take the beginning back to the Chinese stone age, where the cultivation of rice and the production of noodles, both typical representative of Chinese cuisine as we know it today, are known from archeological findings. Over the centuries, as new food sources and techniques were invented, the Chinese cuisine as we know it gradually evolved, with the use of chopsticks as eating utensils, another of the hallmarks of Chinese cuisine, goes back at least to the Zhou Dynasty; stir fried dishes became popular during the Tang Dynasty. The stir fry method of cooking was invented as a necessity to conserve expensive and scarce fuel.

In the nineteenth century, Chinese restaurateurs developed American Chinese cuisine when they modified their food for American tastes. First catering to railroad workers, they opened restaurants in towns where Chinese food was completely unknown. These restaurant workers adapted to using local ingredients and catered to their customer's tastes, in the process inventing numerous dishes such as chop suey. As a result, they developed a style of Chinese food not found in China.

The most popular type of American Chinese eatery is the buffet. These restaurants have increased in popularity in recent years. They are far from traditional cuisine and often advertise as Chinese American or Chinese seafood. Most feature the dishes seen here and even more Americanized dishes along with anything else cheaply prepared that can do well on a heated buffet. Pizza, french fries, chicken nuggets and cheap pre packaged sushi are all common on these buffets.

American Chinese food tends to be cooked very quickly with lots of oil and salt. Many dishes are quickly and easily prepared, and require inexpensive ingredients. Stir frying, pan frying, and deep frying tend to be the most common cooking techniques which are all easily done using a wok. The food also has a reputation for high levels of MSG to enhance the flavor.