People Whose Favorite Hobby Is Trying New Restaurants Usually Have 9 Distinct Traits
Bobex-73 / ShutterstockFor some people, trying a new restaurant is one of their favorite ways to spend an afternoon. They keep a running list of places they want to visit, happily driving across town for a highly recommended dish, or convincing friends to skip the usual spot in favor of somewhere they've never been before. For them, the experience is just as exciting as the meal itself.
You can truly make a hobby out of anything you enjoy. Books, nature, movement, food, creating, art, restaurants. And while having adventurous taste buds doesn't define someone's personality, the hobbies people gravitate toward often reflect the qualities they value most. People who love discovering new restaurants are frequently drawn to novelty and shared experiences. They’re also naturally curious and eager to make ordinary moments feel a little more memorable.
If someone's favorite hobby is trying out new restaurants, they likely have these very specific traits
1. They love to be the planner
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We all know the friend who’s making the reservations and scheduling plans for everyone’s calendars. If you don’t know a friend like that, chances are, you’re them! Yes, for some people, it becomes a source of resentment to be the one to initiate these plans, but for others, it’s a joy.
Especially when their hobby is trying new spots and getting acquainted with new kinds of food, being in charge of combing through Yelp reviews and investigating a new restaurant on social media is all part of the fun. They enjoy making the plans because the research that goes into what everyone gathers to do brings them immense joy.
2. They value spending money on experiences
Rather than spending on material things they can put in their homes or wear out into the world, people who appreciate trying new foods as a hobby instead invest in experiences. They’d prefer to spend a night making memories with friends or go on a solo date than buy something they'd need to find space for at home.
Regardless of the cost, studies suggest that people who spend on experiences are actually happier than people who spend mostly on material goods. Yes, it’s a personal hobby, but it’s also an investment in a happy life and better mental health.
3. They invest in the community
While many people crave connection in modern culture with the deterioration of cheap or free third spaces, people who make trying new restaurants a hobby often invest money in rebuilding community. Whether it’s going out alone and making friends with people they meet in these restaurants or inviting friends to join them, they’re building connections while they’re investing in a hobby.
Some people don’t have the luxury of spending on connections with others. Others prefer to crave community without making an effort. These people make a hobby out of sourcing new restaurants because they offer space for social connection, conversation, and community in interesting ways.
4. They’re naturally curious
Being curious is a trait that’s severely overlooked in the wellness space. It’s actually the key to the third path to a good life, which is being psychologically fulfilled and engaged. When people make trying new things a hobby, whether that’s eating at restaurants or learning new skills by researching as adults, they’re practicing fulfillment.
They’re making their lives more full and offering themselves new experiences, while still benefiting from the joys of going out for a meal, whether that’s connection, community, or memories.
5. They’re open-minded
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Obviously, if you’re willing to invest time and money in trying new restaurants you’ve never been to, you have to be somewhat open-minded about the menu and the food you might try. On top of being curious, these people act on their interests, trying food they’d never have a chance to make or eat at home.
Openness offers opportunities to see fresh perspectives in a world that pressures people toward sameness and conformity. Even if it’s new foods or new places, the willingness to break up their routine and try new things is more of a superpower than people give it credit for.
6. They’re comfortable with uncertainty
So many of us close ourselves off to new experiences, memories, and opportunities because we can’t cope with change and unpredictability. In some ways, that’s part of our human nature. It’s a natural survival mechanism that makes us want to stick to what we know and understand.
However, in harmless ways, we can push ourselves slightly into discomfort to grow and evolve as humans, even if that means trying a new restaurant we’ve never been to before. People who make it a hobby have this powerful, distinct personality trait. They might be uncertain about trying something new, but they don’t craft unfamiliarity as an innate fear at their own expense.
7. They trust people
When someone gives us a recommendation for a restaurant to try or a movie to watch, how many times do we actually follow through? Of course, some of us don’t have the money or time to try these things, but plenty just prefer to stick to what they know.
There’s nothing wrong with that either, although being open to new things is a valuable virtue. That said, people who make a hobby out of trying new restaurants trust people’s recommendations enough to take the risk that they may not enjoy themselves. They trust that others will give them good advice and that someone might open a doorway to a new experience they wouldn’t otherwise have.
8. Food is more than fuel for them
Food is an incredibly important part of culture and connection, but for some people, it’s just fuel. That’s great too. Not everyone has a culture they connect deeply with or a relationship with food that brings them feelings of whimsy and ease.
However, people who make going to restaurants their hobby generally nurture a strong connection to the dining experience. They allow it to connect them with people and cultures. They make memories around the dishes they try. They speak with and interact with service workers and owners. They make the whole experience truly memory-making, so, of course, they love it.
9. They’re extroverted and love getting out of the house
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Introverts might quiver at the thought of making a hobby out of socializing and leaving the house. However, for people like this, who enjoy leaving the house, being social comes naturally.
That’s part of why they love trying new foods and getting out to try new restaurants. They appreciate getting to speak with people they’ve never met and having conversations around food that just can’t happen to the same scale at home.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
