Here Is Why Eating Out Can Be Good for You

Statistics show that only 10% of Americans love to cook, and most of them eat out at an average of 5.9 times per week. Compared to the women in the 1960s, modern women today also spend less time cooking at just 66 minutes per day. 

There are several reasons that more consumers are eating out. 

Why more people prefer to eat in restaurants

Optimized dining space

To achieve maximum efficiency, many restaurants today create spaces that allow for different eating styles. In some dining establishments, people can order ahead using an online ordering platform, cutting down waiting time. Some also allow for takeaways to be picked up at a store closer to the consumer. 

Many of these restaurants take advantage of technology to improve efficiency. These include kiosks and handheld POS systems to automate and speed up order requests, respectively.

Variety of food choices

At home, the food you eat is often limited to what you, your mom, or someone else knows how to cook. In restaurants, you get to try different dishes, depending on where you dine. If you have an adventurous palate, you’re going to love eating out at different restaurants at any time. 

Craving for some Mojo Shrimps, BBQ Chicken Cobb, and a Cubano? Head out to Riot House and satisfy your hunger. Visit during its Scottsdale happy hour and have your fill of drinks. There are many places like this in the town you live in or are visiting. Scottsdale is known for its eclectic dining for those foodies.

Flexible dining experience

Eating out at different restaurants enables you to enjoy food in different ways. Each restaurant has a different style, personality, and dishes. Clichéd as it may sound but dining out will take you on a gastronomic journey. 

You get to eat different dishes and from different cultures. If you limit yourself to eating at home, you won’t have the opportunity to keep an open mind in your choice of food.

Distraction-free dining

When in a restaurant, you may still be tempted to check out your phone rather than to be at the moment” while you eat. But that’s probably the only distraction you have to deal with.

At home, the TV, pets, and other people will pull you away from the table. What are the odds that you’ll end up eating in front of the TV instead of at the dining table with the rest of your family?

Build manners and social skills

At a restaurant, you need to:

  • Interact with the wait staff
  • Interact with other people dining with you
  • Wait for your food
  • Complain or provide feedback without being disrespectful
  • Observe table manners

All these require you to be patient,polite and behave in a way that is appropriate with your surroundings. In some restaurants, you have to follow the dress code or be denied entry. 

Suffice it to say that your dining experience will help develop your social skills and manners. The friendlier and respectful you are to restaurant staff, the more satisfying your experience is. 

Opens doors for communication

You don’t dine and dash in restaurants. At least this is not usually the case in a full-service establishment. Without distractions, you have lots of opportunities to chat. Most of the time, people dine in restaurants to catch up, talk business, and the like. 

Conversations are longer too since you’ll want to savor the food you paid for and enjoy the company you’re with. 

In a way, you will develop and improve your communication skills when you eat out. 

Observe proper restaurant etiquette

If you want a great dining experience, you should behave accordingly. How do you do this exactly?

Don’t be loud

No one likes a diner who is noisy and annoying. A restaurant may be a place to socialize but no need to be loud and rowdy. Keep conversations at a low decibel, even when you’re cracking up. 

Be patient

Unless you’re eating at a fast-food restaurant, give the kitchen time to prepare your food and wait for it to be served. Ask the wait staff how long you need to wait and only follow-up or complain when the restaurant does not keep their promise. 

Inform in advance

Say you will be late for your reservation, inform the restaurant ahead of time. Doing so will ensure your table will not be given to someone else or that you won’t waste space that other diners could have used. 

Properly use of cutlery 

Depending on where you eat, you may need to hold a fork and knife in either the American or European way. The former suggests that you hold both only when the food needs to be cut. Afterward, you transfer the fork in your right hand. 

The European style, on the other hand, is when you hold the knife in your right hand and the fork in the left. 

Avoid making noise with your cutlery when you dine.

Ready to eat out? 

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