I will never understand the complaint that "we can't both order the same thing." I mean, there are social rules, and there are social conventions, and I understand and accept most of them. But not ordering the same thing at a restaurant has always struck me as being a bizarre compulsion - and yet, one which seemingly everyone else in the world shares but me.
I want the chicken enchilada. You want the chicken enchilada. I say, let's both order the chicken enchilada! But no, you cringe when I mention it. Then we have to go through a long negotiation, trying to decide who will order something else. It is baffling to me.
As far as I have been able to ascertain, ordering the same thing is seen as a huge faux pas along the line of couples who wear matching outfits. But if we are going to a restaurant which is famous for its porterhouse steaks, why wouldn't we both order the porterhouse steak?
I would argue that it's not at all the same thing as wearing the same clothes. For one thing, it's a meal that you eat. Give it 20 minutes and all evidence of matching meals will be gone. For another thing, who cares?
Do people really notice when two people at a restaurant order the same thing? Are they really silently judging you from across the room? And if so, what do I care? I want the chicken enchiladas, and so do you. Why let your food choices be determined by the silent (and probably imaginary) disapproval of strangers?
I can guarantee you the wait staff doesn't care. Like the waiter is going to go back in the kitchen and announce "They're both ordering the chicken enchiladas! What a pair of losers!"
Seriously, someone fill me in on this one, because I am stumped.
Image courtesy Flickr/wallyg
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