July 6, 2023

A delightfully fresh argument from a delightfully fresh Kennedy face.

This is, in my view, partly comic and partly a really good argument that's damned close to something I've found myself close to saying: To see the text of this rant and read about how this video is viral, go to "JFK grandson goes viral for anti-restaurant rant" (KTLA 5).

66 comments:

Dave Begley said...

At least he’s not all jacked up about CAGW.

wendybar said...

Rich boys like him have personal chefs, maids, and servants. Little boy never had to work a day in his life. Must be nice to hate the plebes who have to work for a living, and have a personal chef to make whatever little rich boy want...It's so hard for Yale and Harvard grads to have to read a menu?? Boo freaking HOO.
Grow up.

Rafe said...

You seem Gnosticism-curious.

- Rafe

tim maguire said...

I don't like eating in restaurants either, but I would never be so solipsistic as to claim "people don't like eating in restaurants." Obviously, they do. Otherwise restaurants wouldn't exist.

gspencer said...

Wow, deep stuff, from a privileged guy bearing 50% of the genes from, you know, his deep-thinking privileged mother,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT8G6Qf7Ngo

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

What I’ve noticed is how people most people most of the time order the most expensive stuff on the menu. It’s… I don’t know. It rubs me the wrong way.

Breezy said...

Sounds like a Jerry Seinfeld schtick….

JAORE said...

Prince Putz.

Ann Althouse said...

He talks about just getting something healthful and wholesome to eat and not needing to read anything or talk to anybody. You can put him down as a rich boy who's had servants, but I think he's talking about what I do — get your own food and eat what's good for you and get on with being active and productive. Why go to restaurants? You'll be sitting around and waiting most of the time and dealing with other people who've decided what you'll be able to eat.

One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them.

farmgirl said...

I was thinking exactly what Wendybar was- he’s always gotten the best of the best.
I get so tired of thinking: what’s for dinner? The kitchen is not my room of forte. We come in late from the barn and- just ugh.

Restaurant selections around here are ugh, too. Or so expensive.
At least I don’t have to prep, cook &clean up if we go out. Or order crap. Yay for the small blessings!

Jamie said...

[shrug] To each his own! Me, I enjoy eating with loved ones and friends rather than spending his "minute and a half eating something that's good for you," presumably standing over the sink so you don't have to use a dish either. Also, as the primary cook in our household, I enjoy having someone else cook what I'm going to eat, and as the primary decorator I enjoy seeing what other places do with their decor.

My brother hates eating in restaurants. He enjoys eating, and he eats a lot, but doesn't seem really to care what he eats - I think he just likes the sensation of chewing and then of being full, or something.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

I go out to eat for several reasons:
1 - I like the food the restaurant serves
2 - I don't want to cook, clean the kitchen, wash piles of dishes.
3 - Fav restaurant makes food that I find too complicated to make at home.

He has a point that going out to eat takes a lot of time. But then, lingering around a table with good food, good company is a part of the day we look forward to, right? but yeah - that gets old too.
Especially now, after the restaurant industry was gutted during chi-com-mob-covid (biggest transfer of wealth from poor/middle to rich, in history) and many restaurants that were once very good, are now fair to disappointing.

tim maguire said...

While I am in full agreement about the time wasted, what marks him as a rich boy is he overlooked the money wasted--eating a nice meal in a restaurant will cost 2 to 3 times what it would have cost you to make an equal meal at home--and you'll probably use better ingredients.

The part about needing to talk to a stranger and needing to read marks him as crazy. Especially when he gives the camera that knowing look after insisting that reading a menu is some nonsense burden.

Ann Althouse said...One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them.

That's the one and only reason I tolerate AirBNB--access to a kitchen that lets you eat better, eat cheaper, eat healthier, and eat more pleasantly. You can go to restaurants when you want to instead of when you have to.

Temujin said...

He's wrong on so many levels, but he's also right. Most people in the world do spend hours, with people, eating dinner. (Italy, France, Israel, many others) It's a social thing. It's built into entire cultures. We, in America, have taken a different route. Restaurants here, some time ago, became a social event, not just a gathering place, but an event. And you had to dine at the right place, be seen with the right people, and you know...eat some foam or something that you would not normally even consider, and act like it raised your consciousness, even though you'd rather not have put that in your mouth.

That's not dining. That's performing. For both you and the restaurant.

