On waiting in line
I'm going to be heading back to Texas tomorrow from the Bay Area. I've had a really fantastic time here and the people I have met have been great hosts.
HOWEVER... I have noticed that practically everywhere we went to eat in San Francisco had a wait. Like a stand in line outside the restaurant wait. For some people with patience, waiting is not a problem and is a time to catch up with friends and chat before the meal. For me, it's terrible. I get hangry (hungry-angry) and am no fun to talk to*. I also feel like waiting in line diminishes the food experience and the deliciousness of the meal. Which is strange because for most people, the longer the line means the better the food. I would rather eat average food and not wait than have a fantastic meal but have the actual meal time be shorter than the wait time.
In San Francisco, I've eaten at Saigon Sandwiches, Sotto Mare, Delfina Pizza, Golden Boy Pizza, Sol Food, Kabuto Sushi, Creations, The Grove and Chotto. I've been to countless coffee shops. Most of my time here has been spent eating / drinking coffee / working. If you are planning on eating at a popular place in SF, make sure you either get a reservation or go there 30 minutes before you get hungry. Or else, be prepared to wait in line, hangry.
Do you mind waiting in line and do you think it's worth it? Or do you get impatient like me and want food when you're hungry?
*Note: This does not apply if the restaurant has a prolific bar. Getting tipsy before food can make the time fly by. But then I'll get full off of liquids. Sigh, there's no winning.
HOWEVER... I have noticed that practically everywhere we went to eat in San Francisco had a wait. Like a stand in line outside the restaurant wait. For some people with patience, waiting is not a problem and is a time to catch up with friends and chat before the meal. For me, it's terrible. I get hangry (hungry-angry) and am no fun to talk to*. I also feel like waiting in line diminishes the food experience and the deliciousness of the meal. Which is strange because for most people, the longer the line means the better the food. I would rather eat average food and not wait than have a fantastic meal but have the actual meal time be shorter than the wait time.
In San Francisco, I've eaten at Saigon Sandwiches, Sotto Mare, Delfina Pizza, Golden Boy Pizza, Sol Food, Kabuto Sushi, Creations, The Grove and Chotto. I've been to countless coffee shops. Most of my time here has been spent eating / drinking coffee / working. If you are planning on eating at a popular place in SF, make sure you either get a reservation or go there 30 minutes before you get hungry. Or else, be prepared to wait in line, hangry.
Do you mind waiting in line and do you think it's worth it? Or do you get impatient like me and want food when you're hungry?
*Note: This does not apply if the restaurant has a prolific bar. Getting tipsy before food can make the time fly by. But then I'll get full off of liquids. Sigh, there's no winning.
Hangry! That's a good one. lol I, too, hate waiting before I go out to eat. Sounds like you are enjoying yourself minus the work part. Enjoy your final day!
ReplyDeleteLines are not our friends . . .
ReplyDeleteI didn't mind so much before I had a little one to contend with. Now, if she's with me (and we've taken her to nicer places - she's incredibly well behaved in public places), waits are a no-no. She does really well sitting, ordering and waiting, and prides herself on acting like a "little lady." But there's only so much waiting a 3.5 year old can do in line before waiting some more after ordering. I wouldn't even dare to try.
ReplyDeleteYeah...I agree with the comment above. Forget about waiting in line when you have kids. But then again, even without the kids, I hate hate hate waiting too. I also would rather eat mediocre food with no wait, than wait two hours for something spectacular!
ReplyDeleteI hate waiting in line for food. We've learned to avoid the crowded places when we're really hungry. Part of what I love about my new neighborhood (Potrero Hill) is that it's hardly ever crowded at restaurants here! They're busy, for sure, but just busy enough that you don't wait more than a couple minutes for a table on a Saturday night.
ReplyDeleteI'm prone to hanger as well. A dangerous condition... x
ReplyDeleteI get cranky when I am hungry, so when I am heading to the city, I always try to have a reservation, when possible. I don't mind a wait for really good food though. I actually avoid empty restaurants, because I feel like if the food/service was good they would have customers.
ReplyDelete*Erin
i'm planning a trip to san franciso in may and that's the one thing people forget to mention. personally, i don't mind waiting if i know what deliciousness awaits me, but i have the boyfriend, who transform into a monster when he's hangry. thanks for the tip :)
ReplyDeletei appreciate the sweet comment you left. made me smile :)
have a good night!
Argh I so do not like waiting in line for a restaurant - it drives me nuts. It astounds me the amount of people here in Portland who stand in queues (often in the rain) - there's one pizza place (that is actually very good), but people start queueing 30 minutes before it even opens! Bizarre....like you give me the average meal without the queue any day.
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