During the period of Classical Antiquity (8th century BC - 6th century AD), the first known kitchen outside the home - called a thermopolia - served food to customers in bowls that were carved into the counter. It's unclear why thermopolias came into being, but it showcased the first instance of social dining.

During the Middle Ages (5th-15th century) and Renaissance (15th-16th century), as people started traveling for several days at a time - to sell their goods at distant markets, for instance - we saw the emergence of the roadside inn in Europe. These inns were usually located in the countryside and offered both food and shelter. However, travelers were not able to choose what they ate. They had to eat the one dish that the chef decided to make for the day. Though the food was always common or simple food, it was different in every countries: often small dishes called "tapas" in Spain, sausage and shepherd’s pie in England, and stews in France. After Columbus landed in America, and trade increased, the types food served began to vary and included delicacies like chocolate.

In China, between the 10th and 13th century, restaurants started to pop up and allowed customers to order dishes they wanted. In cities, in order to serve people who didn't have the space or means to cook, vendors with small carts sold the earliest versions of "fast food."

The first appearance of the word "restaurant" was in 18th century France in reference to a popular meat broth and in honor of a man named Boulanger. Before Boulanger came around, you needed to be part of a particular guild in order to serve certain types of food. For example, only members of the charcutier guild could legally sell cooked meats. In 1765, Boulanger added lamb to one of this stews. The caterer’s guild sued him, but Boulanger won the case and soon more and more restaurants began to open until they exploded during the French Revolution and industrialization.