Why do people choose to eat in a restaurant?

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   leroy64posted 11 years ago

   If a person establishes a restaurant, what need is that restaurant meeting?  Is is food or is that too simple of an answer?  Is it the experience or the convenience?  Since the French Revolution, restaurants have been evolving and I think the question is interesting.

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      Beachlifeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      For me it to eat something I don't make or have at home, as well as to have someone else do the cooking and cleaning up afterwards, basically a change of scenery helps.

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         leroy64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I can see the appeal in that.

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      Robie Benveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't eat out much, but when I do these are the reasons:
      - Spend time with my family or friends without having to cook, clean, and wash dishes.
      - I have nothing ready at home, and we are out on the road, so it's convenient to eat at a restaurant.
      that's about it for me. : )

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   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   Some of it to see and be seen.

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      leroy64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is true.  I wonder if some live video feeds are playing into the desire to be seen.  I have read about restaurants experimenting with web-cams.

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         EmpressFelicityposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Wow, that would be a huge turn off for me and I suspect a lot of other people.

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            leroy64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I agree that is a turn off; but, I have ran into people who seek out that kind of thing.

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   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   You mean face recognition?

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      leroy64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No.  it was an article I read a couple of years ago, but I lost track of the experiment.   The place was using a standard webcam.  The face recognition software is different issue.

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   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   Personally I would go for the food which I would not have access to otherwise.

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      leroy64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Do you consider that to be a form of exploration?

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   2uesdayposted 11 years ago

   If we eat out it is usually based on the food offered, the ambiance offered and  the prices. The food is important because if you feel you could have easily prepared the same meal yourself it is not such an interesting experience.

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      leroy64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      There was a small diner I went to once that served those crinkle cut fries I used to buy at the grocery store.  I have not been back since.

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      EmpressFelicityposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, those are pretty much my criteria. It's why I'd rather go out for a curry or a Thai/Chinese, because those types of food are harder to replicate at home. You won't find us eating spaghetti bolognaise in an Italian place, because both I and my other half can cook a great home-made spag bol for a fraction of the cost!

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6. 65

   2uesdayposted 11 years ago

   One of the things that reduces the number of times we eat out (besides the cost)is that I am sometimes told my meals are better than those on offer.
   
   In the past eating out was a good way of trying foods from different countries. Now the meals we eat in the UK are inspired by many different countries recipes.
   
   Some meals or restaurants do earn a place in your memory, that is the ideal.

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   To me, the "needs" restaurants serve (besides offering meals, which address the need for food) involve the natural human need to want to socialize.  Other purposes/needs they serve:
   
   Saving someone time that would be used for cooking.
   Breaking up the monotony of doing the same thing, without variation, every day (in other words, the need do what is "mentally/emotionally nurturing"  (They offer the chance to have different types of foods, the chance to eat in a different environment, the chance to just sit and relax/socialize during a meal.  Those are all "mentally healthy" things to do, as opposed to eating the same thing every day with/without the same people every day, in the same environment.)
   
   Restaurants are kind of a scaled-down version of larger social gatherings (and getting together socially is generally a need most people have).  They offer "mini-social-get-togethers" that don't require a special occasion, don't cost all that much, and can break up an otherwise routine week/month.  A nice restaurant can meet the need to please the aesthetic sense/needs people have to be somewhere attractive and nice.  A restaurant meal shared among business colleagues can mean some business gets done and/or helps the individuals get to know the others a little better.

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   Wesman Todd Shawposted 11 years ago

   Well it is always cool to see a place that has a "vibe" to it that fits your personality, or one aspect of the complex humans we all are.
   
   Being single....I'm rather drawn to restaurants with a good vibe, good food, and pretty waitresses!!!!!!!!!!!
   
   I also think music can play a part in all of that...but I'm more music oriented than some folks are

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   prettydarkhorseposted 11 years ago

   Most people used restaurants for dating and eating out with family. Seldom you can see an individual eating in a restaurant so there is the socialization factor to it. A restaurant is another environment aside from your kitchen and you've got to choose specialized foods.

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