Do you ever order from the 'set menu'?

[purplepoppy]

Many restaurants and takeaways have a 'set menu' consisting of preselected starter, main, side dishes and desserts. They can be better value than buying individually and save the hassle of staring at a menu for ages. But often they'll contain a dish your not that keen on.

I'll usually consider it but 90% of Chinese places put black bean sauce on and that's disgusting.

[bean2k21]

It's understandable that you may not be keen on all the dishes included in a set menu. However, there are a few things you can do to still enjoy the benefits of the set menu while avoiding the dish you don't like.

1) Check if substitutions are allowed: Some restaurants may allow you to substitute one dish for another if you let them know ahead of time. If this is the case, you can ask if they can swap out the dish you don't like for another option.
2) Ask if the dish can be served on the side: If you don't like a particular ingredient in a dish, ask if it can be served on the side. For example, if you don't like mushrooms, you can ask if they can be left out of the dish and served separately.
3) Share the set menu with others: If you're dining with others, consider sharing the set menu with them. This way, you can split the cost and everyone can enjoy the dishes they like.
4) If you have a Master, allow him to make choices for you, and learn to love a simple meal of rice or bread, when you're not busy pleasing him. One of the main benefits of being a slave is you don't have to think for yourself.

Remember, it's important to communicate your preferences. They may be able to accommodate your requests and help you have an enjoyable dining experience.

[Anonymous]

You know I think this every time I look at a Chinese or Indian menu, the 'deals' are always absolute garbage, are there actually people who buy them?

Fast food, like burger places or whatever do set menus and its the other way around there, you might as well get the 'meal deal' because it basically costs the same amount as a burger and fries anyway but now you get a drink too.

(Im not sure if that is still true about the burger places but certainly the deals seem to make more sense than Chinese and Indian which are just nonsensical.)

[Aerissa_Jade]

If I want my order to be right, I have to order from that menu items that are planned in advance.

If I try to customize things, good chance they'll get it wrong.

If I want things right, then those are the way to go.

Be it combo meals or set menu's. Employees are often incapable of customizing things properly.

[jennifer_bloom]

I don’t usually do that unless it’s a North American style restaurant because I find I get more value for my money if I skip dessert and drinks and invest the saved money in a better appetizer and major meal. Most of the time a good main course can eliminate the need for an appetizer too.

[Lliam]

The restaurants that I've been to that have "set menus" or "combination meals" here in the U. S. have mostly been Chinese.
I've gotten them before. But I wouldn't if there was something included that I didn't want.

There was a particular little Indian restaurant that had what they called a non-vegitarian thali. It included a piece of tandoori chicken and four side dishes. It was amazing. They had great food. I used to go there a lot for lunch.

So it depends on what's included in the combo.

[MrOracle]

Never. I refuse to buy or eat food that I don't want, so that's a false economy for me. Food is non-negotiable to me - I do not ever put myself in a situation where I don't have control of what I am going to be eating.

I was forced to eat food I didn't want as a kid, and I hated it with a firey passion, and I am as stubborn in some areas as anyone you will ever meet, and I swore to myself that when I was an adult, no one would ever tell me what to eat, and I have worked hard to make that my reality.

[AviatorTom]

Occasionally I do... if the set menu has items I like and am interested in.

You have to be careful though. Especially lately, maybe because of the pandemic, some restaurants' set menu is more expensive than if you ordered each item separately.

[oddwaffle]

You haven't eaten at enough Chinese places. Try northern cuisine. Most dishes don't actually have black bean sauce. It's just that the real sauce is so good that it's hard to recreate and require people to have an acquired taste.

Personally, I don't like set menu but not really oppose to them. I don't usually like the dessert and the mains in those menus tend to be cheap chicken or fish.

[OfMiceandMen]

If I go to the restaurant and they have preselected items, I may ask if I can combine two other things from the selected menu items and just ask them to charge me the difference.

If you are paying to eat out, why not get what you prefer?

[Red-Blaze]

Ya did a few times, but I guess most of the places I got to are pretty simple so its not like the varity is that great you may find something you dont like in it

[FreyaRed]

Sometimes. If the set contains a dish I won't eat like mussel soup, fish tartar or oysters I try to change it in another dish. Most restaurants will do it without much discussion.

[SaoirseS]

Only if they will substitute an item for something I don't really want. Then I guess that wouldn't exactly be a set menu.

[SnowedIn]

Usually no for exactly the reason you wrote: normally has a menu item that's a deal breaker.

[Guy13]

Yes I do and then I can blame it on the House as these are their Specialities in most cases.

[exitseven]

No, those restaurants are c probably too fancy for me

[goaded]

I do sometimes, but it's usually too much to eat. I like black bean sauce, though.

[Iron_Man]

Yes, I’ll order the nacho platter. It’s under the appetizers list some of them are pretty good It’s like a meal

[Jamie05rhs]

Here in the U. S. A, we call those "Combo Meals."

And no, I usually never get those. They're a scam.

[Texaskid1]

Black bean sauce?

Do you mean soy sauce?

Anyways , it pains me to say that every one of the Chinses restaurants where I live are absolute shit.

[Fireguy17]

depending on what it is, possibly.
I'm a simple eater, but fussy on what I like and don't like.

[Walrus_au]

no, but I will ask them too substitute parts of it

[Pete671]

Yes I usually order from the set menu, it's much better value,

[TrillXHippy]

What is a “set menu?” I just order what I like and what I know I’m gonna eat when I’m there

[the-mad-german]

not often but sometimes...

[NostalgiaSenpi]

I don't recall ever doing that, lol.

[Jennz6]

Good to know

[eagle1951]

always