Restaurant and menu terms
What is an entrée? Main course, starter and plural spelling
On a US restaurant menu, entrée normally means the main course.[1] The same word can refer to an earlier course in other usage, including French menus.[2] Check the course headings and the dish description before assuming where it belongs in your meal.
Use the surrounding menu to resolve the meaning
If entrées follows appetizers and contains the dishes you would choose as your main, read it as the main-course section. If a French-language menu places entrées before plats, read the structure as starter then main. These are useful reading cues, not proof that every international restaurant follows one convention.
A translated menu can retain a borrowed heading even when its explanation uses another language. Compare the heading with nearby courses and ask a short question if it remains unclear: “Is this the starter or the main?” That is more useful than deciding solely from the word’s appearance or accent mark.
Plural: entrée becomes entrées
The regular plural is entrées; menus also use the unaccented spelling entrees.[3] Adding the s does not change the course meaning. “One entrée” describes one dish; “two entrées” normally describes two dishes, not two courses in a fixed sequence.
For a group order, make clear whether you mean two plates of the same dish or two different selections. A menu heading in the plural lists the category; it does not tell you how many you must order. Spelling helps you recognise the section but cannot settle portion size or inclusions.
A main course does not promise a complete plate
The word entrée tells you the role of the dish, not what comes alongside it. Check for includes, served with or a separate sides section. A hypothetical chicken entrée with rice already names an accompaniment; a chicken entrée without further wording needs a question, not an assumption.
If you are comparing a main with a smaller plate, ask what each includes and whether the smaller plate is intended as a starter or a light meal. Neither the price nor the category alone establishes that you will be satisfied. Let the actual ingredients and your appetite guide the choice.
Translate the course, then choose the food
If you want only a main, identify the menu section first and then compare preparations: for example, a grilled dish and a sauced dish may suit different preferences. If you want a starter too, check the earlier section and say you would like it before the main.
When sharing, ask whether a main can be divided and whether you need an extra plate. If taking a set menu, distinguish one chosen main from the whole meal sequence. The aim is to order the dish and timing you want, rather than mastering a historical explanation of the term.
When you see it on the menu
Entrée is a course label, not an ingredient or a cooking method. It does not tell you whether a side is included, the dish can be shared or a starter is compulsory.
How to order
Identify the course from the surrounding headings, choose the dish, and confirm accompaniments. If you are unsure, ask whether it is a main rather than trying to infer the answer from the spelling.
Questions to ask staff
- Is this an individual main course or a starter?
- What comes with this entrée, and are sides separate?
- If we order a starter too, can it arrive before the main?
Related terms
Use the definition with your actual menu
SeEat helps you understand and compare dishes for your taste. Confirm current ingredients, preparation and service details with the restaurant.