À la carte /ɑːləˈkɑːrt/[1] is an English language loan phrase meaning “according to the menu.”[2][3] It was adopted from French in the early 19th Century and refers to “food that can be ordered as separate items, rather than part of a set meal.”[4] The phrase is used in reference to a menu of items priced and ordered separately, i.e., the usual operation of restaurants. This is in contrast to a table d’hôte, where a menu has limited or no choice of items and is served at a fixed price.[5] It may also be use

Source: À la carte – Wikipedia