Dining triggers
How do you decide on where to eat? In my case, as much as possible I want to try new stuff. That includes preference of not copying my companion’s choice. Or if he or she copies, I’ll change mine. In case we’re dining at the same spot, I’d more likely try a dish that I’ve never eaten yet. So you can bet that I would dine somewhere just because I want to check it.
But naturally, I would also consider who I’m with and the main reason for eating out. There are places where you want to check just to enjoy eating, those that you go in because it’s a good place for talks, and those which are combination of both.
The equity on table considers that men and women approach and respond to restaurants in different ways, looking for different things. It’s a rare restaurant that gives menus without prices to women dining with men. (So classic, huh.)
- If the diners will be a ton of women, make the room warmer. They tend to dress with more skin showing. (Haha.)
- Men rarely ask about lighting. Women frequently do, wanting reassurance that it isn’t too bright.
- Women often ask if a menu has leaner, healthier options. Men more often ask if they can get a decent steak.
- Women are looking for somewhere comfortable. Men are looking for somewhere to show off.
- A man is more likely to care about being greeted rapturously and treated like an insider.
- A woman is more likely to take offense if the restrooms are cramped, ugly and messy.
- A woman is more likely to appreciate color and playfulness in a restaurant’s design, while there’s more risk that a man will be cool to that.
- In restaurants that cater to the most fervent food enthusiast and most intrepid food adventurers, women and men in equal numbers stare down fatty slabs of braised short rib or get warm and fuzzy about lamb hearts and veal tongue.
- Women more often hesitate if the name or look of a dish is too blunt a reminder that they’re biting into an animal. If it’s something that says chorizo with some sort of egg, they’ll eat it. If it’s a suckling pig, they’re not going near it. ( Haha. I remember the menu (see above photo) in Exotik Restaurant. And I had piniritong palaka and ginataang kuhol)
- A table composed entirely of women may receive the most unequal treatment of all, because some servers may see it as a less profitable opportunity. They said that women in many cases are tipping on a lower check total. (Oh, really?!)
- Men generally put away more food and alcohol. Men spend more, women spend less.
- Men eat and leave. Women eat and stick around.
On a Saturday night, you get these two ladies who walk in and say, “We haven’t seen each other in ages, we’re going to talk and talk and talk”, and they’ll sit for four hours. Women are more verbal than men. That’s a scientific fact. And I’m like, ‘Ladies, I have reservations for these tables. You’ve got to go.”
Ack! Glad that never happened to me (yet). That’s why I uberly like Apartment 1B. They wouldn’t care even if I/we stay there for the whole day (but of course, you need to have your reservation) + they do give me the best spot.
What about you? What are your considerations when you’re dining out? What’s your take on the menu?
kj and i rarely eat out. and because we are very boring people, we only frequent the restaurant we are most comfortable with, and we stick to a few favorites. we rarely try something new, we’re always happy with what we’re used to. strange?
we can only try something different when we travel and out of the comfort zone of our town. 
odettes last blog post..working girl soon
My boyfriend and I love eating out. on his birthday where we had a buffet merienda at Dad’s, I asked him, “Why are all of our dates just about food?” and he replied “Because it’s the only thing we have in common.” And that’s true.
It’s true about the restroom thing—I hate nice places with little restrooms. With all the people dining in their large halls, the small toilet gets dirty easily, and you always have to wait in line.
I’m generally not afraid to try new things (just recently ate snails at Kamayan) but I don’t like any raw meat or fish.
Eating is my guilty pleasure because when I was a starving college working student, I and my best friend looked at pictures of delicious food and sang “Pangarap ka na lng ba, o magiging katotohanan pa?” So now that I’m earning I make it a point to eat whatever I feel like eating.
