You ever look at a picture of someone’s meal and just kind of cringe? You don’t mean to. There isn’t anything strictly wrong with the post. The poster might even be someone you kind of like. Or would really like if only they’d just stop being so obsessed with their food. And it’s not like you troll through the internet judging others to make yourself feel better. It’s just that foodies are everywhere on social media and it just makes you hate them a little bit.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! There are a lot of people out there low-key hating foodies. It’s not a group of mean girls either. It’s just because foodies can be a little… annoying. Don’t believe me? Let me break it down for you.
The Obvious
They’re pretentious. They treat their social media accounts like they’re getting paid for pictures of grilled chicken and broccoli. When they go out for a nice meal, they act like no one has ever seen well-plated scallops and crab cakes before. Alright, there are those who make their food look drool worthy and some who even get paid for it. But even then their accounts read like an envy reel.
The Selfish
They increase wait times at restaurants. Every foodie is a little different. But first things first they’ll need to ask for the Wi-Fi password. Then the foodie has to check in. Maybe with a picture of themselves at the restaurant, all before they look at the menu. The menu is of course of great importance to a foodies are everywhere. Chances are they’ve already cross-referenced the restaurant on several different sites. They probably know what the most popular and exotic dishes are. But that won’t stop them from thoroughly reviewing the menu.
Once they’ve studied the restaurant’s selection like a college freshman at finals, they will order their food. When it arrives, they will be so excited they won’t be able to eat the food. Instead, they will take pictures of it. In several different filters and from every angle imaginable. To the foodie’s disappointment when they finally take that first bite, they discover it’s cold. Unfortunately this is likely because of the amount of time they spent taking pictures of their food. Still, the food will be sent back, further backing up the kitchen.
What does this mean to us selfish restaurant goers? We are waiting around longer to be seated because the foodie takes longer to order and has to have their food sent to them twice.
The Complicated
Saying that foodies ruin restaurants isn’t an exaggeration. No, it’s not because they take so long to abandon a table for those of us impatiently waiting. It’s something much more complicated. Take the tragic story of Kevin Alexander. He set out on a quest across America to find the best burger. And he did it. Then he killed it. The publishing of his article in the New Yorker drew up more business than the burger joint was able to handle. With such rapid expansion, the owners didn’t have time to create a new plan. They didn’t have the time to decide how to deal with so much popularity that they had a constant line around the block. Really Kevin tells it best, it’s a heartbreaking and harrowing story about the harm foodies do to incredible restaurants.
It’s not an isolated experience either. Think about when the foodie finds a hole in the wall with incredible food. What do they do? They tell all of social media about it. Pretty soon everyone is crossing town for cronuts. Then you can find them everywhere. But none of them are as good as the original recipe. Or you find the best burrito in town just to have your foodie friend tell the rest of the world. Suddenly your quick-lunch stop with the best food you can imagine turns into something you have to set aside several hours for.