à la carte

American  

[ah luh kahrt, al-uh, a la kart] / ˌɑ lə ˈkɑrt, ˌæl ə, a la ˈkart /

adjective

1. with a separate price for each dish offered on the menu.

   dinner à la carte.

2. with a separate price for each item on a list.

   Spa treatments can be booked à la carte, or you can choose one of our packages.

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à la carte British  

/ a la kart, ɑː lɑː ˈkɑːt, æ lə /

adjective

1. (of a menu or a section of a menu) having dishes listed separately and individually priced Compare table d'hôte

2. (of a dish) offered on such a menu; not part of a set meal

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Etymology

Origin of à la carte

First recorded in 1815–20; from French: literally, “according to the menu”; carte

Example Sentences

Our A.I. future probably won’t be à la carte, and for now we’ve already ordered the whole thing.

From Slate • Feb. 10, 2026

While Williams-Sonoma offers a number of complete Thanksgiving dinners for delivery—including one featuring a Cajun-style fried turkey, and another with a honey-glazed ham—the kitchenware and gourmet-food retailer also offers dozens of à la carte offerings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

You can choose between an 8-course tasting menu, served at the chef’s counter or in the dining room, or an à la carte menu, available only in the dining room.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2025

“Customers should have to pay for side dishes à la carte, so they only order what they will finish,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 24, 2023

All Seaboard dining cars offer, aside from regular à la carte service, a sixty-cent dinner known as the "Blue Plate Special."

From American Adventures A Second Trip 'Abroad at home' by Morgan, Wallace