Do you feel more comfortable eating at an high end restaurant or a fast food ?

United States
February 24, 2010 9:49pm CST
About 3 days ago my boyfriend and i went to olive garden for the first time, there food was really great.. even tho its not an "high end" restaurnt i noticed there wasnt any paper napkins only "cloth" which made me a little uncomfortable because when i eat i use a lot of napkins. i dont like to have my face all dirty, i was also annoyed that the waiter kept coming up to us asking if we where okay. i just want to eat without anyone bothering me and plenty of napkins. also its a bit embarrassing when i eat more than my boyfriend and then the waiter picks up my plate first i bet there thinking wow what an animal. lol
3 people like this
26 responses
@epicure35 (2814)
• United States
26 Feb 10
I'm most comfortable somewhere in the middle. But I'm definitely more comfortable in high end restaurants than fast food places. The major reason is that the food is so much better in higher end restaurants. The down side is that at really high end restaurants, prices can be really high in order to pay for better quality and better prepared food. I'd rather have good food, well prepared and carefully served than the caliber of "fast food" served in such restaurants of mediocre quality today. I'm a good cook and a foodie, so I can prepare my own food rather than go for mediocre and flavorless. I can also copy recipes that I have had at good restaurants, so it's worth going to them to learn more about new food combinations and techniques.
@epicure35 (2814)
• United States
26 Feb 10
Thanks for your acknowledgment. I am able to copy recipes because of years of practice and trial and error. You can detect certain spices and ingredients easily and some things need a little more detective work. I have taken some cooking classes. Some were free and others had nominal costs, so I was able to afford to do it. With some recipes, once you know ingredients, you just play with amounts to your taste. It's great to be able to cook, even just for yourself.
• United States
26 Feb 10
wow you have an amazing talent being able to copy recipes from the food you have eaten at other high end restaurants. i cannot not cook so well i started cooking about 2 yrs ago at my boyfriends apartment and i keep it as a secret from my mom.. so im not that great at it. so i have to stick with my fastfood places but u are right, you do eat healthier at higher end class but then your felt with a broken walet. question did you take cooking classes and if you did is if expensive to take them ?!? because i was consdering on taking coooking classes that way when i get married im able to be a good wife lol
• Philippines
25 Feb 10
Hehehe. I like eating at fastfoods, cause there are no annoying waiters that always go over to your table, and you can just eat and be happy with it. Hehehehe. Sometimes though my boyfriend and I eat at high end restaurants, cause there are just type of foods that they serve best, and my boyfriend generally doesn't like it, cause he likes eating with his hands, and he can't really do that in a restaurant. LOL.
• Philippines
26 Feb 10
Hahahahah. that's the same with my boyfriend. He would eat the chicken with his hands no matter where we are, he says that that's the proper way of eating chicken and not by using fork and knife. Hehehe.
• United States
25 Feb 10
I have that same problem liking foods that are not made at fast food places, my favorite dish of all time is Fettucini alfredo with grilled chicken I usually take me twin brother with me because he is as crazy as iam about it. The problem with him he can care less about table manners and is sometimes very embarrasing lol.
@mymelodake (1338)
• Philippines
25 Feb 10
I don't mind eating at high end restaurants, but of course I love the informal atmosphere of fast food dining. And yeah, I don't really like those cloth napkins, it feels weird using them. Also at some high-end restaurants the waiter hangs around your table to see if you need anything and i feels weird having him stand there while I eat. At fast food restaurants, you can just eat and relax, except if there is somebody really noisy LOL!
@GhostCat (313)
• United States
25 Feb 10
Cloth napkins were around long before paper napkins were invented. They are only cloth napkins available at my home. I am much in to recycling, reusing, etc. You have just gotten use to using paper napkins. I much perfer the feel of cloth myself.
• United States
25 Feb 10
cleaning your mouth with cloth napkins feels so unnatural, like who ever invented that that was the right way to clean your mouth. nobody uses cloth napkins at home lol.. i feel 100 times comfortable at a fastfood place and plus its proven that fas tfood places are much cleaner than high end restaurants.
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
25 Feb 10
I hate fast food restaurants. I don't really care for the franchise restaurants either. I much prefer upscale restaurants. I appreciate impeccable service and good food, particularly signature dishes prepared by the chef. There is a fine line between good service and being too cloying. An experienced server knows how to walk that fine line and also knows not to remove plates until the whole party has finished with their meal. I cannot tolerate bad service where the server takes your order, brings your food, and you never see them again until they bring the check. You have to look for them and wave at them when you need something else. That is unacceptable. On the other hand, I was a server. I only worked in private upscale restaurants. I never even considered working in fast food or franchise restaurants. So yes, I admit it. I'm an expensive date when it comes to eating out. Only the best for me.
