What Actually Is A Hotel's Continental Breakfast?

Continental breakfast in the U.S. today is a far cry from what it originally meant. Back at the turn of the 19th century, it was a light meal consisting of coffee and a roll.

As travel became more commonplace and Europeans began to visit the U.S., American hotels started catering to these customers who preferred lighter fare.

The lighter version of the continental breakfast ruled for much of the 20th century until the 1950s, when restaurants serving European (usually French) dishes became popular.

At some point "continental" became a byword for the wide variety of menu items these restaurants offered rather than the origin of the food.

Today, the word continental, when referring to breakfast, continues to convey an expansive array of choices rather than anything resembling a light European morning meal.