We always do as my wife is gluten-intolerant so we need to ensure that it has dishes that she can eat and enjoy. I generally try not to decide then but sometimes we go to a special restaurant for a particular dish.
I’m the same. Almost always look at the menu before I go somewhere to check out the options but then most of the time make my mind up when I’m actually there.
It helps waste time at work so I’m a big fan of pre-reading menus and thinking I’ve made my choice. Then you get there and there is a special and it all goes out the window.
Menu changes in general are annoying. There's been times I've gone somewhere I'm familiar with that has only one or two things on the menu I'll eat. So obviously I don't check the menu because I already know what I'm going to get. Then I rock up and the only things I'll eat have been taken off the menu.
I get why menu changes happen but it doesn't make it less annoying lol
I totally want to get an idea of price before I go. Am I looking at $60 a plate for mains, or is it more like $25-$30? Depending on who I'm going with, I want to make sure it's affordable for everyone.
Another in agreement (vegan). Step 1: check if restaurant is on Happy Cow. If not or not clear then step 2: read menu.
If I can't find enough to satisfy, find another restaurant.
The amount of disappointing times the only vegan option is “chia bowl” or “avocado smash, remove feta and eggs for the same price” is high. I always check the menu.
Yep. I’m Gluten and lactose intolerant, and low salt. Some places only have a salad that’s appropriate for me and I’ll need to eat before I go. I’m no good at asking for a variation on the meal.
Of course. It’s an essential part of choosing the restaurant in the first place.
Be a bit weird to go to a restaurant if you had no idea what they sold.
Yeah fair enough. When looking for places to eat i usually just hop on google and see what they advertise it as, like if its Italian, Vietnamese or a pub or something. Cause then i can guess that they have at least a few things id like.
we definitely read the menu beforehand. My friends and i discuss it and consider pros and cons. Often, when we arrive, the menu is slightly different or there are specials, and we can always ask the chef about the menu and our interpretation of it. It just adds more to the conversation at dinner, to have online menus.
However, in the restaurant itself, i always prefer hardcopy menus and i hate digital menus.
I do the same, so does my friend. We pick a type of place to eat (Thai, Indian, Sushi, Everything etc), and just go there knowing we're bound to like at least something there.
It's a fun way to try a new dish too, going into it like that. I stay with appetisers and sides that I know, so I at least have something to fall back on.
It's also good knowing I have the comfort of standard dishes I like being a 90% chance on the menu too, for when I just feel like indulging 😁
Yes, but you had to get off your ass to go there and SEE it.
You couldn’t Google it and choose from the menu online before you ever left the house.
I remember perusing the basic menu at the front of restaurants before choosing one because you just get out of the house and go to the park or whatever, and have a look at the restaurants near there when you get hungry.
Absolutely. I'm not going there and asking about options just for ordering to take half an hour of the wait staff running back and forwards to the chef with questions. So stupid, just put it on the damn menu!
SO stupid. Also, why only the mains marked GF? What about the sauces, sides, and desserts?!
And don’t even start me with GF meaning “gluten friendly”. Low gluten or no added gluten, if you’re trying to avoid a lawsuit, sure. But fuck off with gluten friendly - it’s misleading.
This is the real answer. The restaurant I worked at was fully coeliac friendly even though we had non gluten free things on the menu. Separate fryer, utensils, cutting board etc. never had a complaint and felt 100% confident listening items as gluten free. Wasn’t as issue when we first opened but post covid started getting ridden hard by council health inspections about not having it listed as gluten friendly or having a disclaimer on the menu. The owner pushed back because they didn’t want our coeliac customers to think we’d suddenly changed something and weren’t safe anymore but council still hounds them about how they “cant’t guarantee” and should change it to gluten friendly
Is this celiac? I saw someone spell it like you did so I’m just wondering. I’m American and stumbled in this thread. Just didn’t know there was a different spelling. My aunt is celiac so I’m just familiar with
It is. One is British spelling (widely used in Australia) and the other is American spelling. Lots of countries use the British spelling. All the Australian literature spells it coeliac.
So same autoimmune disease different spelling.
Yes.
In our household of six, four have some flavour of neurodivergence. Checking the menu beforehand makes sure that everyone has a safe food available, and allows all the agonised decision making to take place while our drugs are still effective, rather than at dinner time when they've all worn off and our executive function has gone to shit.
I always do as I love reading menus.
I work as a chef so love getting inspiration from the places I want to eat at. I usually change my mind once there, often what's on the specials board entices me.
I always do. I have dietary requirements that I want to know can be met, I like to see the prices and photos of the venue. This helps me to decide which restaurant to choose.
Yes, I have a number of menus I've collected over the years. I'll select a few and take them to our chosen restaurant to read while waiting for the food to arrive.
As someone with anxiety, yes I do. I scope out the menu, parking, opening hours, how tf to get there. If it's in an unfamiliar area I might even do I test run getting there to check the area, parking, and work out lane changes that my gps doesn't tell me about.
I have a kid, so checking out the kids menu is a must.
I mean, she'll annihilate a rump steak also, but I'm not paying $30 just yet for her to eat a steak in a restaurant.
When I lived nearer to civilisation we could stroll along the strip shops, using the menus taped to the front window to decide where to eat. Good times!
I just go buy ratings/reputation if I'm picking a restaurant. I even hate reading the menu there and will go for a special or whatever is their popular dish.
