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Chapter 34

ORDERING FROM A MENU

There was a time when, if your parents took you to a restaurant, they took you to one where all your favorite foods were on the menu. You could order chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich, a hot dog, or even a slice of pizza. Life was just the way you wanted it to be.

Those were the days, however, when you could still get away with ordering from the kids’ menu. But you’re older now, and your days with the kids’ menu are over.

When you go to a restaurant now, you’ll be offered the same menu the adults use and you’ll be expected to order for yourself. That may seem like a scary prospect, but it’s scary for a lot of adults as well. Sometimes, when they look at a menu, they see lots of unfamiliar dishes. Many times, the restaurant doesn’t offer any of their favorite foods. But they survive, and so can you. You can work your way through any menu, if you remember a few tips.

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YOU DO

Remember that the server is your friend—a friend who wants you to enjoy your meal. Maybe that’s because the server hopes somebody at the table will leave a great tip. Or maybe he or she simply wants you and your friends to come back to the restaurant again.

YOU DON’T

Pretend that you understand everything on the menu because you think it makes you look cool. If there’s something on the menu that you’ve never heard of or something you don’t understand, ask your parents to explain it. If they don’t know the answer—and they may not—feel free to ask your server, “Could you tell me what calamari is? Would you tell me what chanterelles are, please?” (Just so you know, calamari is squid; chanterelles are mushrooms.)

Why

The way you learn new things is by asking questions. You aren’t the first person who didn’t know what calamari is, and you won’t be the last. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

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YOU DO

Ask for something to be prepared a slightly different way, if you wish.

YOU DON’T

Assume that you are the first person who doesn’t like onions, or olives, who has eaten at that restaurant.

Why

Everybody at the restaurant wants you to have a good time and to enjoy your food. You don’t want to get a reputation as a picky eater, but a minor change, such as leaving the onions off a sandwich, is no big deal in most restaurants.

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A gentleman is not afraid to speak up if his meal has not been prepared the way he requested it. If he asked for his steak to be cooked well done and it is served medium rare, he politely brings the mistake to the server’s attention. When the server says, “Let me get that corrected for you,” a gentleman says, “Thank you very much.”

A gentleman waits until the others at his table have been served before he begins eating. If there is a lady at the table, he waits until she begins eating before he begins.