TOOLBAG TUESDAY

Choosing where to eat on a first date is tricky, even in a city as saturated with restaurants as New Orleans.

As someone posted in a group on Facebook last week:

“I’m looking for somewhere to eat tonight that is fairly inexpensive and easy to get in and out of but with good food and isn't too formal. Suggestions please”

Uh....Popeyes???

Just kidding. 

(Most counter service restaurants you can rule out for a first date.) 

But, you know, it really is hard to hit each of these qualities in a restaurant all at the same time. 

Because if a place has good food, it’s probably expensive and/or formal. 

If it’s easy to get in and out of, it’s probably not romantic.

If it’s a hip, trendy place, then it’s going to be a long wait.

Ugh. 

Yuppie problems. 

The thing is, though, that pretty much any restaurant will work. And not just in New Orleans. 

Sure, it’s cute when a guy gets your opinion on where you want to eat, or remembers that you really like sushi, or that you REALLY WANTED TO TRY THAT NEW TAPAS PLACE (uh...for example) ...but just getting taken out to dinner is awesome, period. 

Other girls will agree with me here.

So...it would be really hard to screw it up right???? Right???

Meet Scott. 

Scott decided to take my friend Bethany to Outback Steakhouse on their first date. And Bethany is a vegetarian.

“Get a potato,” he suggested.

Seriously. Hahahahaha. 

At least Olive Garden would have had better vegetarian options. Macaroni Grill anyone??

Scott drove Bethany OUT of the cute downtown area that was chock-full of starred, Zagat-reviewed restaurants and headed for the suburbs. 

Bethany had ABSOLUTELY told Scott before their date that she was a vegetarian, and she was miffed that he not only brought her to a chain restaurant, but one that had the name “steak” in it. 

That’s the opposite of thoughtful.

Bethany ordered a Caesar salad and onion straws and shut the menu.

Despite two strikes (chain restaurant, presence of STEAK), Bethany didn’t want to say anything. After all, he was taking her out, and it’s rude to be snobby, right?? 

Then came strike three. 

After a few beers, and watching him inhale steak that he was unable to share with her, Bethany questioned him about his restaurant choice.

“Just curious...why would you bring a vegetarian to a steak place?” she asked. 

“Oh, because I have a gift card from my mom that she gave me for Christmas,” Scott said.

A GIFT CARD!!! 

FROM HIS MOM!!! 

ON A FIRST DATE!!!

Come on, man. Don't be tacky. Save that for....uh...a late night at the mall. 

Or, perhaps, someone who ACTUALLY EATS STEAK.

Yet Bethany didn’t say anything and watched Scott pay for their first date with a plastic card that had a cow on it. And they didn’t see each other again after that.

The bright side? 

At least the place was easy to get in and out of. 

-Jenny