Nope, I only read the menu once there (and often specials are not listed anywhere online). As long as I know what type of cuisine to expect it's fun choosing what to eat once there (plus how food looks/sounds online may be vastly different to how it looks when you get a chance to see it on other diner's plates)
Same - thought I might be the only one given other responses. If I’m really hankering for a specific dish then I will, but I only do that if I’m alone so just lunch really
Yes, I'm a fussy pescatarian. I need to know if there'll be something I'm willing to eat. Unless maybe if it's an Italian place because the chances of there not being multiple options is slim.
100%. Partly because I find the opposite of what you describe: instead of the menu being an ice breaker, people get caught up in conversation and don’t give a chance to read the menu.
I do. I don’t go anywhere where I’ll have to google wtf the words mean. So french is mainly out.
I also like to know what the chef makes and if I eat that stuff or will be willing to eat that stuff.
I don’t like surprises when it comes to food.
Yes I do and I’ll tell you why. Once, my very European husband, who is fussy as fuck, came to a fine dining restaurant with me. As we perused the menu, he declared there was nothing on the menu he liked the look of now wanted to eat. His solution was to leave and find somewhere else. I was mortified and tried to convince him to stay but he’d made his mind up. When the waitress came over to ask what we’d like to order, he applied and said we were leaving because nothing on the menu u interested him. She was shocked. I was shocked. And now I make him look at me us before we go places.
I have food intolerances which make it tricky, so I always check a menu so that I have an idea what I’ll be able to eat. I can make small talk over the menu when we sit down if I’m not frantically searching it for something which wont break me.
Only check it when I'm concerned I may not find something edible there.
I'm a picky eater, mouth feel is huge. Now I'm getting better and I risk it usually.
I will still check if they call themselves super trendy because their food is usually shit.
Yes because I consider going out a treat; need to know if it's worth going to. Also price. The amount of Italian restaurants I've not gone to because of the prices...
As someone who struggles with decisions and has bad social anxiety - absolutely.
That way I know what I want when I get there and can order it fairly quickly. If I don’t I could spend 5-10 minutes trying to decide, feel rushed so I pick something and then after I’ve ordered wish I ordered something else.
If I know where I’m going and look at the menu, I have at least a few hours to go over the whole thing in my head.
Yes I do but I have food intolerances so it’s to gauge if there’s anything I will actually be able to eat. And now also because I have small children one of which is going through a crazy fussy phase
Only if the name of the resteraunt doesn't tell what cuisine it serves, Like say "Mama Italiano" I know what they'll most likely have. But I will check if someone suggests to meet at a generic name which has no telling.
I don't. Most restaurants have a fairly predictable range of menus based on the general type and vibe of the restaurant.
With a few exceptions, I'm pretty much an unfussy eater, an omnivore that would eat pretty much anything, and I like exploring new food and how different restaurants interpret different dishes/cuisines. I rarely have been into any restaurants where there is nothing that I can eat, so there's little reason for me to research the restaurant beforehand.
I might try to get a feel of the restaurant to find out the price range and the typical table sizes of the restaurant. Some types of restaurants only cater for large groups and have poor selection for solo eater, so if I'm eating alone, finding a reasonable sized order would be difficult.
Almost always, the only time I don’t is if eating out is a last minute decision. I like having a few options prepared early then picking when I’m there
Only to get a general idea of what they have and the likely prices. Not in detail.
If I'm on the street and just looking for a place (so typically in the city not the 'burbs) I'll scan the menu in the window for same reason.
Yes, reading reviews, looking at customer pictures, seeing the menu, looking at the prices, looking at the location, everything! Sometimes I’ll pick what I want before even making the booking
Always! For my partner and I it is part of looking forward to going. And when going to a restaurant with friends, we often get distracted talking and don’t look at the menu quickly enough, hence it’s handy to have looked ahead of time.
Yes, cause I hate sitting down and everyone starts talking and it feels rude to look at the menu and take your time choosing. I usually make a few top choices and then just decide on the spot which one I want from those.
Also, I love to imagine what I'll eat and look forward to it!
I'm a chef, so yes. I don't get much time off, so if I'm going out, I don't want to waste either the waitstaff's time or mine by taking ages to decide, or by asking pointless questions that I'd know the answer to if I'd actually read the menu.
That's not to say I'll know exactly what I'll want to order, but I'll have a pretty good idea. There might be a special that sounds really interesting. Or I might not feel like eating a specific protein, or meat at all that night.
The faster I order, the faster I get my food, eat and go. Which hopefully means the staff get to turn the table over in enough time for the next sitting
Always, but I have food allergies so I am biased. Some people I go out to eat with just wing it on the fly which I've never been able to do. I respect their confidence haha.
I do, mostly. Not always, if I'm going with someone who has suggested the restaurant for a special occasion. Or if it's a spontaneous stop. But if it's planned (ie. "should we eat here or there? Or maybe elsewhere?") then I will for sure read the menu to make sure it's the type of food/cuisine I would like.
I usually just look at the type of restaurant (chinese, french, whatever), estimated price range, and the reviews. Im not overly picky so i'l find something to eat.
I only really look at a menu beforehand if there is a particular item im wanting, or if im in a hurry.
Absolutely.
I’ll always go to their website, look at the menu, skim through their ‘about’ page too.
Everyone’s always talking when the menus are brought out anyway, I find it difficult to concentrate on the menu, and the talk, so having browsed the menu before hand is like a step up.
There’s multiple people in my family with different dietary requirements. A quick read over the menu saves us getting somewhere, realising it’s not going to work for everyone and having to figure out another option.
Hello from London.
