A lot of hotels offer a ‘continental breakfast’. But what does this even mean? L.V. Anderson wrote:

• One of the meanings relates to the types of food being served. Traditional American breakfast cuisine includes heavy items such as pancakes, eggs, and meat. European visitors wanted lighter fare and thus were offered a ‘continental’ option.
• These days however you normally get things like fruit loops, bagels, and fruit at continental breakfasts – not particularly European food items.
• This is because continental has another meaning. Traditional American hotels expected their guests to eat all their meals at the hotel restaurant – the price of which was built into the room.
• People looking for a cheaper hotel experience and the freedom to eat where they wanted started the trend of a new “European” style where guests only paid for the room and no meals.
• A third hybrid style emerged called the continental breakfast. Here guests would eat breakfast at the hotel but would eat other meals elsewhere.
• These days ‘continental breakfast’ has taken on its own meaning. It usually denotes variety and some common items.

Read more about the sketch that shows the truth about continental breakfasts, the role that America’s agrarian roots played, and more over here.

Source: Slate