Dining Out Rules

Dining Chart

    1. Customer traffic is important. Even if a restaurant has good food, if they are near empty during peak times like lunch and dinner, it’s best to avoid. Steady customer traffic ensures good food rotation and reduces the risk for potential food borne illnesses.

    2. When seeking out authentic ethnic restaurants, avoid places where 90% of the clientele are Caucasian. It would honestly be cheaper to eat at a Casa Ole or Pei Wei.

    3. Avoid established restaurants with Groupon deals. I will make some exceptions for new restaurants starting out, but if the business has been around for a while and it’s trying to attract customers via a Groupon, it’s probably because the food is terrible and word of mouth has gotten around about it.

    4. If the establishment has questionable bathrooms, in all liklihood, the kitchen isn’t any better.

    5. Expensive does not ensure a better meal. Be aware that location will also affect how much a food item will cost. (i.e.: Pho at a restaurant inside the loop at a prime location will obviously cost more than Pho served outside Beltway 8 where rental property will be cheaper).

    6. Quality versus quantity. Know the target audience of said restaurant and adjust expectations accordingly. Even though quality is subjective and can fluctuate depending on personal tastes, simple economics dictate that Grade A cuts of beef cannot be ordered for the same price as a McDonald’s combo meal. (Inexpensive Chinese buffets come to mind). If food is purchased that cheaply, one can’t help but wonder about the quality of the source as well as how badly the employees are being treated to give the consumer those savings. There’s a cost to EVERYTHING.

    7. Be skeptical of places that have super cheap Happy Hour. It’s been my experience that restaurants where diners rave about the cheap eats are usually the ones so focused on getting their buzz they don’t care if the food tastes about as good as the air in their mouth.

    8. EVERY restaurant has an off day — even some of my favorites around town. Whether it’s a badly prepared dish, less than fresh food, or bad service, most restaurants deserve at least two visits before being written off completely.

    9. Many Google/Yelp Reviewers LIE. Diners are better going off word of mouth from trusted individuals who share similar food tastes.

    10. Be civil to the waitstaff and ALWAYS tip.