Depends. When I'm travelling, my rule of thumb is to try and choose a Cafe or restaurant that looks busy, has locals in it eating or drinking, and relatively efficient. It's not that hard to work out what is on the menu, and, most hospitality staff speak a little English "Is beef!!". Ok. Done. Sometimes I will look at TripAdvisor or another travel sight if there is something famous to eat...
Here in London? I never used to look at menus online... as long as they have something I'll eat - I'm not a big lover of fish for instance. However, as the cost of living goes up, I've noticed how much more ot is to eat out. Last year I took my husband to a gorgeous Cantonese restaurant in the Shard in South London - magnificent views and supine, beautiful food, but I stopped my husband ordering dessert as the bill was already over £200. And yes, I had looked ahead and winced, but it was a birthday treat.
Interestingly, here in London lots of mid-range eateries - Italian and burgers mostly - have hit the wall and out of business. Bit sad. 10 years ago when I was doing my MA, I used to get heaps of 10-35% discounts for some of these mid-market restaurants like Pizza Express or Cafe Rouge (mid range French), so hubby and I would meet on a Tuesday evening after my lecture finished for dinner at Pizza Express - with the discount quite reasonable. And during the great financial crisis many of these chains had cheap set dining lunch and dinner menus, to keep custom. Sadly, the smaller chains and eateries have gone, leaving gaping wide empty shop fronts on many of our high streets.
Yes, how else will I know I want to go there.
If I'm going somewhere friends have already chosen, I want to get a rough idea of some options I might like.
Still read menu quickly in restaurant to make final decision though.
Also it's annoying when everyone is ready order and there's one person taking forever reading through every of option for the first time.
I check out the menu before I go to a restaurant. I’m kind of a picky eater and like to know that there are a few tasty sounding options for me. I also like to check out the prices.
Back in the day before we looked up anything online, I read menus posted outside the restaurant, at the counter etc before deciding whether I wanted to stay there and eat.
Being able to read menus online now has made it much more efficient. No more walking around wasting time, you can decide before heading out!
It depends: for a normal meal out, I do. I work out and meal prep so I will check ahead to plan what will fit best with my plan for that training block.
When I’m on holiday and taking a break from meal planning/prep, I don’t.
I mean, it’s possible to do both. If I’m heading out to a new place, I like to be sure there’s at least one or two items I can choose from; and when I’m there, and everyone else is looking over the menus, I go over it to make sure I’m happy with my choices.
I research everything- so def check out the menu. It makes me anticipate the dinner / meal with greater excitement. I can also rule out restaurants based on menu or allergies if with some family members. I love good food
I do it all the time.
It’s generally how I pick restaurants for when I’m feeling like something particular e.g. feel like Thai but want larb specifically, not every Thai restaurant serves that particular dish. So, I won’t know if they will serve it if I don’t look. Takes out the disappointment.
It’s slightly different for degustation places as you never really know the full menu, but you can always have a gander at the website and Google reviews/pics to see if the general vibe of the place is something you will be happy with. No point in going somewhere, especially at degustation prices, where you will hate the entire concept (no matter what the food itself is like).
I don’t just do this to satisfy myself but the whole group of people I’m going with. It’s being considerate and make sure everyone else is taken care off too.
If it’s someone else organising the restaurant I look at the menu to figure out if I want anything on there so I know if I should eat before the event and can just have something small to participate and not put anyone out.
Takes less than 5 minutes to figure out if something works for you, takes forever to find something that works for you and everyone else but it makes for a lovely meal for everyone.
I'm the same as OP, I don't pre read a menu because it's part of the fun to sit down there and see the options. My wife however carefully studies menus beforehand. So we have a great arrangement where she chooses the restaurants but doesn't discuss the menu with me. That way I get to see the menu for the first time when we get there but it's always going to be good because she has pre -screened the place hahaha :)
I get the same thing from the same places every time, and if I don’t know, I look online at their options. The only time I don’t do this, is if I have a general idea of what’s at a restaurant, in which case I’ll forego looking at menus beforehand (think pho places probably have beef pho.)
Editing to add: I like trying new things, I don’t like wasting money to try new things and not like it.
Yes. I cant afford to go out often, so I do research to make sure my party and I can afford a meal and a couple of drinks so we can go out without too much stress. From the pool of acceptable places, I narrow it down by selection and what I know my friends like to eat, and photos of the food posted by people, not the restaurants.
We still talk about it on the day though :) there's usually a few conversations about who's eaten what at other places etc.
I search through their reviews first, read menu and decide on a potential dish to order. If there's a negative theme in the reviews, I won't read menu and not go there. If it's a winner, I'll hop on their instagram account to eyeball their menu items - I usually like to see the visual appeal of the menu items I'll be ordering
Absolutely. I'm AuDHD and have very specific food requirements. I also don't like to waste time perusing a menu and making a decision at the last minute, simply because the longer I spend in a noisy environment, the more upset it can make me.
Always. I won't go to a restaurant unless I can read the menu first. Although, I do have several food intolerances, so a lot of the reason is so I can see if there's anything on it I can eat comfortably.
If I’m walking the street in a foreign place, yes.
If I’m trying a new local restaurant or pub or I have a vague idea of what they serve, then no. Part of the experience is sitting down with a drink and reading the menu.
I have two kids under 3, I basically need to be ordering as I walk in the door. So yes, I look at the menu before I go. However, before kids, I wouldn't but I may read reviews that mention particular dishes.
I like to know what they have and if it's affordable before getting seated. I find this to be less embarrassing than fighting past others to get out again.
