Waiting for your meal

Waiting for your food at a restaurant can be a drag. Especially if you’re starving and the wait is taking forever. But instead of sitting there scrolling through Instagram or staring off into space, why not use that time to your advantage? There are actually quite a few things you can do while you’re waiting for your meal. Check out the list below for some ideas.

Things to do while waiting for your meal:

1. Get to know your fellow diners. If you’re dining alone, strike up a conversation with the people sitting near you while waiting for your meal. You never know, you might make a new friend or get some great recommendations on what to order. But please, before you do this make sure this person or people are ready to have a conversation.

2. Play with your food. No, we don’t mean make a mess. But if you’ve got some time to kill, why not get creative with your food presentation? Take a few extra minutes to arrange your food into an Instagram-worthy masterpiece.

3. People watch. If you’re not in the mood for conversation, use your time waiting for food to do some good old-fashioned people watching. It’s amazing what you can learn about someone just by observing them from a distance.

4. Get ahead on your work. If you’re waiting for a business lunch, use that time to get a jump start on some work. Review your notes from the meeting, respond to some emails, or get started on that presentation you’ve been putting off.

5. Play a game. Games are a great way to pass the time, whether you’re playing alone or with others. If you’re with a group, see who can come up with the most creative menu item or who can name the most celebrities. If you’re flying solo, try to spot as many things as possible around the restaurant that start with each letter of the alphabet. Some restaurants have board games available, so you can always go that route as well or if not, you can play some mobile games like candy crush on your phone. There are some game ideas here.

6. Window shop. If you’re sitting near a window, take advantage of the view and do some people watching. See how many different style trends you can spot or try to guess where everyone is headed in such a hurry. It’s another great way to pass time while waiting for your meal.

7. Get lost in a book. If you always seem to be short on reading time, use your time at the restaurant to catch up on your latest book. You might even get so engrossed that you forget all about your food!

8. Plan your next vacation. Use the menu as inspiration for your next trip. If you see a dish on the menu that you can’t pronounce, look it up and find out where it’s from. Then start planning your dream vacation to that destination.

9. Make a list. Lists are a great way to get organized and kill time at the same time. Make a list of things you need to do when you get home, things you want to eat for the rest of the week, or places you want to travel to.

10. Just relax. If you’re really not in the mood to do anything, use your time at the restaurant to relax and recharge. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and clear your mind. When your food finally arrives, you’ll be ready to enjoy it that much more.

So, next time you find yourself waiting for your meal at a restaurant, don’t just sit there twiddling your thumbs. Use that time to do something productive, creative, or just plain fun. With a little bit of effort, you can turn a potentially boring experience into an opportunity to learn or try something new.

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