The first pass through a buffet can end with a plate full of dinner rolls and fries before you’ve even spotted the roast. At a fancy restaurant, the same thing happens, just differently. You order the familiar entrée, then spend half the meal looking at the dish your friend chose.
What’s worth skipping depends on where you’re eating and why you’re there. Sometimes the better choice is the dish the kitchen does especially well. Other times, it’s leaving enough room for the dessert you noticed before you even sat down.
At the buffet, skip the bread basket on your first trip.
Walk the entire buffet before picking up a plate. You might spot a carving station around the corner, a tray of dumplings, or a dessert table that deserves some planning. Then go back for small portions of the dishes you’re most curious about.
If the rolls are warm and you want one with your meal, grab one on your next trip. Giving yourself a first round of small tastes makes it easier to decide which dishes are worth seconds before you commit to a full plate.
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At brunch, skip the oversized sweet entrée if you want variety.
A towering stack of pancakes looks tempting until you realize you also want the breakfast potatoes and the green chile omelet. If you’re dining with someone who likes both, order one sweet dish for the table and choose a savory main for yourself.
Ask whether you can order a single pancake or a smaller portion of French toast. A few bites with your eggs may be all you wanted. If blueberry pancakes are why you picked the restaurant, make them the main event.
At a pub, skip the sampler when you only want one thing.
An appetizer platter can sound like a bargain when everyone is hungry. Look at what’s actually on it. If the whole table wants the wings and nobody has mentioned the onion rings or mozzarella sticks, put the money toward an order of wings.
The same goes for a burger that already comes with fries. If you want something to share while you wait, pick an appetizer that brings a different flavor to the table, such as tangy pickles or a dip you’ve been wanting to try.
At a steakhouse, skip the side nobody asked for
Creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese all sound good on paper. Once the steaks arrive, the table may have more rich food than anyone wanted. Ask how many people each side serves before anyone orders one.
Pick a side the group is excited to split, then consider something with a little acidity or crunch, like a wedge salad or green beans with lemon. If everyone keeps talking about the potatoes, order those first and decide whether the table needs anything else.
At a specialty restaurant, skip your usual fallback.
If you picked a restaurant because someone raved about its handmade noodles, take a closer look before ordering the dish you get everywhere. The same goes for a taqueria known for its braised meats or a bakery café with a rotating lunch special.
Ask the server to describe the dish you’re considering. You might learn the noodles come in a broth when you pictured a stir-fry, or that the taco filling has exactly the smoky flavor you wanted.
At a fine-dining restaurant, skip the extras you feel obliged to order
A supplement on a tasting menu can sound like part of the experience, especially when it involves something you rarely see. Before adding it, ask what it costs, what it adds, and whether it replaces a course. If you were excited about the dish already listed, that answer can settle the decision.
The same principle applies when you’re ordering individual courses. If the dessert caught your eye right away, it’s fine to pass on a starter and save room for it.
Before you order, pick the dish you’d be most disappointed to miss. At a buffet, that might be a slice of roast from the carving station. At a restaurant you’ve saved up to visit, it might be the chef’s signature dessert. Build the rest of the meal around that choice.