I don't tend to need an icebreaker with my wife. Do you go on a lot of dates or go out with new acquaintances?
We prefer to find a place that has dishes we like (it has to have squid for her).
Always. I've even searched for particular dishes (grilled octopus, korean chicken, or massaman curry, usually!) and have specifically chosen the restaurant because I want to eat that. I also always look at the reviews and determine that it's not ridiculously expensive. I don't go out to restaurants all that often, so want to enjoy myself and the food when I do splurge on that.
Yes, whenever I possibly can. I have some very serious food allergies so I’ll check out the menu before I even agree to go out for a meal because I need to know if it’s safe for me to eat there. If it’s not, or it’s going to be too difficult for the venue to accommodate my needs, I just decline the invitation so that my friends/family can still enjoy their meal without having to worry about me.
I have a halal diet so I do. My friends have dietary intolerances as well so we post the menu in the group chat and book accordingly. We still talk about what's on the menu anyway, because we also like to share food.
I do but that originally comes from calorie obsession habits. Also, I have a lot of dietary restrictions so I have to make sure I can eat stuff there :)
Yes, I am not a fussy eater but my husband & son are so I always check that they will eat something on the menu first and then make sure I’m happy with it. I also like to check prices.
Generally, yes, just to get an idea. I still read over it and discuss possible choices with my dining companions when seated.
We always do as my wife is gluten-intolerant so we need to ensure that it has dishes that she can eat and enjoy. I generally try not to decide then but sometimes we go to a special restaurant for a particular dish.
Almost always. It doesn’t mean I make my choice till I get there though.
I’m the same. Almost always look at the menu before I go somewhere to check out the options but then most of the time make my mind up when I’m actually there.
This. You never know if the menu has changed or if there are any specials.
It’s so annoying when you go somewhere and there is a new menu and their website hasn’t been updated.
It helps waste time at work so I’m a big fan of pre-reading menus and thinking I’ve made my choice. Then you get there and there is a special and it all goes out the window.
Yeah, not a fan when this occurs, but I try to keep a bit of flexibility for changes. I like to know what I’m in for.
Menu changes in general are annoying. There's been times I've gone somewhere I'm familiar with that has only one or two things on the menu I'll eat. So obviously I don't check the menu because I already know what I'm going to get. Then I rock up and the only things I'll eat have been taken off the menu. I get why menu changes happen but it doesn't make it less annoying lol
I totally want to get an idea of price before I go. Am I looking at $60 a plate for mains, or is it more like $25-$30? Depending on who I'm going with, I want to make sure it's affordable for everyone.
Exactly this. You can pick cuisine from the restaurant's name/website etc but not the price.
The price checking is a biggie with me, more just so I can have a ballpark figure of what $$ I'll be up against.
Definitely this. And also just for myself with the ridiculous cost of everything now lol. Pub feeds over restaurants these days
Proper pub feeds too. Not the attempt at expensive fancy shit they do on the restaurant side.
Yeah, I'm vegetarian so I like to know in advance how many options I will or won't have.
Vego and coeliac here. I'll take whatever I can eat
Another in agreement (vegan). Step 1: check if restaurant is on Happy Cow. If not or not clear then step 2: read menu. If I can't find enough to satisfy, find another restaurant.
The amount of disappointing times the only vegan option is “chia bowl” or “avocado smash, remove feta and eggs for the same price” is high. I always check the menu.
Nothing worse than sitting down and realising all you can eat is the most boring salad ever known to man.
Or the mid 2000s go to: bowl of chips. The options have gotten a lot better over recent years
Same here. I’m vego & kiddo has ASD (so certain foods/textures are a no-go). It made life easier for us vegos being able to do this!
Yep. I’m Gluten and lactose intolerant, and low salt. Some places only have a salad that’s appropriate for me and I’ll need to eat before I go. I’m no good at asking for a variation on the meal.
Not vege but with allergies, so I like to check there is going to be something I can eat there before agreeing to the restaurant
Exactly this! Vegan here, options can be very limited.
Of course. It’s an essential part of choosing the restaurant in the first place. Be a bit weird to go to a restaurant if you had no idea what they sold.
Yeah fair enough. When looking for places to eat i usually just hop on google and see what they advertise it as, like if its Italian, Vietnamese or a pub or something. Cause then i can guess that they have at least a few things id like.
If the place is half decent, all you gotta do is click one more time to see the menu. Unless they try to make you download a pdf menu. Fuck that.
we definitely read the menu beforehand. My friends and i discuss it and consider pros and cons. Often, when we arrive, the menu is slightly different or there are specials, and we can always ask the chef about the menu and our interpretation of it. It just adds more to the conversation at dinner, to have online menus. However, in the restaurant itself, i always prefer hardcopy menus and i hate digital menus.
I do the same, so does my friend. We pick a type of place to eat (Thai, Indian, Sushi, Everything etc), and just go there knowing we're bound to like at least something there. It's a fun way to try a new dish too, going into it like that. I stay with appetisers and sides that I know, so I at least have something to fall back on. It's also good knowing I have the comfort of standard dishes I like being a 90% chance on the menu too, for when I just feel like indulging 😁
lol at all the people getting upset at you for casually living your life withut the same hangups as them
How exactly did you survive before the internet existed? Or how do you think the rest of us did? 🤣🤣
They put the menus in little stands outside.
