table d'hote
C2Formal / Culinary
Definition
Meaning
A restaurant meal offered at a fixed total price, with a limited choice of courses.
A menu offering a multi-course meal for a set price, as opposed to à la carte ordering. It can also refer more broadly to a fixed, pre-arranged arrangement or offer.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A French loan phrase (literally "host's table") used primarily in English in the context of dining, hotels, and hospitality. It implies a complete, pre-determined meal package.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood and used in both varieties, primarily in higher-end or traditional restaurant contexts. It may be more common in British English, which historically uses more French culinary terms.
Connotations
Connotes a formal, traditional, or high-quality dining experience. May imply less choice but better value compared to à la carte.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech. Found mostly on restaurant menus, in travel writing, and hospitality industry contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The restaurant offers a table d'hôte.We dined on the table d'hôte.Is it table d'hôte or à la carte?Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As predictable as a table d'hôte menu.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in hotel and restaurant management to describe a service package.
Academic
Appears in texts on gastronomy, tourism, and cultural studies.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; used when discussing restaurant choices.
Technical
A standard term in the hospitality and culinary industries.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The table d'hôte menu included a starter and main.
American English
- We opted for the table d'hôte option.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The hotel restaurant has a good table d'hôte for dinner.
- For better value, I recommend choosing the table d'hôte, which includes three courses and coffee.
- The Michelin-starred bistro's table d'hôte showcases seasonal ingredients with surprising creativity, despite its fixed structure.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TABLE where the HOST (d'hôte) has already decided the meal for you—fixed and complete.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PRE-PACKAGED EXPERIENCE (a complete, non-negotiable package, like a tour or a software bundle).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating literally as "стол хозяина". The correct culinary equivalent is "комплексный обед/ужин" or "бизнес-ланч" for lunch.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling errors: 'table d'hote' (missing accent), 'table de hôte', 'table dhot'.
- Incorrect pronunciation: pronouncing the final 'te'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'table d'hôte' meal?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It literally means "host's table", referring to a meal where the host decides the menu for the guests.
The opposite is 'à la carte', where you choose individual dishes from a menu, each priced separately.
It is less common in casual dining but is still a feature in many traditional, high-end, or hotel restaurants, often as a set lunch or pre-theatre dinner option.
Pronounce it like 'dote' (rhyming with 'boat'). The 'h' is silent, and the 't' is pronounced.