• United States
25 Feb 10
yea you are an expensive date, but i totally agree with you it is a bit annoying when u never see your waiter ever again after your food. thats the thing ive had had so many bad waiters i dont have the patience to be chasing a moron down to get something, especially that i have to tip them and there not doing there job right or constantly annoying me with questions. personally i dont think its easy to be a waiter so yea i rather not even deal with upscale places. i feel like i cant do anything. but you are right about a few things waiters have to learn that fine line between good service and being too cloying and signature dishes always leave a tummy very happy!
• Indonesia
25 Feb 10
maybe she must give that restaurants' name...
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
25 Feb 10
When I was young I was never comfortable eating anywhere. I was not use to going to fast foods and restaurants in my hometown. When I went to college and have to be with a lot of friends and classmates who go to fancy restaurants and all that, I learned that it doesnt matter at all. People are there to eat and so are you and I really think people dont actually care. They are not going to look at you as you out the food in your mouth. There's not reason to be uncomfortable whether you are in a high end restaurant or fast food. Just make sure you have enough money to pay for what you ordered. It will really make you feel uncomfy if you discovered you dont have enough cash in your wallet.
• United States
25 Feb 10
omg imagen not having enough money to pay for food at an high end place.. im really shy when it comes to eating im always extra careful to cut my food in same pieces so i dont get my mouth dirty .. and i dont eat while im walking in public i just hate people staring at my food .. i guess im just weird
• China
26 Feb 10
hahah~~~~not enough money~~my boss once did this,,he didn't find out that the wallet was still in the office until the time to pay....so funny when he found the wallet was not with him...
@cloud31 (5809)
26 Feb 10
It depends on the situation,and what food in mind i have to consume if going in a class restaurant i am just bringing my client to have a better environment and classy food. And with some important event.For myself I'm very simple when food is concerned,fast food or food court will suit me..When formal occasions or business dinner, of course it has to be held in a better place/restaurant to make your client a consideration accepting my proposal.LOl.| Happy Lotting.
• United States
26 Feb 10
i never had a business meeting but you are right it is better to go to a high end place for business meeting and way more professional and it would feel right! but for everyday eating im fine with boston market or mc donalds ! ^_^
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
29 Mar 10
Well for me both , as long as the food served is nice will be alright.
@gracie04 (4549)
• Philippines
25 Feb 10
I must admit that I'm more comfortable eating at high end restaurants than fast food chains.. Why? Because most of the time the ambiance, service and food are good.. My favorite restaurant would be Harbor view which is located at Seaside in front of SM Mall of Asia.. I so adore the food, it's so appetizing! Plus, the service is superb! We didn't wait for a long time for the food to be served... I can't wait to go back there and try other Filipino dishes...
• United States
25 Feb 10
You just made me hungry that place sounds nice.its always nice to not wait along time for food that really irrates me about some high end places and great hospitality is always a plus.( I just never had good luck with waiters mayb). I never tried filipino food but I won't be scared to try it either! May I ask what is your favorite filipino dish?
@timhinyy (1653)
• United States
25 Feb 10
well if its for a "special" occasion i can see going to the more classy place, which tend to be a bit on the pricey side. we probably as a family will go to red lobster once or maybe twice in a year and even though my dad can afford it he will not usually want to spend that much too often. so we will usually go for a "special" occasion like taking them out for their anniversary or my mom for mother's day though we won't do it on that day, because of how crazy it is at restaurants on that day. if you are looking for affordable and quick and if you like the food the fast food restaurants do have their place, especially if you are on a budget which a lot of us are. i would also agree with you it is nice to be left alone too when you are eating, sometimes they come over too much. once you have your meal they really don't need to come over a lot unless you need a refill on your drink and my lady also likes to have a lot of napkins and the one nicer, but affordable restaurant that we go to has removed their napkin holders so you have to ask for them now.
• United States
25 Feb 10
yea i rather go to classy restaurants only on special occasions because it feels nice to spend a few bucks on good food and have a good time with family or a specail loved one. Some waiters are straight up annoying and try to hard to earn tips!! i like fast food places because its quick and afforable most high end places charge way to much, in my opinion most of the dishes on there menu can be made at home for half the price. i also skip mothers day fathers day and valentines day and push it over to another day because how packed restaurants can get, people really get angery and rude when they are hungry.so i rather avoid conflict and i hate when they make my food wrong.
