à la carte

[ah luh kahrt, al-uh, a la kart]

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.

à la carte

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of à la carte¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of à la carte¹

C19: from French, literally: according to the card

Example Sentences

I believe that investors will pay considerably less for financial advisory services, and will use them a la carte to supplement AI investment strategies, rather than paying a straight percentage fee for assets under management.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Consultants are charging accordingly, with fees of more than $200 per hour for a la carte services or between $5,000 to $15,000 for someone to manage the entire application process.

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Only if we start treating public education not as a pluralistic endeavor but as an à la carte menu from which religious parents can choose only the dishes that suit their tastes.

Read more on Slate

Although most customers order full-body taxidermy, an “a la carte” menu has expanded over the years with jars of whiskers or fur, bundles of bones tied in a bow and, the most recent addition, freeze-dried hearts, which come mounted inside of a glass cloche.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There are open-air booths facing the stage where guests can order bottle service with a la carte options from Nobu, while the interior features a chef’s counter with omakase service.

Read more on Los Angeles Times