All my life I have noticed that here in America, just about every meal is rushed. If you are meeting friends for dinner you can pretty much guess that dinner will only last about an hour or an hour and 15 minutes, even when it's busy. So you took time to get pretty to go out and then you only spend that little time sitting down and relaxing, so what else are you supposed to do with your evening? Here's another thought, if you are a student, breakfast may or may not fit into your morning routine. High school for me started at 7:15 am. and I barely made it on time to catch my bus let alone put a piece of toast in my mouth.
Our country has become one fast paced place to live. Restaurants are turning tables so quick that customers are left not remembering what they ate or how much they spent!! A server is given like 6 tables at a time and really wants those tips so they will rush you right out of your table with mediocre service. I think servers could still get a good amount in one night if they provided excellent service at a restaurant that allowed the guest to stay longer for dinner. Make the tip percentage a minimum of 18% and most people will tip 20% when they receive great service anyway, I know I do.
Our country is slow on a lot of things, but we certainly aren't slow when it comes to food. I think our country needs a serious renovation when it comes to taking time to eat. People at home aren't even connecting with their food. A lot of families are eating dinner in front of the television. Not only are you eating blindly, but you are distracted by the t.v. and not really enjoying your food. It's like taking time to eat is becoming an inconvenience to those families.
Try something for me, try to recall the meals you eat in a week. Don't cheat and write them down, think back and see how much of your meals you can actually remember even if it were fast food. I think you will be surprised at how little you remember. It's not your fault, it's our country's fault.
There are a few great restaurants that will actually encourage you to stay and relax at your table you just have to find them. There are a few where I live one of which I worked at. The restaurant is called Bistro Aix, it offers a private dining room, a regular dining room, and they also have a large room that can be split in half to make 2 private dining rooms. Often times they are used for business dinners but anyway, they would emphasize fresh local, organic ingredients, and a slower pace of eating. Also the servers are intensely trained on the menu, wine selections, desserts, and oh yeah, the menu changes weekly, sometimes daily.
If I could have it my way, our country should have a few hours in the day where places shut down for a few hours and we emphasize more on meal time. It is a totally normal thing in Europe to take around 3-4 hours to eat dinner. If you are at a table for long enough, it becomes your table for the evening. Also, restaurants stay open a little longer, like until 12pm or 1 am everyday, but it's those few hours that they close that give the workers a time to relax and prepare for the evening.
I want people to really savor what they are eating. Enjoy the freshness of a fish fillet or feel the crunch of your vegetables, really appreciate what you are eating. We are so quick to wolf down food and hardly chew anything, it's no wonder people get really gassy or have huge nasty bowel movements LOL.
Find a great restaurant where you live, spend a few hours with your lover or a small group of friends, and really savor what you all are eating. So do a little homework and find a great restaurant, ask around and see what people say is good and take a breather. You deserve it!!
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