It is so easy to get caught up in being “Mom” or “Dad” and forget about being a couple. It sounds un-romantic, but sometimes you’ve just got to schedule in alone time. Tonight is our wedding anniversary. The babysitter has arrived and we are out of here! My husband and I have a few restaurants that we’ve been wanting to try but date nights are not a common occurrence, (read: it’s expensive when you factor in the babysitting bill in with the restaurant tab). However, we decided to make the most of this night by trying all THREE restaurants. Yep, all three. ….

We decided to try what’s called restaurant hopping. This is where two, three, and maybe even four restaurants are visited in one evening (depending on the size of your appetite).

My husband and I ordered about 2-3 appetizers at each of the restaurants. It felt sort of weird at first, my husband being the most apprehensive at what the waiter would think of us ordering such a small amount of food. However, he got over it soon enough. (It is courteous to let your server know your intentions, if you are going to have a short visit. They’ll know what to expect as far as the tab goes and it’ll save them the time of explaining the nightly specials).

What an enjoyable experience! We didn’t have to worry about getting the “right” table as we knew we wouldn’t be there for very long and we giggled at the thought of doing something out of the ordinary (yeah, we don’t get out much—can you tell? Three kids and all that…). Anyway, we spent maybe 30 minutes at the first place and then made our way to the second stop. We compared the atmosphere, food, service, and decided whether or not the place was due for a future visit. By the third place though, we were stuffed. We decided to end the night by ordering one appetizer each, one main course to share, and then dessert. We did end up bringing some food back home as we just couldn’t finish it. Let me just say that if you are not a big eater, stick with two restaurants and stay away from the third. Your stomach will thank you.

Restaurant hopping might be a good solution for couples who may have different tastes when it comes to food. Instead of figuring out one restaurant that will appease both palettes, both can be satisfied with each choosing a location to visit.

We had a lot of fun and at the same time were able to sample foods from three very different places. We didn’t have to worry about wasting our precious date night time at one location. If we didn’t like the food, we just moved on to the next spot. It was a unique experience and one that we’ll be repeating In the future. My husband and I ended up creating a “must try” list, so when the next date night rolls around we’ll be ready.

Have fun on your next night out on the town!

*Do you have a favorite eatery? If so, share in the comment section below! This is a perfect place to swap ideas and who knows you just might discover a new favorite place to eat!