Anyway, I just finished watching Season 2 of "The Bear" on Hulu last night. Just a remarkable show that I highly recommend. And as someone who spent a large part of his life in that business, the show hit home to me. And it actually reminded me what I loved about the business. And what I can tell you is that these days- post covid- most restaurants in America suck. They suck because, like in all other businesses today, they cannot find people who want to work hard, work with passion, and have a desire to learn the trade, grow in the trade, become a great restaurateur or chef, or captain at a fine dining establishment. Today those employees they do have are more interested in working on the side to become an influencer, or working on some bullshit app they think will make them the next Jack Dorsey. No one wants to learn the craft any longer. And no one wants to work that hard any longer.

And that goes for the managers and owners who don't know how to hire, or how to properly train people. So...the end result? Bad restaurants with mediocre food at ridiculous prices, served by people who could care less that you're even there, yet expect a big tip because they allowed you in their presence. Occasionally. Just not when you needed more water.

Restaurants are supposed to be where the community gathers, and enjoys the bounties of the earth, creatively offered. Food and wine. It's been with us forever. Only recently do so many of us hate them (restaurants, that is). So...it is the concept, or is it us?

Lyle said...

Someone is choosing the food all of us buy in grocery stores.

Rocco said...

Russell said...
"Jack Schlossberg’s anti-restaurant tirade is the exact deranged himbo social cause JFK’s grandson should be doing."

Ann posted:
"This is, in my view, partly comic and partly a really good argument that's damned close to something I've found myself close to saying"

Sooo, you came damned close to saying JFK's grandson is a himbo?

iowan2 said...

I have hundreds of pet peeves. The world doesn't give two shits about any of them.

If I cared, I could follow this guy on social media and really expose how much time he wastes (posting on social media is an easy one) and TELL him what he most do to be productive...as I define productivity.

Strange thing. Unless its to be with friends, family(still friends), or job, I never go to places I don't like.

B. said...

Too bad he’s never had to wait tables or tend bar.

wild chicken said...

Sadly, in the end this is all my family and friends ever did. Drive to eat at some restaurant, and try to talk, which is impossible now with the screechy music playing.

Piss-poor excuse for socializing but I can't see us all biking or hiking together like kids anymore. Even as teens we'd drive around and end up at a burger joint.

Humperdink said...

What a balloon head.

"A couple of choices" Nope, many.

"You don't know what any of them are going to taste like" Nope, I go to several restaurants locally, including national chains. I know what the food tastes like.

"Covered in sugar" Doesn't know what he's talking about. I don't have a meal at Krispey Kreme.

"I am never, ever going to a restaurant again" Wanna bet?

A snot nose little kid. Just go away.

Kate said...

Cooking is an art form and a restaurant is the culinary equivalent of a gallery. Even as a little coffee shop that sells its walls every month is a gallery, so a humble diner can deliver a gustatory artistic experience.

Critter said...

For human beings, the act of breaking bread with others is an important social event. It creates ties that bind with others. If eating alone, however, as with business travel, I’m not enamored with restaurants.

Goldenpause said...

Explain to me why anyone (other than his family and friends) should care about what one of JFK’s grandsons says.

Caroline said...

Interesting viewpoint, from someone of the generation that eats out plus 10x a week…i get that it’s become a grind, and that we are this detached from the important humanizing task of providing our own healthy meals. I am from the generation that viewed a restaurant experience as a special, out of the ordinary event, meant to convey “the good life” and the poetry of a specially prepared meal that couldnt be duplicated at home. It’s still a special occasion for us, and we are doing it less and less. They want $25 for a glass of Cabernet these days, for crying out loud.

Ampersand said...

Restaurants are important parts of the economy, and critical sites for certain social and business rituals.
That said, I can make food that tastes great and costs much less than a restaurant in one third of the time. My food prep lacks the creativity, nuance and presentation of the restaurant experience. So I pay for that sometimes.

wendybar said...

When you are the one who plans, shops, prepares, cooks, and cleans up, YOU love to go to restaurants to get a break from all of that, something rich elite people don't always have to do. When you have servants that cater to your every whim, you can complain about ANYTHING.

Aggie said...

I'm begging you, please - no more Kennedy's.

Randomizer said...

That was a legacy rant. He is the good looking grand-baby of JFK, so we watch it. If that was a text post on Reddit, would anyone care? It certainly doesn't hold up to scrutiny, so it was the delivery that was persuasive.

You get to choose the restaurant, so the food choices aren't very limited.

The waiter will answer any questions, so reading isn't mandatory.

Meatloaf doesn't taste like broccoli, so you have a general idea what the food will taste like.

