Source that "medieval society" had no restaurants??? It's not like Rome fell and everyone went back to living in caves.
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
That's why it was called the
dark ages.
@677,664 (Metæ)
No that's because lightbulbs hadn't been discovered yet. Once someone found a box of them in an old woodshed everything began getting brighter, hence the "enlightenment".
(Edited 18 seconds later.)
http://stores.renstore.com/history-and-traditions/how-dining-in-the-middle-ages-differs-from-now#.Vy-cgfkrKhc
http://restaurants.about.com/od/Restauranthistory/a/A-History-Of-The-Restaurant.htm
Usually located in the middle of the countryside, inns served meals at a common table to travelers. There were no menus or even options to choose from. Every night was chef’s choice.
Restaurants in Medieval times
In Europe through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, taverns and inns continued to be the main place to buy a prepared meal. In Spain they were called bodegas- serving tapas. In England items like sausage and shepherd’s pie were popular. In Germany, Austria and Alsace brauwin and weisteben were typical, while in France stews and soups were offered. All of these early restaurants served simple, common fare- foods you would find in a peasant or merchant home. Read on for the History of Restaurants Part 1.
The French Revolution and the Rise of Fine Dining
In France throughout the Middle Ages, guilds had monopolies on many aspects of prepared foods. For example, charcutiers were the guild who prepared cooked meats for sale therefore if you didn’t belong to that particular guild it was illegal to sell cooked meat in any form. Following the French Revolution, guilds were banned and many chefs employed in aristocratic, even royal, households found themselves unemployed. Many of these displaced workers opened their own restaurants in Paris, bringing with them a new way of dining. Delicate china, cutlery, and linen tablecloths – all trappings of aristocracy, were now available to a whole new echelon of French citizens. Menus became more diverse – offering both prix fixe and a la carte options. Though public houses continued to exist, the rise of fine dining in France would soon spread throughout Europe and into the New World.
During the 19th Century, the number of restaurants in Paris continued to rise. After the defeat of Napoléon, wealthy Europeans flocked Paris to partake in the many gourmet dining options. This was especially true of the allied officer gentlemen- a move that would be repeated following the end of WWII. By the end of the 19th Century, advancement in transportation through steamers, railways and eventually automobiles brought about a change in travel. Luxury tourism grew and with it a new precedent of eating well away from home. No longer was eating while traveling a mere necessity. It became an art. Read on for the History of Restaurants Part 2.