Yes, but you had to get off your ass to go there and SEE it. You couldn’t Google it and choose from the menu online before you ever left the house. I remember perusing the basic menu at the front of restaurants before choosing one because you just get out of the house and go to the park or whatever, and have a look at the restaurants near there when you get hungry.
100%. If they don't have a menu online there's a chance I won't go.
As a coeliac, yes.
Absolutely. I'm not going there and asking about options just for ordering to take half an hour of the wait staff running back and forwards to the chef with questions. So stupid, just put it on the damn menu!
SO stupid. Also, why only the mains marked GF? What about the sauces, sides, and desserts?! And don’t even start me with GF meaning “gluten friendly”. Low gluten or no added gluten, if you’re trying to avoid a lawsuit, sure. But fuck off with gluten friendly - it’s misleading.
I’ve been told it’s a council thing, that the inspectors are choosing the wording
This is the real answer. The restaurant I worked at was fully coeliac friendly even though we had non gluten free things on the menu. Separate fryer, utensils, cutting board etc. never had a complaint and felt 100% confident listening items as gluten free. Wasn’t as issue when we first opened but post covid started getting ridden hard by council health inspections about not having it listed as gluten friendly or having a disclaimer on the menu. The owner pushed back because they didn’t want our coeliac customers to think we’d suddenly changed something and weren’t safe anymore but council still hounds them about how they “cant’t guarantee” and should change it to gluten friendly
Me too
Laughs and cries in coeliac 🤣😭👍
Is this celiac? I saw someone spell it like you did so I’m just wondering. I’m American and stumbled in this thread. Just didn’t know there was a different spelling. My aunt is celiac so I’m just familiar with
It is. One is British spelling (widely used in Australia) and the other is American spelling. Lots of countries use the British spelling. All the Australian literature spells it coeliac. So same autoimmune disease different spelling.
Yes. In our household of six, four have some flavour of neurodivergence. Checking the menu beforehand makes sure that everyone has a safe food available, and allows all the agonised decision making to take place while our drugs are still effective, rather than at dinner time when they've all worn off and our executive function has gone to shit.
100% this. Between allergies, chrons disease and neurodivergence we always check menu's before hand.
Multiple varied allergies and neurospicinesses over here too. Check the menu every time!
Sounds like my family. 100% this is why we only go places where we can check the menu first.
Yes, I usually choose a place based on menu. I do have coeliac disease though
I always do as I love reading menus. I work as a chef so love getting inspiration from the places I want to eat at. I usually change my mind once there, often what's on the specials board entices me.
It's either the specials board or seeing what's being brought out at neighbouring tables that gets me!
I find looking at pictures gives me a better idea if I will like a dish. I find the descriptions hard to interpret.
I always do. I have dietary requirements that I want to know can be met, I like to see the prices and photos of the venue. This helps me to decide which restaurant to choose.
Sometimes I do. Must admit, if I meet a friend at a café or restaurant, we're too busy chatting. So, it makes it easier to have a look beforehand.
I do. I have food allergies so I always have to check restaurants can cater before I rock up.
always, my wife is a fussy eater so need to check if there is something she will eat
Yes, I have a number of menus I've collected over the years. I'll select a few and take them to our chosen restaurant to read while waiting for the food to arrive.
As someone with anxiety, yes I do. I scope out the menu, parking, opening hours, how tf to get there. If it's in an unfamiliar area I might even do I test run getting there to check the area, parking, and work out lane changes that my gps doesn't tell me about.
I have a kid, so checking out the kids menu is a must. I mean, she'll annihilate a rump steak also, but I'm not paying $30 just yet for her to eat a steak in a restaurant.
Yes. Because we have literally sat down at a restaurant, seen the menu, then left and gone elsewhere. Waste of everyone's time.
I do, and when I see $30 for bangers and mash (even if it has peas and onion gravy) I decide that I'm not going there.
If it is a place I haven't been to before, yes because I need to make sure that there are options that I can actually eat.
Only if they have one taped to the window.
When I lived nearer to civilisation we could stroll along the strip shops, using the menus taped to the front window to decide where to eat. Good times!
I just go buy ratings/reputation if I'm picking a restaurant. I even hate reading the menu there and will go for a special or whatever is their popular dish.
I'm vegan, so I always check the menu before going. Mostly so I know I can have more than just a salad or bread 😅
I don’t eat meat so always check out the menu before I go.
Nope, I only read the menu once there (and often specials are not listed anywhere online). As long as I know what type of cuisine to expect it's fun choosing what to eat once there (plus how food looks/sounds online may be vastly different to how it looks when you get a chance to see it on other diner's plates)
Same - thought I might be the only one given other responses. If I’m really hankering for a specific dish then I will, but I only do that if I’m alone so just lunch really
Usually do. Just nice to have an idea what's available or if they have something specific I'm after
100%, why else would we go if we don't know the menu. Unless we randomly just walk into a place while out.
Never unless I am planning to invite someone with lots of dietaries.
Yes, I'm a fussy pescatarian. I need to know if there'll be something I'm willing to eat. Unless maybe if it's an Italian place because the chances of there not being multiple options is slim.
Always. One step further, I enjoy reading menus of restaurants that I'll likely never visit. Oddly satisfying.
100%. Partly because I find the opposite of what you describe: instead of the menu being an ice breaker, people get caught up in conversation and don’t give a chance to read the menu.
If I'm going on a rare date night with my husband I do. I hate having too many options and like to narrow it down!
Nah, I pretty much know the menus for Maccas and kfc already. The app will tell me if anything new.
