On one of our first dates, we sat at the bar of a classic Palo Alto spot called 42nd Street. It felt so oddly grown-up and sophisticated to be 23 years old and sitting on a barstool like Norm from Cheers. I vaguely remember thinking we were going to get “caught” as cheating adults.

These days, whenever we eat out, Steve and I make a beeline for the bar at a restaurant, for all the reasons I’m about to tell you.

But as I prepared to write about it, I initially racked my brain about when we came up with the idea of ​​sitting at the bar and eating something to eat instead of just drinking something. I found it one Halloween night when our sons were in third and sixth grade. We were in downtown Davis to participate in the annual Halloween Treat Trail when we realized the kids might enjoy trick-or-treating for a few blocks without their parents/with a group of friends. So Steve and I told them to stick together, be polite, and come back to the restaurant in a half hour. Then we sat at the bar and ordered appetizers and a beer.

That’s one of the advantages of sitting at the bar – it’s fast. Your bartender will usually take your order faster and you’ll get your food and bill quicker than at a table. Even if you’re not in a hurry, the efficiency is welcome.

It’s also social and communal. Bartenders are often personable and there’s generally a camaraderie among the people at the bar. True, you sit much closer to people than if you had your own table; but it’s like being at a party with future friends and you definitely have at least one thing in common.

It’s also nice to be able to choose busier restaurants at short notice. “Have you made a reservation?” asks a restaurant owner. “If not, there are still seats at the bar.” You don’t have to ask us twice.

Chico has many bars where you can—and will!—enjoy a meal, including: The Banshee (of course); Sierra Nevada (also of course); Crush; Sicilian Cafe; Burban Kitchen, Franky’s, and Mom’s. Steve and I enjoyed eating at all of these bars and enjoying the feeling of being part of the action.

After thinking about it, I wondered what bartenders thought about customers slumping in their chairs. Asking them directly while they’re serving you seems pointless, since they’re unlikely to say they wish you would leave.

Some online discussions on Reddit have pointed out that bartenders generally like to serve food because it increases bills and thus tips. One Reddit bartender said, “If you’re at my bar during dinner time, I really care about you ordering food. It’s the best way to drive up my bills.”

Another brought up a good point: “As a bartender, my favorite thing is when my guests make friends. Then I’m not under as much pressure to entertain them, and ideally they’ll keep coming back.”

So if you see the back of our heads as we are being led to the bar at a local establishment, say hello, sit down and ask for the menu!

Tanya Perez is married to Chico State University President Steve Perez. She is a longtime journalist who worked for 17 years as a reporter, assistant editor and columnist at The Davis Enterprise. She is now the student journalist editor at EdSource.org.