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men eat fast and its hard to catch up! hehehe…ken and I’s first date was in joe’s crab shack and guess what, we used our hands! i don’t know if he was showing off…pero it impressed me..kasi he was unique…not the usual “fine dining” or “candlelight dinner” on our first date…
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I am very picky on where I eat. Especially when I’m out with entertaining friends. If it’s a new place I usually go alone on scouting missions to see if it’s worth bringing friends to. I don’t look for anything specific. Maybe I look at the clientele. It might sound snobby, but I don’t want to eat somewhere that looks like a fight will break out any moment. And then I like to see the service. I always tip generously and if a place isn’t worth tipping at, I rarely visit.
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We don’t dine out as much as we used to, but when we do, we usually go to different restaurants each time to try out their dishes. If there’s anything weird sounding on the menu, I usually ask the server what’s in it and how it’s cooked.
You’re a brave eater. I love trying new things, but draw the line on amphibians and reptiles, hee.
Restos have to have decent food and good service. It has to be both. If the food is great but the service sucks, I rarely come back. I don’t mind paying as long as I get what I pay for.
Me, Hubby and I eat at our favorites, as much as I would want to try out new restos, hubby cannot catch up with my eating because he is so picky with the food he eats, for example: I love adobong chicken liver, he does not. I love isaw, and he is not tasting any of it, I love gulay, and he spits them out like it’s poison, ack, ano na lang ang pwede sa kanya, hahaha… He eats a lot of carbohydrates, salads and lots of noodles though…
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im so much into noodles now… dry and noodles with soup… yummy and it taste great…
I think I’ll love it here… hayz…
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i love cheese. so im more into pasta and pizza ahehe
Before, when there’s only two of us, my wife and I used to go to new restaurants and order food we haven’t tasted yet. To maximize, we order differently then taste each others dish.
Now a days, we seldom go to restaurants anymore. Ang gulo ng daughter ko. Walang pinipiling lugar to do her antics.
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i love to try new resto but im pasta person and you’re right i want resto that doesnt care if you are staying there for ages, us girls really love to talk.
when i was still single i used to go to different resto ( the not so expensive one of course) with my friends. we tried different foods. but i only want filipino dishes. never to thai food again promise… may nalasahan kasi akong lasang nganga… kulantro daw tawag doon.
but today, we seldom go to restaurant. i need to save some money for our baby’s future.
when i saw the pic, i though its in UAE. sabi ko pa, ay nagtatagalog sa menu. Haha! Dito pala sa Pinas yan hehe
i love to try new dishes too but count me out pag dating sa mga exotic
pag kasama mga bagets dito sa bahay namin, naku po, ang request lagi ay jollibee haha. umay na nga ako eh. pero sabi ni mama, minsan silang bata. kaya ayun, napagbibigyan. pero pag adults na, kahit saan basta masarap at di masyado mabigat ang presyo.
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My being adventurous was by influence.
I miss Dads’ buffet! I was laughing out loud in “Pangarap ka na lang ba….”
That was so cute!
Uy! I know someone who’s not showing off, too.
Stay happy with Mr. Crabs!
I usually go “scouting”, too. Especially if I know that these are dear people that I would bring there.
It’s weird but I usually look for the strangest thing from the menu.
Not as brave as it may seem. It took me some time to finally try the frogs!.
I have the same take as to no-mind for the pay as long as its quality edibles and service.
Haha, opposites. I hope you’ll do some food trip in Bora.
You’ve tried The Noodle House? Been there during the Eid (Abu Dhabi franchise). Enjoy SG!
I’m still working on my interest for italian stuff. I love cheese, too!
A child is a very important consideration when dining out. When she’s a little grown up, you’ll be able to resume your trying of different restos.
Have you tried visiting Apartment 1B? You’ll love it there.
Yaiks! Kulantro-like. Heehee. I like Thai food. Try again next time.
hahaha, dyanie, akala ko rin s UAE, tapos ang reply ni jo, kung n try ko n daw Apart B1, hmm napaisip ako bigla, teka san nga b yan? hahaha
Exotik Resto is in Laguna
http://witsandnuts.com/2008/01/02/exotik-restaurant/
Oh, I miss Jollibee!
Apartment 1B is in Makati. My fave.
http://witsandnuts.com/2007/12/17/apartment-1b/
cge i’ll go there, tapos balitaan kita.