{"id":8738,"date":"2022-09-15T03:56:20","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T03:56:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=8738"},"modified":"2022-09-15T03:56:20","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T03:56:20","slug":"bon-appetit-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/bon-appetit-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Bon Appetit \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did a waiter serve you food and say \u2018Bon appetite\u2019<\/em><\/strong> before walking away? What do they mean? This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The expression \u2018Bon appetite\u2019<\/em> is a French saying translating to<\/u> \u2018good appetite\u2019 <\/em>in English. You\u2019ll use \u2018Bon appetite\u2019<\/em> when serving people food<\/u>. The phrase is suitable for use in restaurants and with home-cooked meals<\/u>. If you say \u2018Bon appetite,\u2019<\/em> you\u2019re wishing your guests a pleasant meal and enjoyable experience.<\/u><\/p>\n

If you say \u2018Bon appetite,\u2019<\/em> you\u2019re hoping your guests have a hearty appetite for your food.<\/u> It\u2019s another way of saying that you wish your guests a good dining experience.<\/u><\/p>\n

Typically, people will say \u2018Bon appetite\u2019<\/em> before serving a meal at a restaurant or before diving into a meal at the dinner table at home<\/u>. The phrase suits communal meals with family or friends<\/u>, and you don\u2019t have to have any experience with the French language to use it.<\/u><\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\"We have the chicken parm for the lady and the ribeye for the gentleman. Enjoy your food, folks, and Bon Appetite. If you need me for anything, just holler, and I'll come running.\"<\/p>\n

\"Here's your dinner, honey. Bon Appetite. You deserve the best food we can afford, cooked to perfection. I hope you enjoy the meal.\"<\/p>\n

\"Thanks for joining us on Thanksgiving, everyone. The turkey looks good, and the veggies are amazing. Bon Appetite everyone, and enjoy the meal.\"<\/p>\n

\"Folks, here we have the prawn cocktail starter featuring fresh prawns caught off the coastline. Enjoy the meal. Bon Appetite.\"<\/p>\n

\"Bon appetite. I spent the entire afternoon preparing this dish, so I hope it tastes good. It's new, so let's see how it goes. Enjoy.\"<\/p>\n

\"I went to this French restaurant with my partner last night. After the waiter served us the food, he didn't even bother to say, 'Bon Appetite.' I feel like it wasn't an authentic experience.\"<\/p>\n

\"Thanks for coming over for dinner, everyone. It's great to have you all here again. Enjoy the meal. It's fresh wahoo caught off the keys this morning. Bon Appetite.\"<\/p>\n

\"I wonder why the people at Burger King never say 'Bon Appetite' when serving your food?\"<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

The expression \u2018Bon Appetite\u2019 originates from the French language. It\u2019s a borrowed expression in English, featuring the same spelling and meaning as the original French. \u2018Bon Appetite\u2019 translates to \u2018good appetite\u2019 in English, but language experts cannot pinpoint when the saying arrived in the English lexicon or the first use of the term in writing.<\/p>\n

English-speaking countries slowly adopted the saying over the decades, and it\u2019s a common phrase spoken around the world. The British were the first to adopt the term, spreading to America in the 1900s.<\/p>\n