What healthy meal can you prepare at home in 90 seconds? Even a frozen pizza takes 10 minutes.

Practically every statement he makes is arguable, and only makes sense if his staff is leaving prepared meals in the refrigerator for him.

I go to restaurants as a social activity with friends, and do get frustrated dining out all the time when traveling. My complaints are that you get too much food by spending too much time and money.

rrsafety said...

"... and then what do you do?"
"I don't know ... go lie down?"

He's got my vote!

Joe Bar said...

We enjoy eating at restaurants, therefore, I do not understand his objections.

Linda said...

This sound’s similar to my husband talking about going out to dinner. He doesn’t see the point - it takes too long, there is too much waiting. I enjoy going out to eat, but we do not do it very often, primarily because I know how much he dislikes it. As I have pointed out to him - I do 99% of the cooking so of course he thinks eating at home is much more convenient- food is ready instantly as far as he is concerned 😂. I do agree that ‘in general’ there are much healthier options available at home.

baghdadbob said...

Nobody goes to restaurants anymore, they're too crowded.

h/t Yogi Berra

Barbara said...

Sure, it’s easier to control what you eat when you prepare it yourself. Well, not exactly easier, just possible. You have to get the ingredients and know what to do with them. In retirement, my husband and I share the cooking duties and it’s so we can each eat exactly what we want at least some of the time.

mikee said...

One can live on pinto beans and rice. And make a pot of each to last a week or more. Go ahead, enjoy!

Humperdink said...

Delightfully fresh? Good grief!

Ice Nine said...

>"Most people in the world don’t spend their lives eating dinner.”<

Nor breakfast. Nor lunch. Nor any eating. Right?
Nor do they, fortunately, listen to anything this simple puppy has to say.

Enlighten-NewJersey said...

Spoken like a person who doesn’t do meal planning, grocery shopping, meal prep, cooking, table setting, or after-meal cleanup.

MadTownGuy said...

Ann Althouse said...

"One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them."

Or you could pack a portable campstove, buy local ingredients, and prepare dinner in a park. We've done that while traveling and it's a nice alternative as long as the weather is good.

Sebastian said...

Not much of an "argument," not much of a "rant."

MayBee said...

Althouse- do you think your limited sense of taste affects your feelings about eating? Eat what's good for you can be the same as eat what is delicious, but for me the "delicious" is a big reason for going to a restaurant.

Mason G said...

"You'll be sitting around and waiting most of the time and dealing with other people who've decided what you'll be able to eat."

When you go to the market to get your own food, you're dealing with other people who've decided what you'll be able to eat, too.

Eva Marie said...

Restaurant noises are some of the best ASMR out there.

Lindsey said...

This sad diatribe will follow him his whole life

JK Brown said...

I see this as an attempt, as many comedians do, to spell out a common task to show the absurdity of a commonly done task. He's not very good and just comes off as angry.

There is one from a pro comedian that lays out the absurdity of a teachers job. The one where they are hired to "make children" know math or whatever. And the children don't want to know math but the teacher must make them know math while their hormones are driving them to distraction with sex and they are beating the crap out of each other. And who are these children? Just whichever ones live near the school building.

Kai Akker said...

Very profound observations.....

But the clip's popularity must indicate trouble ahead for the restaurant industry. If so, I doubt that it is because of his, and Althouse's, objections that the restaurant experience of relaxing, talking to one another, and being served is actually too strenuous and miserable for words. I think those parts are enjoyable and pleasurable, if the restaurant isn't so loud that relaxation is impossible. I think it may be more objectionable for most people, because two decades of the foodie fad have made so many restaurants too expensive to enjoy routinely, and the food that is served is often mediocre and now also overpriced, too; so that you leave thinking, I could have done much better at home. Why did I spend $150 on that?

JK Brown said...

Here is a teacher social media influencer miming the comedy routine of a "teacher's job" I mentioned in my earlier comment. It is how absurd many things seem when spelled out

https://youtu.be/p35NoVBMucU

Tom T. said...

Left to my own devices, I would graze all day. Having a family forces me to prepare actual meals.

Kevin Walsh said...

Meals are the highlight of my day, and I don't care if JFK III or anyone thinks that's pathetic.

Narr said...

I go to restaurants to eat food that I can't or don't want to prepare myself. Duh.

Napoleon was a famous meal-scorner, grudging to spend more than 15 minutes at table.

My restaurant experiences, here and abroad, have been generally positive and if I'm in good company a long meal is delightful. OTOH I tend to eat fast and if the company isn't to my taste I bolt, and bolt.




