi-course set. You pay only for what you order. The opposite is a prix fixe or set menu, where multiple courses are bundled at one price per person.
What is an F&B minimum at a private dining room?
An F&B minimum is the least amount a group must spend on food and beverages combined to access a private dining room. It is calculated on the pre-tax, pre-service-charge subtotal. Tax and service charges do not count toward meeting the minimum, so the true all-in cost is always higher than the stated minimum.
What does mise en place mean?
Mise en place is a French culinary phrase meaning 'everything in its place.' It refers to the practice of preparing and organizing all ingredients, tools, and equipment before service begins. In professional kitchens, mise en place is a fundamental discipline that allows chefs to execute dishes efficiently during service.
What is the difference between a caterer and a private chef?
A caterer is a business that produces and delivers food for events, typically with a team of staff, standardized equipment, and minimum headcount requirements. A private chef is an individual hired to cook in your home or venue, often for smaller groups. Caterers scale to events of 50 to 500 guests; private chefs typically serve 4 to 20 guests per engagement.
What is a gratuity and when is it automatically added?
A gratuity is an additional payment to service staff above the stated bill. Restaurants and caterers commonly add an automatic gratuity of 18 to 22 percent for large parties -- typically groups of 6 or more -- and for private dining events. Check your bill before adding a second tip: if gratuity is already included, an additional amount is at your discretion, not a requirement.