When it comes to going out to eat I think the article is spot on that it is first and foremost a social event. To be honest, I don’t go out to eat unless it’s something I am planning on doing with others – I’m trying to be smart with money in my first year out of college and eating out adds up really quickly. But I might be the exception to the rule, since I also know people who eat out all the time. It depends on a couple factors, including if you know how to cook. For me, though, dining out is definitely a special thing. So when it comes to picking a restaurant the first thing is definitely who I am going with. And from there, it’s deciding on what type of food, but also on a place that can accommodate the group of people I’m going to be eating with. Whether it’s two other friends or five, we’re looking for a place that will allow us to actually talk to one another. So the atmosphere of a place is very important. We’re looking for restaurants that allow you to talk, and are fairly comfortable. We’re not looking for anything super fancy, and we’ve definitely gone to some hole-in-the-wall places but it would be accurate to say that we also expect a certain level of environment. Clean floors, tables that don’t wobble like crazy, nothing broken, that kind of stuff. The restaurant is just background but when things are wrong, that’s what you notice. If I had to give advice to a restaurateur it would definitely be to make sure that the stuff in the restaurant – the tables, the chairs, the lights – support the overall atmosphere you’re going for. We, or least my friends and I, want somewhere comfortable and welcoming so make sure that whatever you put in the restaurant supports that.