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What I hate is when you're there with a group and people just constantly keep talking while you're perusing the menu. The waiter comes over a couple of times, "Are you ready to order?" Not yet, sorry. Meanwhile, "Did I tell you so-and-so is pregnant? Oooooh, they have spinach-artichoke dip. Oh, and poppers. So-and-so, did you see this? This looks good."
Waiter again, "Are we ready yet?"
"We just need a few more minutes, thanks."
We pretty much only eat out when there are absolutely no other options (and there is almost Always a grocery store with options) and then about 2~3 times a year of mindful 'treats'. In all cases where it's planned, unless the special is appealing, we know what we're going to order before arriving and order at the first available opportunity. Menus are online, not too difficult to plan ahead ~ mind you that these are situations where we have likely traveled a minimum of 2~3 hours and might have taken a flight to another state. Haven't done "drive through" in over 2 decades as I don't eat at those kinds of places.
Somewhere out of necessity, or the random "we're in another country, lets ask a local", it doesn't take too long to look through a menu and decide. Certainly never so long as to consume a whole drink. Though there have been occasions we've gone somewhere for drinks and decided later to also have food.
In short, eating out is a miserable experience (in my experience), I want to get it over with as quickly as reasonable. It's not the food that's bad, it's the service (99% of the time) and the people around us (the rest). Then knowing that I could have made the same meal, or better, at home for 1/4 the price really ruins the whole thing.
In a sit down restaurant, we don't rush. Should we? For what reason?
If it's a new place it might take us 10 - 15 minutes to labor over the menu choices while we enjoy our coffee. Even a familiar place may take us that long. We go to relax and enjoy a meal, not rush and cram the food in quickly.
On the very rare occasion that we do fast food we'll stand off to the side while browsing the overhead menu if there is no line. If the line is long we'll join it, convinced that we'll have made up our minds before we reach the order window.
If you are ordering fast food, how complicated can it be? How many variations can you actually order at Five Guys or Smash Burger?
We usually sit at the bar at restaurants and we go to the restaurant that serves whatever food we or one of us is craving. If I want tacos, we are going to Roccos Tacos. If one of wants steak, we are going to Steak 954.
It usually doesn't take me too long.
(I don't really like fast food, so it is extremely, extremely rare that I go to some place like that...like if I am on the road, and it's the only thing I can find, lol... I can usually look at a menu and figure out what I want pretty quickly though.)
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