What are/were menu cards used for?

Menu cards are often used at weddings, and large, elegant dinner parties. They usually are placed at each place setting, on the table, so that guests can read them when they are seated. You can place them on the charger plate, or fold the napkin to make a pocket and slide the menu card inside. They list the menu for the dinner, each course, (and the selections if there are options).

You have to remember that not so long ago, printing was less widespread than it is now and more expensive. So a menu card could be placed in the center of a table for everyone at the table to use. They did not change drastically from day to day and sometimes there might be only one menu card for the entire restaurant, at the door as you enter. They are shown in movies although specific ones don't spring to mind, but often one person will order from the menu then hand it to the next person. And often times the man ordered for the woman, possibly having asked her her choice ahead of time, possibly not. Many times, a polite guest who'd not had the opportunity to check the menu card that had been hogged by a less polite customer would say "I'll have the same" or "I'll have what he's having." Many fine dining restaurants have a menu card at the front of the store so you can see what's offered and the prices. If you have facsimiles, check out the prices! You could get an entire roast beef meal for $1 or $2!

Today menu cards are used for one of about two or three reasons -- to show the possibility of a choice, especially at a private function, like beef or chicken, or to show a vegetarian option or a kosher option

The use of menu cards were for more elite societies. The menu card was placed on the plate for dinners to peruse when seated at the table. Often it was a way for the hostess to show off the exotic flavors she was serving. Back then, people didn't think eating pheasant and turtle was strange, but rather exciting! The use of menu cards began in France. They had restaurants that served different exciting things every night so they began to put cards down in place of menus because it was a prix fix menu. They were wildly popular and it travelled over to "higher society" dinners.

I have had nice dinner parties before where I printed the menus on a really pretty paper and had them laminated. I used them for place mats, and then sent them home with the guest so they could remember the party.

I had read old books where the hostess would send the menu cards out with the invitations. Probably only Martha would know lol

I actually have a porcelain "dinner menu" that you can print what your menu is and set it on the dinner table - with matching porcelain placecards. I would use it for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. I just thought it added a nice touch to the table, and a little elegance for family holiday dinners. I've also seen then at weddings and fundraisers or gala dinners that I've gone too

For the invites, in simple terms positioned "Dinner reception to right this moment save on with" and the region of the reception, if it rather isn't any longer on a similar place the ceremony is being held. you do no longer could spell out what style of dinner, and you purely could positioned the entrees interior the invites while you're doing a take a seat dinner the place the visitors could pick an entree. in case you wedding ceremony is extraordinarily casual, then flow forward and positioned "and kinfolk" on the invites. once you're having a reasonably formal wedding ceremony and reception, then it rather is beneficial to get the youngster's names. The envelope with the handle on it may nevertheless say "and kinfolk", however the internal envelope could say their names, and the names of the toddlers in my view. you could actual deliver out your invites in 2 waves--out of towners flow out 6-8 weeks in the past the marriage, or 4-6 weeks in the past the RSVP date, and in towners flow out 4-6 weeks in the past the marriage, 2-4 weeks in the past the RSVP date. wish this helps.