It has long been accepted that the first establishments that we would consider “restaurants” originated in Paris in the mid-eighteenth century. The word “restaurant” is a French word that originally referred to a type of restorative meat broth or bouillon created by steaming various types of meat. Such a broth was offered to those who might be too weak to eat a full meal. The institutions in which these “restaurants” were served had costly and luxurious interiors and appealed to a wealthy clientele. They were a far cry from the unsavory taverns and inns that typically provided food to travelers. Concepts such as seating patrons at their own tables, providing dining at unspecified hours, and a menu from which diners could choose their own dishes came out of these institutions and became an established part of “restaurant” service.

Rebecca Spang - The Invention of the Restaurant: Paris and Modern Gastronomic Culture.