A Favourite Restaurant vs. The Best Restaurant Meal You’ve Ever Had

Photo by Max Griss on Unsplash

Food is subjective. Fortunately.

Our senses react differently to stimuli, so we enjoy choice. Imagine if we all preferred the same perfume, or aftershave — how boring would that be? I was listening to a podcast this morning about the enjoyment of food, and one of the speakers made an excellent point.

It got me thinking about the dining experience. What makes it memorable? I’ve had mediocre food but consider it a decent dining experience.

If I were to ask you which was your favourite restaurant, you would offer one immediately. You could offer a few, perhaps up to four or five.

However, if I asked you which was the best restaurant you’ve ever eaten at, it would be one option only. Chances are, it would be experiential. An entire evening. A build-up to something special. Probably quite expensive, but you’d see and understand the value.

If my follow-up questions were, “How many times have you eaten at your favourites ?” You would probably say, “I cannot recall; it is a lot.” However, if I asked you the same question about the BEST restaurant, you would most often cite a fancy restaurant, perhaps Michelin, and say, “ONCE."

Seldom is your favourite also your best option.