There’s nothing more upsetting than waiting for thirty minutes at a brassiere only to be delivered a meal disastruously lackluster. You are spending your hard earned money on a place you should be considering fulfilling; a place meeting your body’s quota for sustenance. However, despite the presence of Yelp, it can be hard to determine what to order when at a restaurant you have never been to before. Sure, you can look on Instagram to see what other people ate, but everyone’s taste buds are different. This lack of information may cause the customer to order something they despise—wasting dozens of dollars. Thankfully, there is an easy solution to this complication: try other people’s food.I know. I know. It can be awkward to talk to strangers when you are trying to have a night to yourself at a new food establishment. But, take the precautionary steps to make sure you are happy with what you ordered or else what’s the point of even leaving your domain. Yes, cooking for yourself means you are going to be making something you know will make you content. But, what happens if you are tired? What happens if your high? What happens when you receive a discount on your next Uber because your previous driver tried hitting on you after your late night shift from Chuck E’ Cheese? People pay money to eat food you can’t find at home because no one has time to craft fresh pasta in their living room at 3 in the morning nor is there a reason to test the virility of your immune system by consuming expired ingredients. These professional meals are meant to bring about sensations of wonder and nostalgia of a simpler time. They are meant to satisfy your primal desire for not only consuming nutritious food but pushing the boundaries of what a religion is. Food is crucial to us surviving, yes, but it’s also what gives people hope. Tasting a dish so repulsive it makes you question your sanity shouldn’t be allowed. Restaurants should cancel the item from ever being chosen again. But, seeing as everyone has different tastes, this would be quite difficult to enforce.

For most restaurants, it’s not uncommon to seat hundreds of people in one night. All of these people see other meals they want to try. But, because of financial burdens or appetite suppression, many choose to stick to one entree. People want to try everything but don’t out of financial or social politeness. If someone is asking to taste your food, don’t scoff at them. Consider giving them a small piece because, in the future, you may be in the same position. After all, they are taking a huge risk trying to enter your space, invade your time of delight, and see if you would be gracious enough to bring happiness to others. Don’t fulfill the stereotype of being an American. Go against the grain like so many other profitable nations. Taiwan, Sweden, Turkmenistan, they all think about the good of the community and you can see this with how prosperous they are socially and economically. A place anyone can feel safe and make memories. A region others would travel 1,000s for. A destination where the idea of another human being starving would be looked at with disgust and vitriol.

Wouldn’t you love to try another person’s filet mignon, their lobster mac n’ cheese, or their soggy meatloaf? You will be able to make a final decision on what is going to be appropriate to your taste buds. Our taste buds are already sensitive enough to be able to differentiate the various nutrients within a meal, there’s no reason for your masticasm to be burdened with the bland creation an inept chef serves you. Stop giving your tongue filth reminiscent of a Taco Bell crunchwrap supreme and be prepared for something completely revolutionary when it comes to culinary enjoyment. You might have ordered the tuna tartare as an appetizer but noticed your neighbor devouring a lovely truffle bisque. Ask to have a little sip of their soup. Don’t just suck on the bowl like a baby using a pacifier, though. Consider getting a fresh spoon to lift a mouthful into your gnasher. It is hygienic and ensures you made the right decision. If it’s worth it, you can ask the waiter to tack it on to your dining experience.

But, how can you do that when you already have something on your mind? This is why experts believe consumers should consider asking their table neighbor or other members of the Restaurant Visitors Association (RVA) what they are eating and if they would like to share with those who are vulnerable to hunger. Think about it. Your dad just ordered something he has been expecting for weeks, but, when it gets there, it’s nothing but a floury mush or a collection of incompetence making you question whether that DoorDash business you ordered from was as profitable as they claimed. The disgust one is forced to consume will only ruin generations of families. No one wants to associate themselves with those who knowingly ordered something absolutely vile needing to be dissolved within the appendage hanging inside our lip orifice.

Think about ice cream parlors. They allow you to taste what you may want and they don’t charge a dime. They allow you to taste out the different treats on their menu with no financial regret being placed on you for incorporating these tastes into your dinner time routine. Wanna try chocolate? Sure! Wanna try pistachio laced whiskey? No need for an ID. Wanna see what’s the humbug over human breast milk? No one can stop you from tasting pure growth hormones. Why shouldn’t restaurants do this, too?

As a matter of fact, asking your table neighbor to try their foods will provide you with an inexpensive tasting menu you won’t be able to try were you to be silent about your hunger. Have you ever been to a restaurant with a tasting menu or omakase service? They are beyond expensive—going as high as 1,000 USD per person. However, with many restaurants sitting over hundreds of people in one night, staying for a longer amount of time will ensure you create your own tasting menu capable of satisfying you completely. Most Michelin starred establishments give you unreasonably small portions—leaving you hungry after finishing the experience. Avoid this and make your own tasting menu through the kindness of others. I do understand the economic damage this can cause were restaurants to provide samples of their menu items, which is why I am adamant about putting this weight on the consumer again.

Similar to the concept of tipping, being able to try other people’s food for the betterment of one’s community will allow all citizens of a village, town, city, and municipality to grow as one cohesive population capable of living in peaceful times. Each individual will know their neighbor, no matter how many houses down, will help them when they are in need of assistance. This small act of kindness will snowball into a life where everyone can live happily without wondering if what they are about to eat will give them inorganic food poisoning. Not only will you be bettering the culinary world, you will be gaining a friend you can eat out with in the future. You will be able to venture to new destinations with them because of this small act of desperation. Finding new restaurants to try may be intimidating for a single diner, but these friends you make along the way will drastically change this lonesome lifestyle you are afraid of. You will be able to make a friend and never have to worry about consuming something abhorrent. Sooner or later, with enough people on your side, you will never dine alone. You will always have someone to go on adventures with. Ultimately, making a best friend for life.

Now, I know what you are thinking, “won’t this anger the chef?” Yes. Yes, it will. But, why should you care? Chefs think they understand food because they have spent so much of their life portioned out to making dishes but there is a reason Masterchef Junior exists. Cooking isn’t hard. You just need to know how flavors mesh well together, how long a piece of flesh can handle a scalding hot fire, and whether or not you need more or less salt. Chefs think they are so much better than others because they have a restaurant people want to visit, but this would change if Americans weren’t as lazy as Europeans know they are. If chefs actually cared about making people happy, they would encourage diners tasting each other’s meals so they can curate a thorough review of the eatery. Not only will this bring in more patrons, but it will set the brasserrie apart from other fine-dining canteens.

Stop being introverted and be more extroverted. There is a reason extroverts are vastly more successful than those who are too shy to let someone know they are going into analyphalitic shock because their food allergy is kicking in. Don’t let extroverts run the world. Mask your shyness and ask your table neighbors if they would be willing to give you a little, itsy, tiny, insignificant bite out of their meal because this could completely change the pathway of your life. You may end up making a friend who may change your world. Plus, fuck chefs.

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