What describes an À la carte menu?

• A. A menu where all items are bundled with one price.
• B. A menu that changes daily with no pricing.
• C. A fixed menu with no options.
• D. A menu where each food item is listed and priced separately, allowing customers to select individual dishes.

Answer: (D)

An à la carte menu lists each dish with its own price, letting customers choose individual items and pay for them separately. This format offers maximum flexibility for customization and budgeting, since nothing is bundled into a single package and diners can mix and match according to preference. The term comes from French, meaning “by the card” or “according to the menu,” highlighting the ability to select items one by one.

Other descriptions describe different menu formats: a bundled, single price for everything is a prix fixe or table d’hôte approach; a fixed menu with no options is even more restrictive; a daily-changing menu without pricing wouldn’t provide the per-item costs typically seen in à la carte. The description that fits an à la carte menu is the one where each food item is listed and priced separately.