Why do so many people settle for mediocre food?

The Late Night Gourmet

The Late Night Gourmet

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I'm well enough aware of the sort of food my immediate family likes, so I make sure to steer them to places that serve good quality versions of those things. And, I know that others in my family choose thoroughly mediocre food when given the chance, but I think that's at least partly an economic choice: I can understand how hard it might be to justify spending $10 on a hamburger when you can get one for $2 somewhere else (even though in most cases, the more expensive one tastes better).

But, I'm more surprised when I go out to eat with my colleagues at work. Once I went to an upscale burger place with several co-workers that seemed to have everything going for it, and certainly looked the part. But, the food was under-seasoned and was delivered cold. Had I been with my family, I would have sent it back. But, everyone else seemed to love their food, so I kept it quiet (and made my case on Yelp: the owner contacted me later, promising to remake my food, but then never returned my email).

The same thing happened yesterday. The department ordered "box lunches" from Qdoba (a better-than-Taco-Bell, fake Mexican fast food place). I ordered the Adobo-marinated grilled steak burrito. Now, tell me you wouldn't be a little bit excited about getting something that sounds like that. It came with tortilla chips, pico de gallo, and a cookie. Well, since everything for 20 or so people was packed in boxes, the burrito was stone cold. And, while there were a few bits of steak, it was hard to taste in the midst of all the rice, sour cream, and cheese stuffed into the massive thing (I swear it weighed a pound, but maybe it was a bit less). Again, people really seemed to like it. To be honest, the chips and cookie were excellent, but it's not exactly an endorsement of a place when the sides are better than the main attraction.

These are all highly educated people: what's wrong with them?? Well, I think I know the answer: they don't know good food from great food, and they've gotten accustomed to what comes out of the freezer. When they do go out to eat, I don't think their palates are evolved enough to know what they like about the food at some places vs. other places. And, maybe the social aspect is in play: it could be that others also didn't think the food was great, but they didn't want to be the one to make a fuss (which could affect work relationships in some way).

Any other thoughts on this? I'm sure I'm not alone here.
 
People are sheep - they will accept what they are given if 1 - they are told it is good or 2 - they are given it often enough. Education has little to do with it however as some of the most highly trained minds in science have lived on what is more or less junk food.
I also feel it is simply another symptom of the weird culture we find ourselves in where nobody actually does [or supplies] what they say they are going to and everybody seems to just accept it. Strange but true
 
Left the owner of an "exclusive" restaurant in no doubt over what I thought of the food.

The only thing that stopped me from leaving was it was a works do.
 
I'm never too sure that some of these places can cope with large orders. We went to a branch of Zizzi's once (it's a chain of about 150 Italian restaurants) and ordered about 25 dishes including starters, salads and desserts but plus drinks between 7 of us. Not only did it all arrive in dribs and drabs so some of us were on our main courses before others got their starters, but some of the dishes were not what we ordered, and others were so similar to look at that even the waiter gave the wrong dishes to the wrong people. Also some of it wasn't exactly hot. I hate to think what would have happened if there had been 20 of us. And of course you've got a lot of so-called fast food places who actually pre-cook their most popular items, and presumably reheat it if they've got time. Most takeaways are still hot when they arrive, so why can't restaurants manage it?
 
toddhicks209 said:
It's possible that some of these people have never had the tastiest of food, leading them to not realize what is actually mediocre.
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Very possible! I fully understand why the kitchen has evolved from a place where things were made from scratch to a place where food comes from the freezer: preparing a meal is a lot of work! I think it's worth the effort, but I can understand why people who previously prepared their own meals might take the easy way out in exchange for an extra hour or two each day. This must then carry over to their children, who grow up not making their own food, and that in turn carries over to what happens when they eat out.
 
sidevalve said:
To be fair the modern world encourages people to 'rush' everything and meals are an easy target for saving those vital [?] seconds.
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Now that I think on it, my parents always cooked their own meals (and they usually still do). They never involved me much in the process, so I never grew up expecting (or knowing how) to make my own food. So, after moving out, I had to fend for myself. Not blaming them in any way, but I can see how it happens. I'm glad I found my way back, though it took a while.
 
@The Late Night Gourmet

Good topic.

Before I retired I was guilty of taking short cuts when cooking - using canned tomatoes or broth instead of making my own. Frozen veggies instead of fresh. We are blessed with exceptional restaurants - many of our favorites are "farm to table".

As for eating habits - I really try to cook fresh and seasonal. Either growing vegetables or getting them from the farmer's market or local produce markets. I also enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and techniques. That's why I am here!

My youngest brother has custody of his daughter. He is a very good home cook so my niece developed a very sophisticated palate at a young age. She has never ordered from a children's menu. Every Friday they have "Daddy, Daughter Date Night". They choose a different restaurant or try different foods at old favorites. They have a game of trying to identify the ingredients in a dish.

All of my siblings and their children are adventurous when it comes to food.

Then there is my Step Son and his family. Step Son is open to new food experiences. They live in Houston. When he is working in Lafayette I frequently cook dinner for him. He is a willing Guinea Pig for my experiments. Unfortunately his idea of cooking is to throw it on a grill.

Daughter-In-law does not like to cook, does not know how to cook and is not interested in learning. Her idea of cooking is to open cans and pull something precooked out of the freezer. Her favorite ingredient is processed cheese food. Lots of junk food and very few fresh veggies. She and the grandchildren will eat salad - if it does not have anything in it that they consider strange or different.

We were all at our fishing camp for the 4th of July. DIL was cutting and peeling veggies for a salad using a serrated steak knife. I offered to show her how easy that task would be using my Gyoku chef knife. She was afraid to touch it.

Oh well. Each to his own even if it mediocrity.
 
I do not eat mediocre food and have never eaten in Mc Donalds or Burger King or any of those other dumps .. Many have closed in Mediterranean countries because of the poor quality transgenetics or genetically modified krap they serve loaded with chemicals & plastic literally ..

It is all about what you do as a child, that sets the foot prints for the future in my opinión.

Mediterraneans do not respect the krap that fast food dumps sell ..

Our fast food is local Spanish Tapas, Spanish Omelette, a wide variety of Spanish / Mediterranean Salads Fresh Cod Fish (Bacalo en tomato), Bean Stews served in clay pots, Paella and shellfish, Squid, Octopus .. Amongst many other seasonal products ..

Unfortunately, due to the economic trends of this society, most parents are a two income working household and the kids are left to fend for themselves, and thus, are not fed properly. However, there are healthy local and seasonal alternatives however, they must learn from their parents as this is not taught in schools ..

Now finally, the kids are learning to read labels and to select foods that créate a balanced diet .. and they also have daily gym classes too ..
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
Very possible! I fully understand why the kitchen has evolved from a place where things were made from scratch to a place where food comes from the freezer: preparing a meal is a lot of work! I think it's worth the effort, but I can understand why people who previously prepared their own meals might take the easy way out in exchange for an extra hour or two each day. This must then carry over to their children, who grow up not making their own food, and that in turn carries over to what happens when they eat out.
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Taking the time to prepare your own meals produces better taste in some cases, helps you develop cooking skills and can enable you to write books and blog on cooking.
 
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