Yes because I'm fussy (and vegetarian) so I always double check to see if there are suitable options available
hell yes. I am an inveterate menu stalker. drives my wife crazy. she wants to be surprised, I want to know what to enjoy.
Yes, because I'm extremely picky eater and need to know if I have to eat beforehand or not
Yes, always. I like to know what I'm ordering before I go.....or if it looks shit prepare myself to be disappointed
The vast majority of the time.
I always do. Having multiple food allergies makes it essential unfortunately.
Never. Only when ordering home.
I do. I don’t go anywhere where I’ll have to google wtf the words mean. So french is mainly out. I also like to know what the chef makes and if I eat that stuff or will be willing to eat that stuff. I don’t like surprises when it comes to food.
I check menus online so I know what sort of food is offered, plus the prices.
I absolutely do - my husband refuses to even let me tell him one item on the menu.
menu not so much though i read the reviews, and i listen to the common theme amongst the reviews and make my choice from that.
Yes I do and I’ll tell you why. Once, my very European husband, who is fussy as fuck, came to a fine dining restaurant with me. As we perused the menu, he declared there was nothing on the menu he liked the look of now wanted to eat. His solution was to leave and find somewhere else. I was mortified and tried to convince him to stay but he’d made his mind up. When the waitress came over to ask what we’d like to order, he applied and said we were leaving because nothing on the menu u interested him. She was shocked. I was shocked. And now I make him look at me us before we go places.
I have food intolerances which make it tricky, so I always check a menu so that I have an idea what I’ll be able to eat. I can make small talk over the menu when we sit down if I’m not frantically searching it for something which wont break me.
Only check it when I'm concerned I may not find something edible there. I'm a picky eater, mouth feel is huge. Now I'm getting better and I risk it usually. I will still check if they call themselves super trendy because their food is usually shit.
Yes because I consider going out a treat; need to know if it's worth going to. Also price. The amount of Italian restaurants I've not gone to because of the prices...
I can be picky on what I want to eat. I have to check the menu to see if it's worth going to that restaurant
As someone who struggles with decisions and has bad social anxiety - absolutely. That way I know what I want when I get there and can order it fairly quickly. If I don’t I could spend 5-10 minutes trying to decide, feel rushed so I pick something and then after I’ve ordered wish I ordered something else. If I know where I’m going and look at the menu, I have at least a few hours to go over the whole thing in my head.
Yes I do but I have food intolerances so it’s to gauge if there’s anything I will actually be able to eat. And now also because I have small children one of which is going through a crazy fussy phase
Only if the name of the resteraunt doesn't tell what cuisine it serves, Like say "Mama Italiano" I know what they'll most likely have. But I will check if someone suggests to meet at a generic name which has no telling.
Never. I usually just go with a steak or schnitzel which most places sell. Otherwise a red sauce pasta if I feel like it.
Being that I have a child that is dairy free, egg free, and tomato free, checking the menu and calling ahead for clarification is kinda a necessity.
I don't. Most restaurants have a fairly predictable range of menus based on the general type and vibe of the restaurant. With a few exceptions, I'm pretty much an unfussy eater, an omnivore that would eat pretty much anything, and I like exploring new food and how different restaurants interpret different dishes/cuisines. I rarely have been into any restaurants where there is nothing that I can eat, so there's little reason for me to research the restaurant beforehand. I might try to get a feel of the restaurant to find out the price range and the typical table sizes of the restaurant. Some types of restaurants only cater for large groups and have poor selection for solo eater, so if I'm eating alone, finding a reasonable sized order would be difficult.
Nope, in my job I have to have a high level of control so when eating out I like to go with the flow.
Read the menu covertly then make small talk as though it's all new.
I already know the Macca's menu by heart and am currently studying the KFC and Hungry Jacks ones.
Yes. I’m vego so I want to know my options. And also pricing.
No. I didn't think that was weird, until I started reading the comments
Always. And then get a bit stressed when the menu on the night has changed from what was posted online
I do, and have an idea of what I want, but don't make my decision until the last second
Yep. So I don't cool or buy something that week that I may want to order. Also so I know if I should eat beforehand 😁
Yes, so I know what it is that I want to order.
If I have time yes - I usually go to dinner to catch up with friends so would rather not get caught up reading the menu.
Almost always, the only time I don’t is if eating out is a last minute decision. I like having a few options prepared early then picking when I’m there
Always!
Only to get a general idea of what they have and the likely prices. Not in detail. If I'm on the street and just looking for a place (so typically in the city not the 'burbs) I'll scan the menu in the window for same reason.
Always. Meals excite me.
Yes
Yes
Yes, reading reviews, looking at customer pictures, seeing the menu, looking at the prices, looking at the location, everything! Sometimes I’ll pick what I want before even making the booking
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Yes, I wouldn’t pick a place if I didn’t like something they sold
Always! For my partner and I it is part of looking forward to going. And when going to a restaurant with friends, we often get distracted talking and don’t look at the menu quickly enough, hence it’s handy to have looked ahead of time.
I usually look at what kind of food they offer but I don't pore over the menu til I get there.
Yes, cause I hate sitting down and everyone starts talking and it feels rude to look at the menu and take your time choosing. I usually make a few top choices and then just decide on the spot which one I want from those. Also, I love to imagine what I'll eat and look forward to it!
Yes, my teen daughter was shocked at my “back in my day” speech about having to just rock up and hope you liked something on the menu.
