What is an appetizer?

[Micca]

Not sure I understand the concept of "appetizers". Is the idea that you're not really in the mood to eat but if you take a few bites of something you'll be ready for a meal? Is this really a problem in society today? Aren't most of us pretty hungry and willing to sit at the table and dine when the time comes?

If the idea is your meal might not satisfy you? Really? Most restaurants serve entrees that have 50% more than many people can consume in one sitting.**

So is it just an upcharge, or what is going here?


**I'm no wimp when it comes to the clean plate club.

 

[Jennasis]

Appetizers were supposed to be small bites (ala the amuse buche) that were intended to whet your appetite. ONE bite, type food.

Now they are whole entrees. It's overkill and kind of gross. We don't do appetizers unless there are 4 or 5 of us to share ONE and we each get like one bite.

 

[Free4Life11]

It's something for you and your party to snack on while you are waiting for your food. What is the confusion? I've never been forced to clean my plate, in fact every restaurant I've been to will give you a box to take the leftovers home.

 

[pyrxtc]

I like to get appetizers as my meal when I am not very hungry but don't get one when I am ordering a main meal unless there are a bunch of us and we are starving.

 

[PatsGirl]

I prefer an app before dinner rather than a dessert after. Its fun to sit with a drink and a bite and converse with friends. I suppose if I were a non-drinker, I might prefer coffee and pie or another sweet after

 

[MouseEarsJenny]

I rarely order appetizers unless I am out for a special meal. Then the appetizer becomes one course in a meal lasting a few hours. I don't feel compelled to clean my plate at any given course, but by ordering multiple courses, it extends the time to relax and enjoy the company. Multi-course meals have been around for a very long time, but in most restaurants, the courses have been reduced to three - appetizer, entree, and dessert. While I wouldn't eat several courses at every meal, it's a nice social tradition.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

I like to get appetizers as my meal when I am not very hungry but don't get one when I am ordering a main meal unless there are a bunch of us and we are starving.

same here...

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Appetizers represent the small bites of food that one would usually have at the cocktail portion of a party before the real meal. They are necessary both to stimulate the palate, keep hungry people from getting testy during small talk, and generally to offset the drinks. They are intended to be small, so as to be easily handled by serving staff working a room as well as those eating one handed (with drinks in the other hand), and also so as not to ruin a person's appetite for dinner. Evolution away from the formal cocktail hour (or two) before dinner has changed the idea of what an amuse bouche (as others referred to it) was intended for.

When we get appetizers it's usually one (for two) or two (for more folks) at a table. That way the larger "Americanized" portions get halved.

 

[ChrisFL]

I've seen how Appetizers keep getting bigger at the chain restaurants, because they're "party" sized now.

There's been a recent trend of having small desserts that are only a few bites, they should do the same with appetizers again, IMO.

 

[kathie859]

I think of appetizers as the warm up to a relaxed meal. If you enjoy a cocktail before dinner, it's nice to have something small to keep the alcohol company in your tummy

I don't get people who order an appetizer and plow thru it at record speed and I absolutely detest waitstaff who don't pace the meal to allow for a relaxed dinner. Sometimes, I'll order an appetizer and drink and tell the server that I'll choose my entree later in order to slow down service.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Depending on the resteraunt I will order them instead of an entree. I can't imagine having an appertizer alone and them my meal becasue like everyone has said they are usually pretty big but when we go out with friends we will order and share to eat with drinks before our meal.

 

[MushyMushy]

I've seen how Appetizers keep getting bigger at the chain restaurants, because they're "party" sized now.

There's been a recent trend of having small desserts that are only a few bites, they should do the same with appetizers again, IMO.

I like that idea.

When we got out, we only get appetizers if we know we can take the leftovers home. Then we'll share an appetizer, eat as much of the entrée as we want and take the rest home.

 

[Heidict]

I love appetizers. It gives you an opportunity to try something different without it being to much. If in a restaurant, then that will just leave more of my entree to take home for the next nights dinner.

Sometimes, we will have appetizers just for dinner.

If you don't like them or think that ordering them would be to much, then don't. It's not required.

 

[bookgirl]

I prefer an app before dinner rather than a dessert after. Its fun to sit with a drink and a bite and converse with friends. I suppose if I were a non-drinker, I might prefer coffee and pie or another sweet after

I agree, I don't eat dessert very often (not that I don't like sweets but I tend to want them by themselves at some other time).

We often get one or two appetizers and share between all the table, then get an entree. Except for my nephews who occasionally get something like pie or icecream, none of us order dessert.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I love appetizers!!! In fact I will order an appetizer as my meal. Anyway I always bring food home. The servings are so large it is crazy.