Atraiteur (/ˈtrɛtɜːr/;[1]French:[tʁɛ.tœʁ]) is a French food-seller, whose places of business were arguably the precursors of the modernrestaurant.[2] Prior to the late 18th century, diners who wished to "dine out" could dine at atraiteur's, or order meals to go. The cooks and caterers guild – informally known as thetraiteurs – progressively claimed the right to make any sophisticated meals, leaving inns and taverns to mainly make roast or grilled meat. As of the late seventeenth century, many offered atable d'hôte, a meal offered at a set price with no choice of dishes.[3] However bothcabarets andtraiteurs could also offer individual choice of dishes, despite claims to the contrary.
In modern France, the word often refers to acaterer.
Traiteur is anagent noun formed from the verbtraiter ('treat'), which literally refers to the action of "treating" someone to something (for instance, a meal). The root of the verb isLatintractare ('manage, handle'), afrequentative oftrahere ('pull, draw'):[4] in ancient times, for example,Latins used the expressionlittera tractoria (roughly rendered as 'treatment letter') to indicate a document the envoys of a prince would be given to receive food, accommodation and means of transport in the lands they would pass by, so to get a full treatment along their way.[5][page needed] This Latin root originated both Frenchtraiteur andItaliantrattoria.
Today in France, atraiteur is acatering business devoted totake-out food and service of banquets. Manytraiteurs also undertake home delivery. Generally there is no seating on the business premises; a fewtraiteurs may have very limited seating. Especially in market towns, where there is competition,traiteurs take great pride in the beauty of their window displays.Traiteur 'departments' are now common insupermarchés, the equivalent of the US/UKdelicatessen. The staple of this type of business is an array ofsalads, coldmeat andseafood dishes. In 2018, 10,090traiteurs operated in France.[6][page needed]
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