When You Have a Long Day …

steakBack before I started working for myself, I had a few “corporate” jobs. Some times I would leave work in the hopes that I would not have to make any more decisions until the following day. Well, except maybe stop for a drink on the way home.

Well, there was a bar in Manhattan Beach — a Los Angeles suburb — that was the place to go. It was designed to minimize your decisions. When I walked in I knew what I wanted to drink. (I think this was during my “scotch on the rocks” time. In any case, that was a non-decision and I could just chill out.

Sometimes I would realize I was hungry. This is where the bar had it totally under control for us work-stressed. You see, the menu was pasted on the side of an empty wine bottle at each table. There was really just one item — a steak of some sort, with potatoes and a salad. Usually, when the waitress came back to see if you wanted a second drink she would say, dinner?

You would answer either “yes” or “no”. If you said yes there were more questions. In particular: “Rare, medium or well done?”, “Baked or fries?” and “Thousand Island, Roquefort or Italian?” (I think those were the three salad dressing choices but it was 45 years ago.)

It was perfect (for back when I ate meat). You could relax, eat something tasty and then head home with the minimum of after-work stress and decision making. I wonder if it is still there?