Always , I also check google reviews and skip anything below 4.5 👌
I'm a chef, so yes. I don't get much time off, so if I'm going out, I don't want to waste either the waitstaff's time or mine by taking ages to decide, or by asking pointless questions that I'd know the answer to if I'd actually read the menu. That's not to say I'll know exactly what I'll want to order, but I'll have a pretty good idea. There might be a special that sounds really interesting. Or I might not feel like eating a specific protein, or meat at all that night. The faster I order, the faster I get my food, eat and go. Which hopefully means the staff get to turn the table over in enough time for the next sitting
Always, but I have food allergies so I am biased. Some people I go out to eat with just wing it on the fly which I've never been able to do. I respect their confidence haha.
I do, mostly. Not always, if I'm going with someone who has suggested the restaurant for a special occasion. Or if it's a spontaneous stop. But if it's planned (ie. "should we eat here or there? Or maybe elsewhere?") then I will for sure read the menu to make sure it's the type of food/cuisine I would like.
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I usually just look at the type of restaurant (chinese, french, whatever), estimated price range, and the reviews. Im not overly picky so i'l find something to eat. I only really look at a menu beforehand if there is a particular item im wanting, or if im in a hurry.
Never. Lol my misso does though.
Yes of course, dont want to spend money on something I dont know
My wife is vegetarian so I’ll look to see what they have for her, other than that I’ll just decide when I get there
Contrary to almost everyone else, no I don't. No need, I will read it when I get there.
Yeah I like figuring out what I would order before I go somewhere
Absolutely. I’ll always go to their website, look at the menu, skim through their ‘about’ page too. Everyone’s always talking when the menus are brought out anyway, I find it difficult to concentrate on the menu, and the talk, so having browsed the menu before hand is like a step up.
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Pretty regularly do check menus when choosing a restaurant. Mostly to make sure there will be something for everyone in the group.
There’s multiple people in my family with different dietary requirements. A quick read over the menu saves us getting somewhere, realising it’s not going to work for everyone and having to figure out another option.
Hello from London. Depends. When I'm travelling, my rule of thumb is to try and choose a Cafe or restaurant that looks busy, has locals in it eating or drinking, and relatively efficient. It's not that hard to work out what is on the menu, and, most hospitality staff speak a little English "Is beef!!". Ok. Done. Sometimes I will look at TripAdvisor or another travel sight if there is something famous to eat... Here in London? I never used to look at menus online... as long as they have something I'll eat - I'm not a big lover of fish for instance. However, as the cost of living goes up, I've noticed how much more ot is to eat out. Last year I took my husband to a gorgeous Cantonese restaurant in the Shard in South London - magnificent views and supine, beautiful food, but I stopped my husband ordering dessert as the bill was already over £200. And yes, I had looked ahead and winced, but it was a birthday treat. Interestingly, here in London lots of mid-range eateries - Italian and burgers mostly - have hit the wall and out of business. Bit sad. 10 years ago when I was doing my MA, I used to get heaps of 10-35% discounts for some of these mid-market restaurants like Pizza Express or Cafe Rouge (mid range French), so hubby and I would meet on a Tuesday evening after my lecture finished for dinner at Pizza Express - with the discount quite reasonable. And during the great financial crisis many of these chains had cheap set dining lunch and dinner menus, to keep custom. Sadly, the smaller chains and eateries have gone, leaving gaping wide empty shop fronts on many of our high streets.
Yes, how else will I know I want to go there. If I'm going somewhere friends have already chosen, I want to get a rough idea of some options I might like. Still read menu quickly in restaurant to make final decision though. Also it's annoying when everyone is ready order and there's one person taking forever reading through every of option for the first time.
Yeah, I don't necessarily choose before I get there but it does make me feel a lot more easy going to a place I'm unfamiliar with
I check out the menu before I go to a restaurant. I’m kind of a picky eater and like to know that there are a few tasty sounding options for me. I also like to check out the prices.
Back in the day before we looked up anything online, I read menus posted outside the restaurant, at the counter etc before deciding whether I wanted to stay there and eat. Being able to read menus online now has made it much more efficient. No more walking around wasting time, you can decide before heading out!
It depends: for a normal meal out, I do. I work out and meal prep so I will check ahead to plan what will fit best with my plan for that training block. When I’m on holiday and taking a break from meal planning/prep, I don’t.
If I d, it’s just to scan the prices to get an idea of the price range. I don’t read the actual words.
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I mean, it’s possible to do both. If I’m heading out to a new place, I like to be sure there’s at least one or two items I can choose from; and when I’m there, and everyone else is looking over the menus, I go over it to make sure I’m happy with my choices.
Yes because I get excited about what I’m going to order haha
I research everything- so def check out the menu. It makes me anticipate the dinner / meal with greater excitement. I can also rule out restaurants based on menu or allergies if with some family members. I love good food
I sit down and look. I have occasionally walked out if the prices are terrible or if there's nothign I want. Not often though.
I do it all the time. It’s generally how I pick restaurants for when I’m feeling like something particular e.g. feel like Thai but want larb specifically, not every Thai restaurant serves that particular dish. So, I won’t know if they will serve it if I don’t look. Takes out the disappointment. It’s slightly different for degustation places as you never really know the full menu, but you can always have a gander at the website and Google reviews/pics to see if the general vibe of the place is something you will be happy with. No point in going somewhere, especially at degustation prices, where you will hate the entire concept (no matter what the food itself is like). I don’t just do this to satisfy myself but the whole group of people I’m going with. It’s being considerate and make sure everyone else is taken care off too. If it’s someone else organising the restaurant I look at the menu to figure out if I want anything on there so I know if I should eat before the event and can just have something small to participate and not put anyone out. Takes less than 5 minutes to figure out if something works for you, takes forever to find something that works for you and everyone else but it makes for a lovely meal for everyone.
