Q is for Quick

This post was originally titled “Quality vs Quantity.” But as I wrote about the critera for choosing a restaurant, I realized that restaurants need more than tasty food at an affordable price. Instead of just evaluating the food and the deal, I now want to know—is it “Quick?”

I’m a new parent, so speed matters. My dinners out no longer involve elaborate tasting menus, and I don’t linger over dessert. In fact, a leisurely meal makes me nervious. I want efficient service, so I can enjoy the food and pay the check, before my baby gets fussy and explodes. I’ve eaten at buffets for the first time in ten years. I ignore menus on display, peer through restaurant windows, and attempt to determine how quickly an entree might come.

I don’t want to abandon eating out, and I’ll soon tire of restaurants with plastic-covered menus. More importantly, I want my child to learn proper behavior at meals and to discover that he can’t always have fries with his meal. So sooner or later, we’ll brave an excursion to a three star restaurant , but first I’ll help him to master utensils.