A fellow blogger wrote about eating out with her grandson for lunch. She says the waitress asked if they wanted to eat outdoors. Immediately I could hear what my father would have had to say about that. If I wanted to eat outside, I'd have packed a picnic. I had to chuckle to myself as I played that newsreel in my mind. Seeing my Dad sitting at a table on the sidewalk somewhere. Why would you want to sit outside, cars going by, people walking past you looking at your food and bugs flying around. Doesn't make any sense. Yes, I can hear him even now. I'm spending good money for this food and by god I want to sit inside at a table and eat like normal people. That idea would have been so totally foreign to him as to be laughable. In fact I can't say I ever saw him eat inside a restaurant, let alone outside.
I have noticed that this dining experience is becoming more popular every day. We even have that available here in Greensboro. Some of the older residents have the same reaction as I'm sure Dad would have. Shaking their heads and just looking incredulous. Such a modern and trendy idea. So European. Eating outdoors seems so much more exciting. Exciting if you don't mind dirt,bugs,flys and an occasional dog sniffing around. A lot of those eating outdoors bring their pets.
As for me I am not opposed to the idea. A lot depends on the location. I don't like being too close to the road. And it also depends on what is being consumed. Hot dogs and hamburgers are alright but not a regular meal. The temperature has to be right and not too breezy. There has to be plenty of room for passerbys to pass by. Don't want non diners walking through the tables saying excuse me or worse saying nothing and just checking out your meal. On second thought maybe a nice table inside with either heat or air conditioning would be better.
I'm still amused by the thought of what Dad would have had to say about all of this. Something along the lines of, a fool and his money soon part company. You can sit outside and eat at home, why would I pay to do that on main street !
I have noticed that this dining experience is becoming more popular every day. We even have that available here in Greensboro. Some of the older residents have the same reaction as I'm sure Dad would have. Shaking their heads and just looking incredulous. Such a modern and trendy idea. So European. Eating outdoors seems so much more exciting. Exciting if you don't mind dirt,bugs,flys and an occasional dog sniffing around. A lot of those eating outdoors bring their pets.
As for me I am not opposed to the idea. A lot depends on the location. I don't like being too close to the road. And it also depends on what is being consumed. Hot dogs and hamburgers are alright but not a regular meal. The temperature has to be right and not too breezy. There has to be plenty of room for passerbys to pass by. Don't want non diners walking through the tables saying excuse me or worse saying nothing and just checking out your meal. On second thought maybe a nice table inside with either heat or air conditioning would be better.
I'm still amused by the thought of what Dad would have had to say about all of this. Something along the lines of, a fool and his money soon part company. You can sit outside and eat at home, why would I pay to do that on main street !
You know, I can't remember my parents going out to eat at a restaurant, unless it was a special dinner party. It wasn't the norm for 'normal' people, I guess. We didn't go out to eat much, except with the Fire Dept. when we lived in EH. We do that much more often here, as it's more affordable and there's a plethera of choices.
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