@harmonee (1228)
• United States
16 Mar 10
I do get annoyed when waiters are always coming to the table. It seems like they could just check in once and then just keep an eye on your drinks from a distance. I am totally good with some fast food burgers, but sometimes I like going to a nicer place to eat. We haven't been to a high end place since we had a kid, but someday I'm sure we'll go back
@emine08 (1551)
• Indonesia
25 Feb 10
I feel more comfortable if I eat in fast food restaurant. There is no table manners at all. I can eat as I want to eat. and there is no waiters who always ask you something. they just serve the food and clean it after we finish it. It is easy way to eat out side home.
• United States
25 Feb 10
yea i agree with you i hate having waiters down my neck asking me stupid questions, like i dont understand why they dont wait to be called (stop trying to fight for tips).i do like that freedom of not having table manners because if i spill my soda i wont be embarrassed and i can get my own refills at the soda machine rather than having to wait for some guy to get you more soda. and ive heard so my stories of waiters spitting in peoples drinks kinda gross
25 Feb 10
I have had much high-end restaurants but to the few I've been to, I become increasingly self-conscious. I think I pay more attention to the people around me than my companion or the food. I'm not alone at feeling like this - I notice a lot of wandering eyes besides my own. I do feel more comfortable eating takeout or at home because than I can pick at my food, choose what I want to eat without the waiters thinking things about my eating habits, and can full-heartedly enjoy my food without worrying about the sides of my mouth.
• United States
26 Feb 10
i like to pick at my food too especailly when you order a steak or a chicken leg its not that easy to cut around the meat, so i tend to be more comfortable at home to pick at my chicken so i wont self embarassed. i believe pasta is the worst food to order at an high end place it gets your mouth all messy and dont think that little cloth napkin is enough.
• Indonesia
25 Feb 10
LOL... in my opinion it's depend on the situation we had... if I don't have enough money I'll go to Fast Food and vice-versa... but actually I prefer go to fast food coz they had more portion than high end restaurant. In Indonesia we called with WARTEG BAHARI... the famous ones of fast food restaurant types...
• United States
25 Feb 10
yeaa your so right i didnt even think of that, high end restaurants just want to stuff you with veggies and appetizers.. then when you get your food its such a small portion and im not the type to order appetizers thats not real food to me i just want the real deal. no thanks to your soups green grass and bread (if i wanted that stuff i would have gone to a vegetarian restaurant) i just want my food!!
@keypee27 (14)
21 Mar 10
Life's simple pleasures is enjoying food with comfort. Im for fastfood!
@DeenaD (2684)
• United States
25 Feb 10
I actually don't like to eat in either of these types of restaurants. I prefer more middle of the road kinds of places, like family restaurants where you can have service, or pizzerias.
@youless (112591)
• Guangzhou, China
1 Mar 10
Of course it is much more comfortable to eat in a fast food restaurant because you are the one who have to serve yourself. I will feel nervous to have a meal in the high class restaurants and I feel like being noticed. This is uncomfortable for me. I love China
@sublime03 (2339)
• Philippines
26 Feb 10
I have to admit, I can eat anywhere. But if given the chance to choose I would rather eat in a high end restaurant so that I would enjoy the place and relax on comfortable chairs. It really depends on the location but again, I can eat anywhere for as long as the food is good as well.
@kaylachan (71918)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Feb 10
I'm not too picky about where I eat. I've been to both places. As long as I don't have to dress up like some doll to eat I'm perfectly happy. And, I will eat about anywhere. And, I used to work as a custmer service rep, so I know what its like to have to say "are you okay/" etc. So yeah I'm fine eaither way.
26 Feb 10
Hello there! It would depend in a certain situation for me like for example if the dining out has to be a bit special then I would head to the nice restaurant in town. I mean when it has to be special or romantic so to say with special people around and with a special occassion to celebrate to.That's where restaurant becomes my choice. Though other times,when it's an ordinary day with ordinary people then i'm going to the fast food centers especially when it's a quick meal because it makes me feel so uncomfortable when having to worry of food unserved or have to eat so fast to catch up with the time. I'm okay with eating at both places though I feel really special and at ease when I'm at the restaurant.I like it's cool setting, the formality, the nice place, the quiet romantic mode and the nice people around.These seems to make me feel so comfortable that I'd like to linger in there for a longer time.
• Australia
26 Feb 10
Im comfortable eating anywhere hahaah that just shows how i love my food :) If its a high end restaurant or even if its just some street shop as long as the food is great then I usually enjoy it. As for service, I will expect it as per their price. If its a prestigous resto then I would expect them to serve me better than if its just a street shop. The same with hygienist level or paper napkins and all those stuff :) The thing is, as long as you have the money to pay for food, who cares what others thinks ? Just enjoy your meal haha