We’ve all been there—you walk into a restaurant ready to eat, only to instantly regret your life choices because of one little thing (Or big to some).
Personally, if I walk into a restaurant and the music is super loud, I will walk right back out! I want to enjoy my food and talk to whoever I’m with in peace. I don’t want to be yelling up a storm!
Whether it’s a weird vibe or a mystery stain on the booth, here are the top red flags that’ll have you plotting your exit strategy before the chips and salsa even arrive.
- The Smell Is Off.
- If it smells like a combo of wet mop, expired fish, and broken dreams? Run.
- Sticky Menus.
- A menu that clings to your hand like a desperate situationship = a health code violation in disguise.
- No Customers.
- You walk in at prime dinner time and it’s emptier than your inbox after ghosting your boss? Suspicious.
- Bad Vibes from the Staff.
- If the host is giving you the dead inside stare, and the server looks like they just argued with the cook… abort mission.
- Questionable Cleanliness.
- Dirty floors, crusty silverware, or—gasp—a lipstick-stained glass? No ma’am. No sir. No thanks.
- Super Weird Menu Items.
- You came for tacos and they’re also offering sushi, lasagna, and pancakes? Are we… in a food identity crisis?
- Loud Weird Music.
- Is it a restaurant or a rave? If you’re yelling your order over dubstep, it’s a no from me, dog.
- Instant Gut Feeling.
- Trust your intuition. If you feel like you’re on the set of a true crime reenactment, just go.
- Sketchy Bathrooms.
- If the restroom looks like it’s been through a zombie apocalypse, imagine the kitchen.
- The “Cash Only” Sign (with no explanation).
- What are y’all hiding? Taxes? Crimes? Your cousin’s mixtape under the counter?
Bottom line? If the restaurant gives “do not enter” energy—trust your gut and save your appetite for literally anywhere else. You deserve better…