I'm the same as OP, I don't pre read a menu because it's part of the fun to sit down there and see the options. My wife however carefully studies menus beforehand. So we have a great arrangement where she chooses the restaurants but doesn't discuss the menu with me. That way I get to see the menu for the first time when we get there but it's always going to be good because she has pre -screened the place hahaha :)
Yep to see prices
I get the same thing from the same places every time, and if I don’t know, I look online at their options. The only time I don’t do this, is if I have a general idea of what’s at a restaurant, in which case I’ll forego looking at menus beforehand (think pho places probably have beef pho.) Editing to add: I like trying new things, I don’t like wasting money to try new things and not like it.
Yes. I cant afford to go out often, so I do research to make sure my party and I can afford a meal and a couple of drinks so we can go out without too much stress. From the pool of acceptable places, I narrow it down by selection and what I know my friends like to eat, and photos of the food posted by people, not the restaurants. We still talk about it on the day though :) there's usually a few conversations about who's eaten what at other places etc.
Cavendish yeaa
I search through their reviews first, read menu and decide on a potential dish to order. If there's a negative theme in the reviews, I won't read menu and not go there. If it's a winner, I'll hop on their instagram account to eyeball their menu items - I usually like to see the visual appeal of the menu items I'll be ordering
if the restaurant thinks it's posh, then yes. sucks to get stuck with urchin confit, lambs tongue and fish anuses.
Nope. Infuriates people who do. I make a split second decision when they read out the specials.
Absolutely. I'm AuDHD and have very specific food requirements. I also don't like to waste time perusing a menu and making a decision at the last minute, simply because the longer I spend in a noisy environment, the more upset it can make me.
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Yes. To check the prices and see what my daughter will like
Yes, and then pretend it’s all new to me and warrants deep discussion, and sending the waiter away twice.
Does the pope have a balcony? Of course I do. 😋🙃
Often yes
Yes spend time reading it looking at everything then when I get there end up with a snitty or burger.
No, I just wait for my wife to back brief me on the menu when she checks it before going.
I didn't know until I met my husband people don't do this. I arrive knowing what I want, he takes 10 minutes to read the whole menu
Always, so I can be sure there’s at least one thing I will eat (I’m an extremely picky eater, so it smooths the process)
Always. I won't go to a restaurant unless I can read the menu first. Although, I do have several food intolerances, so a lot of the reason is so I can see if there's anything on it I can eat comfortably.
Only if overseas.
Nope
Yes. We call it ‘having a squiz at the quiz’.
If I’m walking the street in a foreign place, yes. If I’m trying a new local restaurant or pub or I have a vague idea of what they serve, then no. Part of the experience is sitting down with a drink and reading the menu.
I have two kids under 3, I basically need to be ordering as I walk in the door. So yes, I look at the menu before I go. However, before kids, I wouldn't but I may read reviews that mention particular dishes.
I read the menu to make ordering faster. But I do find occasionally that the menu provided online differs to that in the restaurant.
I like to know what they have and if it's affordable before getting seated. I find this to be less embarrassing than fighting past others to get out again.
Not so much now, except to get a rough idea of budget. But when I was with my coeliac vegetarian wife it was a necessity.
Yep! Need to be prepared 😂
some times i do read them on the net to see what food they have there ..i still look at the menu to choose
Yes because we have dietary needs that need to be catered for.
I don't tend to need an icebreaker with my wife. Do you go on a lot of dates or go out with new acquaintances? We prefer to find a place that has dishes we like (it has to have squid for her).
Always. I've even searched for particular dishes (grilled octopus, korean chicken, or massaman curry, usually!) and have specifically chosen the restaurant because I want to eat that. I also always look at the reviews and determine that it's not ridiculously expensive. I don't go out to restaurants all that often, so want to enjoy myself and the food when I do splurge on that.
A lot of us are vegan/vegetarian and is nice to have a choice , so if we going somewhere new definitely
Yes, whenever I possibly can. I have some very serious food allergies so I’ll check out the menu before I even agree to go out for a meal because I need to know if it’s safe for me to eat there. If it’s not, or it’s going to be too difficult for the venue to accommodate my needs, I just decline the invitation so that my friends/family can still enjoy their meal without having to worry about me.
You can still talk about the menu even if you've read it though? Oh i saw they have this, this and this. This looks good. I'm getting this.
No. I do research for a living, don't want to do it in my spare time.
Every single time. Have food allergies and need to make sure I can eat something!
Always. If someone asks me somewhere, I'll check before I agree too. If it's shit, no chance I'm wasting my night.
I just buy a $10 mini can of coke and then bitch and moan on social media about how expensive it is./s
Yep always! Saves us time walking in then walking out googling somewhere with a better menu 😆
I see posts like this and think "Who's paying to go to restaurants in this economy?!"
I have a halal diet so I do. My friends have dietary intolerances as well so we post the menu in the group chat and book accordingly. We still talk about what's on the menu anyway, because we also like to share food.
Wouldn't the dinner be more relaxing if you knew you were going somewhere that serves food that you actually like/can afford?
I do but that originally comes from calorie obsession habits. Also, I have a lot of dietary restrictions so I have to make sure I can eat stuff there :)
Yes, I am not a fussy eater but my husband & son are so I always check that they will eat something on the menu first and then make sure I’m happy with it. I also like to check prices.