Friday, December 7, 2007

Eating Out

We don't eat out a ton. And for the purposes of this post, eating out means that you actually sat down, and your food didn't come in a cardboard box. So, maybe once every 3-4 weeks the Brain and I go to an actual restaurant.
One thing we've discovered is that we don't really eat as much food as most restaurants consider a serving. So most often we share something. I have a preference for sharing because it really does keep me from over eating, and yet, if we're still hungry, we order dessert, which is fun, too.

And usually he lets me pick the entree, and then he picks the sides. Although I will tell you right now that one of the sides will be french fries. (- At least they don't come in a cardboard box, right?)
So it's a system that really works well for us. And plus, we get to go out more often, because although it doesn't cost half as much, it's definitely less expensive.

The problem comes in when we go out with another couple.
Does it look cheap to order one entree and split it?
Does it make us look OLD?
Is it weird?

We go with my bro and sil every now and then, and sometimes I get a vibe that they think we're one or all of the above. And the truth is that we are probably ALL of the above. I just don't always want to look that way.

What do you think? Is it tacky? I mean, I don't really care if it's tacky when it's just the two of us. But when we're out with other people, should we at least try to be normal?

19 comments:

Caroline C. Bingham said...

I think it's sweet! And just because you do that, it doesn't mean you're old, OR cheap. Sometimes we do that, sometimes we don't.

(The don't being because on the off chance that I am on a REAL DATE with my husband sans kids? Sometimes I want all my own food, hot, and to myself. But I can't usually eat it all...but that's besides th point...because I didn't have to share with a 2 year old and it was HOT gosh darnit!)

Anonymous said...

I think sharing a meal is a great idea....why??? Because we do it all the time. Who cares what others think. If it is enough for you then great. We are usually glad we didn't gorge ourselves trying to each eat a meal. Then usually we have room for dessert. Otherwise we are too full.
Usually the only time we don't share is when D wants seafood. (yuck yuck) But even then if it is seafood and steak....sign me up.
Just think of the money your saving. By sharing that means you can eat out twice as often eh?

Yvonne said...

You do whatever you want!!! If you get to have dessert because you're not so full, that's a real bonus.

Anonymous said...

I never even know that you could do this until we when on a date and the other couple did it. When we talked about it we realized that we could get an appetizer main course and a sweet. Sometimes we even forget the main course. It's fun and a lot cheaper.

jjstringham said...

I agree with the others that you should still do it if it works for you. My hubby and I go out so rarely that if I know we're going somewhere I starve myself for the rest of the day so that I have enough room for my own meal AND dessert. :-P

Earl and Vickie said...

If you are talking about eating out with my daughter, I wouldn't worry about it, nor would I worry if you are talking about your other sil, she'd be cool with it too.

Earl and Vickie said...

Of course I can't speak fro your brothers.......

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I say do what you do and then just grin at them in a worrying way or something.

We always get two different entrees, share with each other, and take the leftovers home (one of us has them for lunch the next day).

kristi r said...

I love that you guys do that. If my eyes weren't so big I would consider it too sometimes. The truth is, I love my leftovers. I can get another meal for myself - that I didn't have to prepare, or come up with. yum

goddessdivine said...

Hey, whatever works. I would probably think it's a little strange, mainly because I always want my own entree. And I agree with kristi--love the leftovers; that's one more meal I don't have to cook.

Lippy said...

I think if you were to get your meals and then get down and eat them off the floor, we'd have something to worry about. Otherwise, you do what makes you happy. That's kind of one of the points of going out to dinner, right?

Vern said...

Pretty much ANY plan that results in dessert in the end is a plan I can get behind. It also gets me a bigger behind, but whatever.

Anonymous said...

hi randi,
my opinion ... do what you are comfortable with. do what you are doing. if others can not handle it, that is their problem, not yours girl :)

you so rock, don't forget. kathleen :)

TheOneTrueSue said...

Who cares what anyone thinks? Eating is such an individual thing, if they are judging, well, blah to them..

Kasey said...

I think its great! Often times my husband and I never eat everything and oh how I wish we could spilt a meal. But he and I, we don't agree. I like chicken, he likes steak. I like salad, he likes fires. I like ketchup, he likes BBQ sauce. It never works for us. So, sharing is great and he cares if someone else thinks it's weird. In my eyes it's not because you're being cheap. No one wants to pay for wasted food when it's not necessary. And frankly, we never eat leftovers. Split on baby, split on!
Kasey =)

Val said...

That's a great way to do it. I should try it too. We always get our own aand I end up eating too much because I don't want to waste it. And who wouldn't want less meat and more dessert?

Super Happy Girl said...

Sue wrote my exact comment.

Thanks for visiting and your words of support :) I appreciate them.

Nancy Face said...

My hubby and I love to share an entree for the same reasons! Sometimes he thinks he wants more, but if we share, he says he's glad that we did! As for other people thinking we're weird...well, we don't go out to dinner with other people (unless we're taking our whole family)! Gee, we hardly ever have time by ourselves as it is! :)

Melissa said...

What's so great about being normal? And what is normal anyway? You do what's best for you. Maybe it's everone else who is weird by spending too much money, wasting food or stuffing themselves silly... ;)