"Can I have chicken fried rice, but no vegetables and no eggs please"? Go out to a restaurant with me and I will say something along those lines wherever we may be.
I am a picky eater and when I say picky eater, it's way easier for me to list the things I eat than those I don't. My diet entirely consists of pasta, rice, soup (but only chicken noodle or matzoh ball), chicken nuggets, Oreos, and diet coke, with a few other things occasionally.
But I know I'm not alone and I'm sure plenty of other people feel the struggles of going out to eat that I do.
1. Googling the menu and praying that they have something you eat
I know I'm not alone when I talk about the sheer panic that comes across your body when a restaurant doesn't have their menu online. Googling menus is the only way I know whether to eat beforehand or actually enjoy myself. And heaven forbid, the restaurant doesn't have a menu online, then it's out of the question. No ifs, ands, or buts.
2. Getting to the restaurant and having your friend say "Let's split something"
Chances are you and your friend have very different tastes in food, and what they want to order is not something you'd ever even consider.
3. Sitting there awkwardly while your friends enjoy their appetizers
Simply put: if the appetizer is not mozzarella sticks I'm not eating it.
4. Ordering your food, but entirely plain
"Can I have the lemon garlic shrimp pasta but no shrimp and no cheese and no lemon?"
5. The fear that happens when they can't make the food the way you like
Me: "Can I have a combination plate with plain fried rice instead of pork fried rice?"
Waiter: "I'm sorry. All the rice is pre-made so it can not be made special."
6. Finally, enjoying your plain food while your friends enjoy their complex dishes.
Your friends may be eating steak with all kinds of marinades and seasonings, but you are entirely content with your plain pasta and french fries.
And there we have it. Being a picky eater is tough. I didn't choose the lifestyle, it chose me. So pretty please, for the sake of all picky eaters, please keep this in mind next time you ask me to go out and before you even consider asking me to share an entree with you.