Maggie Hennessy
How to Get Your Server’s Attention Without Being a Jerk
Feeling ignored at a restaurant can turn even the nicest diner feral. Here’s how to ask for what you need to get the meal back on track
Your Phone Belongs in Your Pocket, Not on the Table
Keeping devices in your bag during the meal is about more than just manners.
The Art of Building a Menu With Shared Plates
A group of six wants to dine family-style. Here’s how restaurants make it happen.
We Need to Talk About How Dark Restaurants Are
Restaurants use mood lighting to curate a vibe, but not everyone agrees on what constitutes bright enough.
The Smartest Way to Ask Servers for Menu Recommendations
If you want to ace your order, here are the questions you should and shouldn’t ask, according to the pros.
You're Not Imagining It, Restaurants Really Do Save the Best Tables For Reservations
We asked restaurant owners and managers how they choose which tables to set aside for walk-ins. You might want to book your next dinner now.
Should Kids Be Allowed in Fine Dining Restaurants?
Some chefs and diners welcome the presence of well-behaved children at costly meals, but there are caveats.
You Don’t Have to Help Clear the Table at a Sit-Down Restaurant
According to the pros, trying to help bus your table might even make a waiter’s life more difficult.
Why Doesn’t Every Restaurant Have Bar Hooks?
No hook? No problem. Just kidding, it’s a huge problem—and there's an easy solution.
A Restaurant Trick for Tender, Flaky Salmon Every Time
Water, salt, and 15 minutes are all you need.
I Was a Texas Roadhouse Skeptic—Then I Went For the First Time
With more than 650 locations across 49 states and nine countries, Texas Roadhouse is the fastest-growing restaurant franchise in the world. What makes it so beloved?
I Can’t Stop Cooking in the New Zelda Game
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom, the popular new game from Nintendo, encapsulates the trials, tribulations, and delights of home cooking.
Wait, I Need to Tip on Top of a Service Charge?
From dine-in fees to service charges, here’s everything to know about the extra fees showing up on restaurant checks these days.
We’ve Reached Peak Beverage
Please, no more adaptogenic, probiotic, sparkling, functional, what-have-you drinks. The beverage aisle has gone too far.
What Is a Pork Chop Sandwich? In Montana, It’s the Best Road Meal to Stop For
Invented in the 1920s, the battered, deep-fried pork loin burger is a cult-favorite dish.
The Old School Deli Is the Newest Hot Girl Hangout
A Batsheva Hay show at Ben’s. A Diplo set at Katz’s. New York’s downtown scene has fallen hard for delicore.
TikTok Virality Has Become a Key to Restaurant Success. It's Not So Easy to Come By
Going viral on TikTok can bring restaurants financial wins—but success on the platform is hard to replicate.
The Internet Cannot Get Enough of Wacky Sculptures Made of Food
Humans have long been obsessed with food as art. Here’s why.
The Great Restaurant Name Vibe Shift
There’s a reason so many restaurants have *almost* the same name.