Michael K said...

His mother isn't very smart. More regession to the mean.

PM said...

With Backpacker's Pantry, you can boil up dinners during your stay at the Hassler Roma.

Amexpat said...

One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them.

You don't have to depend on restaurants when travelling. You can book AirBnb places where you you can self-cater and go to supermarkets for fruit and ready made salads. I normally don't eat more than one meal a day at a restaurant when I travel and can go days without a restaurant for longer term stays.

JFK's grandson seems high on pot. Nothing wrong with that but I'll bet he'll go to fast food place when the munchies hit.

J. D. Canals said...

"One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them."
What a sad statement...................

J. D. Canals said...

"One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them."
What a sad statement...................

Quaestor said...

Absolutely.

Why go out when there's Conchita in the kitchen anyway? Let her cook, she does an excellent bouillabaisse Provençal and she can get everything fresh right here on the island. Delish. And there's Alonzo to serve, and the new one to clean up.

Meanwhile, I'm reading White Fragility... No! The ninth edition, the one with most of the grammatical errors fixed.

walter said...

"In the light-hearted video, Schlossberg, a graduate of both Yale and Harvard universities, explains that he finds eating in restaurants to be a waste of time — including reading menus."
--
He has credentials. Take note.
He fails to mention dining with friends offers thew option of "Waitress Sandwich!!"

Althouse. If when traveling you go to unique, independent local restaurants, you get another glimpse at the culture. It helps if it's sufficiently different than where you live. But it's also interesting to visit the local grocery store, see what they have and put your own meal/snack together.

Quaestor said...

"One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over."

Althouse could get an RV and eat in, but then there are all those icky nouveau riche RV people to deal with. It's like here at the club. There're some new members with a big RV parked where we can see it. The founding members want them balled because the hillbillies won't drop a quarter to extend their driveway behind the house where the gauche coach can be parked out of sight.

JaimeRoberto said...

"One reason I lean against traveling is that you're forced to go to restaurants over and over. You're dependent on them."

That's kind of a weird hang-up. But if you are worried about being dependent on restaurants you can get an AirBnB with a kitchen and cook for yourself, which is what we do to save time and money, and it adds to the experience, seeing how regular people in that place live. But then we have to go to the grocery store and read the labels on the stuff we buy.

TheDopeFromHope said...

More proof that going to Ivy League schools makes you really stupid. Good, stay the fuck home and shut the fuck up.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Quaestor said..

"Why go out when there's Conchita in the kitchen anyway? Let her cook, she does an excellent bouillabaisse Provençal and she can get everything fresh right here on the island. Delish. And there's Alonzo to serve, and the new one to clean up."

Indeed.... while sipping a cocktail by the pool, crafted by Vincenzo the cabana boy.

Humperdink said...

We are watching not just what ivy league produces, but Harvard Law. What an embarrassment.

catter said...

I like seeing the useless offspring of the rich and powerful occupying themselves with fatuous causes rather than ones that do real harm to real people.

iowan2 said...

We eat out on Friday night.

And,when we are "out"


Life is THE journey. Enjoy the trip, it is rarely about the destination, but the experiences on the way, and back.

Talk to the wait staff, and the others waiting to be seated. Say hi to the 5 year old.

Some people take themselves way to serious.

SweatBee said...

The tell is that he thinks the alternative to restaurants is "taking a minute and a half to eat" something. If you want to eat something healthful and wholesome, it's going to take more than a minute and a half to procure and prepare it.

He has staff or Mommy to do the shopping and the prep and the cleaning up after, so of course eating at home is a productivity-saver for him. *He* saves time not going to a restaurant, but I don't (unless it's a long drive). Our hostess might save time eating at home, but she's been an empty nester for years. I have to feed a house full of people and sometimes their friends, all with different diet requirements. A restaurant can handle that faster than I can.

Plus, it's difficult to take someone too seriously who looks like a younger Anthony Wiener.

Bunkypotatohead said...

He's 30 years old. I would be surprised any of his contemporaries even knew who he was. Or have any knowledge of the Kennedys and why liberal boomers fawn over them so.

Josephbleau said...

“get your own food and eat what's good for you and get on with being active and productive. Why go to restaurants?”

One of the features of early science fiction was the idea that everyone would take a food pill each day and never need to waste time eating. Real humans use the required intake of energy as an artistic social event that serves the family and community. Humans need small regular rituals that plant them in time and space.