What Not to Order at a Birthday Dinner

Would you dare order chicken fajitas on your friend’s birthday and upstage them on their big day? Last month, a creator with the account name @cestlavie posted a video on TikTok from his birthday dinner at a Chili’s — the exact moment that his trust was broken. Over his shoulder, we see his boyfriend receiving an enormous, sizzling platter of fajitas, complete with chicken, black beans, and flour tortillas. As the platter is set on the table, his friends applaud, give oohs and aahs, and cheers to him. One friend even exclaims, “You win the night!” Meanwhile, the birthday boy sulks, likely contemplating every decision in his life that led him to this, or at the very least, the decision to not order the chicken fajitas himself. 

Birthday or not, ordering fajitas is not a dish for those who are shy. The satisfying sound of a smoking and sizzling cast iron skillet will turn heads from the moment it leaves the kitchen, meaning, all eyes will be on you once it arrives at your table. And don’t be surprised if other guests will point at your food, widen their eyes, and say, “What is that?” You’ll tell them that it’s chicken fajitas and they’ll look right at you and say, “We’ll have to order that the next time we’re here!” You’ll smile and respond, “You should! It’s good!” 

Can you tell I’m well-practiced in chicken fajita etiquette? That’s because, I confess, I’m a chicken fajita girl at heart. I would never stoop low enough to order them at a friend or significant other’s birthday, but, do I get a sense of glee when the entire restaurant is envious of my excellent ordering skills? Yes. Yes I do. 

So take it from a pro — chicken fajitas is not the only dish that can capture an audience. So whether you’re a drama queen like me, or you want to avoid the spotlight at all costs, here are the most attention-stealing restaurant orders of all time.

Tableside theatrics

Are your servers bringing out a giant wheel of cheese? Or a mortar and pestle with deconstructed guacamole, perhaps? Any dish that is prepared or finished in the dining room, next to your table, will make whoever ordered it feel like the center of the universe. First, there will inevitably be a cart rolled out of the kitchen — a foldable side table at minimum. Other diners will see it and wonder, “What is that for? Who is that for? The Queen? Madonna?” Surprise! It’s just for you and your $38 cacio e pepe. 

And then there’s the prolonged period of time that it takes for the server or chef to actually prepare that dish — a dinner and a show. Maybe they’re tossing a Caesar salad in a bowl wide enough to hide a medium-sized dog, scraping a layer of Raclette onto your potatoes, or pressing the internal organs of a duck until it forms into a lush jus. Either way, the tableside theatrics can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes, but if you hate attention, it’ll feel like hours.

Food on fire

A subset of the dishes prepared tableside are the dishes that are, at some point, lit on fire. It’s important to note that the fire has to be ignited in the dining room to truly draw attention. Why? Because people love to live life on the edge. I’m always saying that most dining experiences are missing a smidge of adrenaline, and fire brings that in full force. Get the Baked Alaska, a mountain of meringue-covered ice cream lit aflame, or the Bananas Foster, where bananas are flambéed with rum. An especially maximalist move is to order Steak Diane, a pan-fried steak with a flambéed mushroom sauce. As F&W assistant editor Lucy Simon can attest from the time she ordered Steak Diane at The Carlyle in New York City, it makes the whole room smell like steak.

Smoked drinks

You don’t need fire for a smokeshow. These days, a common bartending trick is smoking a cocktail. This usually involves the use of a smoking gun, a handy machine that uses burnt wood chips to evenly release a flow of smoke. There’s an element of drama any time smoke is added to a cocktail, but nothing compares to the moment a smoke-filled dome covering an Old Fashioned is lifted, freeing a gentle cloud that slowly spreads across the bar. If what looks like a Hogwarts potions class doesn’t turn heads, the campfire-like smell will. 

Anything that’s a contest

If you just casually decide to commit to an eating challenge, you might be a top tier attention seeker. There’s a reason why the show Man V. Food was so successful — not only does it feel like an honor to be in the presence of the largest or the spiciest version of a dish, it’s even more impressive to watch someone try to eat it within a time limit. People will literally gather ‘round and cheer the competitor on because it’s something they might not be bold enough to do themselves. If you do decide to participate in a food eating challenge, I suggest you prepare ahead of time — eat a light breakfast and think about your strategy. Don’t put yourself in a position where you boast a big game and epically fail. 

Whenever the dessert comes with a big candle

Ever wonder how extroverted your friend is? Just ask them whether or not they like getting sung “Happy Birthday” at a restaurant. The experience of a server handing you a dessert with a candle, your table bursting into song, the nearby tables joining in, and then cheering you on as you blow out said candle is either joy-filled or anxiety-inducing, depending on who you ask. To make the whole encounter even more extreme, go to a restaurant that puts a big candle in their desserts — one that doubles as a sparkler and is potentially a fire hazard (again, there’s no harm in a bit of fear!). Something kitschy like a Roman candle, which comes with cheesecake at The Golden Steer in Las Vegas, will also do the trick. Perhaps, the best way for @cestlavie to get back at his boyfriend would be to finish off his meal with a dessert like that.