Menus, as lists of prepared foods, have been discovered dating back to the Song dynasty in China.
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The variation in Chinese cuisine from different regions led caterers to create a list or menu for their patrons.
The word “menu”, like much of the terminology of cuisine, is French in origin.
It ultimately derives from Latin “minutus”, something made small; in French, it came to be applied to a detailed list or résumé of any kind.
The original menus that offered consumers choices were prepared on a small chalkboard, in French a carte; so foods chosen from a bill of fare are described as “à la carte”, “according to the board.”