ter. Partly that’s due to our rapid (or is that, rabid?) eating habits. When we’re being jammed with lots of dishes at once, we wolf down our portions, not chewing or tasting our food adequately.

Our stomachs don’t have the time to signal the brain that we’re full, and I don’t even want to mention all

Today I ate in a restaurant and the server messed up my order.

There’s nothing new about that; it happens to me all the time.

Despite the fact that I repeat myself to make sure I’ve been heard, I still get ice with my Diet Coke, no lemon or lime, and regular, high octane, sugared cola instead of the calorie free.

But there’s one failing on the part of a server that is unforgivable.

It is bringing all of the meal’s courses at the same time.

Take a little quiz with me.

Is the “appetizer” to be served:

(a) Before the main course?

(b) At the same time as the main course?

(c) Or, is it to be served at dessert time?

If you chose (a), then you have probably never served me a meal.

Incessantly, plates are brought to me simultaneously.

If I have ordered a salad, I will have taken three bites of it when the entr?e is thrust upon me.

Worse, instead of acknowledging the error and asking me if I would like to wait for the next dish, or have it removed, servers imperiously glare at the table, expecting me to pile up the platters or do a circus balancing act so they can crash-land the items, and split.

You’ve heard that Americans are growing fatter. Partly that’s due to our rapid (or is that, rabid?) eating habits. When we’re being jammed with lots of dishes at once, we wolf down our portions, not chewing or tasting our food adequately.

Our stomachs don’t have the time to signal the brain that we’re full, and I don’t even want to mention all

the calorie free.

But there’s one failing on the part of a server that is unforgivable.

It is bringing all of the meal’s courses at the same time.

Take a little quiz with me.

Is the “appetizer” to be served:

(a) Before the main course?

(b) At the same time as the main course?

(c) Or, is it to be served at dessert time?

If you chose (a), then you have probably never served me a meal.

Incessantly, plates are brought to me simultaneously.

If I have ordered a salad, I will have taken three bites of it when the entr?e is thrust upon me.

Worse, instead of acknowledging the error and asking me if I would like to wait for the next dish, or have it removed, servers imperiously glare at the table, expecting me to pile up the platters or do a circus balancing act so they can crash-land the items, and split.

You’ve heard that Americans are growing fatter. Partly that’s due to our rapid (or is that, rabid?) eating habits. When we’re being jammed with lots of dishes at once, we wolf down our portions, not chewing or tasting our food adequately.

Our stomachs don’t have the time to signal the brain that we’re full, and I don’t even want to mention all

urse?

(c) Or, is it to be served at dessert time?

If you chose (a), then you have probably never served me a meal.

Incessantly, plates are brought to me simultaneously.

If I have ordered a salad, I will have taken three bites of it when the entr?e is thrust upon me.

Worse, instead of acknowledging the error and asking me if I would like to wait for the next dish, or have it removed, servers imperiously glare at the table, expecting me to pile up the platters or do a circus balancing act so they can crash-land the items, and split.

You’ve heard that Americans are growing fatter. Partly that’s due to our rapid (or is that, rabid?) eating habits. When we’re being jammed with lots of dishes at once, we wolf down our portions, not chewing or tasting our food adequately.

Our stomachs don’t have the time to signal the brain that we’re full, and I don’t even want to mention all

ead of acknowledging the error and asking me if I would like to wait for the next dish, or have it removed, servers imperiously glare at the table, expecting me to pile up the platters or do a circus balancing act so they can crash-land the items, and split.

You’ve heard that Americans are growing fatter. Partly that’s due to our rapid (or is that, rabid?) eating habits. When we’re being jammed with lots of dishes at once, we wolf down our portions, not chewing or tasting our food adequately.

Our stomachs don’t have the time to signal the brain that we’re full, and I don’t even want to mention all

ter. Partly that’s due to our rapid (or is that, rabid?) eating habits. When we’re being jammed with lots of dishes at once, we wolf down our portions, not chewing or tasting our food adequately.

Our stomachs don’t have the time to signal the brain that we’re full, and I don’t even want to mention all of the indigestion this binge eating causes.

So, you can take control and slim down a bit by trying this tactic.

When you order, say: “I’d like to take my time between courses. So, please don’t put in my entr?e order until I’ve finished my salad, and please check back with me to make sure I have, okay?”

This has worked for me on those odd occasions when I’ve had servers actually listen to me, without racing off, prematurely.