Photo: Ann Kosolapova (Shutterstock)
Have you ever waited until other people placed their order to make sure you’re making the right decision? If so, you might have what’s being called “menu anxiety.” And according to recent research by OnePoll, one in three Americans have it.
The survey of 2,000 adults found younger generations were far more likely to have anxiety while ordering—41% of Gen Z and Millennials (aged 18–43), compared with only 15% of Gen X and Baby Boomers (aged 44–77). Taste was understandably the most important factor, followed by cost, the time needed for the food to be made, how messy the meal would be, and the foods’ environmental impact.
If you can relate, licensed mental health counselor Natasha D’Arcangelo shared insight on why you might have menu anxiety and what you can do about it.
What causes menu anxiety?
Why do some people feel overwhelmed when it comes to something that seems as innocuous as a menu?
“I would imagine that people who are already experiencing anxiety would be more prone to experiencing menu anxiety,” D’Arcangelo tells Lifehacker. “People who struggle with performance anxiety or perfectionism might also be more prone to experiencing it. It could also be a sign that your general stress levels are increased if what used to feel like a simple decision is now paralyzing you with anxiety or fear.”
Ordering foods from menus can be anxiety-inducing for some, “because it feels like such an overwhelming decision.”
What does menu anxiety feel like?
Since menu anxiety is not an official mental health diagnosis, D’Arcangelo says it’s speculative to identify what signs are that you might have menu anxiety. However, based on the research given, she says it might look like: 1) struggling to decide what to order; 2) feeling as though you ordered the wrong thing; 3) being concerned that others are judging you for what you ordered; 4) feeling pressured to order while at a table with others; 5) placing too much importance on what it is that you are ordering.
Solving your menu anxiety
To help mitigate menu anxiety, D’Arcangelo shares the following suggestions:
“Try and look up the menu before you arrive at the restaurant. This can help to lessen the feeling of being overwhelmed by choices or feeling rushed. If you already know what you want to order, the process can feel smoother for you.” “Think about your life a year from now. Will you be thinking to yourself about the decision you made about what to eat that evening? If it is not something that you will be thinking about a year from now, then it is not something that you need to be overthinking.”“It can help to look at the decision about what to eat through the lens of, ‘is this a life-threatening situation?’ You are not in immediate, life-threatening danger when ordering at a restaurant which means you don’t need your flight or fight response. This perspective can help you feel less overwhelmed and avoid catastrophizing the situation.”“Remind yourself that unless you order something that you are allergic to, there is no wrong decision that you can make when ordering out. The worst case scenario is that you end up with something that you might not like. Again, this perspective can help you to feel less overwhelmed by the choices you have.”
