Dignity in Dining: Eating Out in Restaurants

Dining out is a luxury. It is supposed to be fun. For the person who is normally in charge of meal preparation at home, it is a nice break from cooking and cleaning up. It is a chance to be pampered a bit.

Eating out is a nice way for a harried couple to "get away from it all" and reconnect. Whether they are just chatting about every day life or reinvigorating their romantic life, the quiet atmosphere of a restaurant lends itself nicely.

So many of the great things of life involve restaurants. The classic marriage proposal takes place at a lovely little table adorned with white linens. Perhaps the couple will then take their parents out to that same sweet restaurant to tell them of their impending marriage. Then there is the wedding rehearsal dinner and chances are the honeymoon will involve dining out. Eating establishments play a big role throughout our lives.

Our every day lives have become rather casual. No longer is the dinner table set every evening with expensive china, diverse silver and different glasses for water and wine. It is probably rare that the dinner table is set at all. Going out allows us to get a taste of the formality portrayed in old Cary Grant movies. We get to dress up and show that we do have a sophisticated side. Ladies can fix their hair and break out the jewelry. Gentlemen can don ties that were long ago banished from the office in favor of more casual attire.

The soft murmur of conversation combined with the soothing but not intrusive music playing in the background is conducive to the intimate sharing of ideas and dreams. No one wants to be seated in close proximity to the kitchen where they must be subjected to the crashing of dishes and the talking of the wait staff. We all want a quiet place where we can hear our partner speaking comfortably.

Restaurants work hard at establishing ambience. It is as important as the quality of the food and the competency of the wait staff. People will rarely return to a restaurant in which they could not hear themselves speak or could not quietly enjoy their meal.