Menu Anxiety
Anxiousness about ordering at a restaurant
Example
Yvonne got so nervous at the restaurant that she asked me to order for her when the server came and she bolted for the restroom
Wow. Talk about menu anxiety
Related Slang
Energy vampire | A person who sucks your emotional energy |
FOBO | Fear of being on |
FOGO | Fear of going outside |
SOB | Shortness of breath |
Gen Zer | A person born between 1997 and 2012 |
Zoomer | A person born between 1997 and 2012 |
FUD | Fear, uncertainty, and doubt |
Buggin | Acting erratic |
Flop sweat | Nervous perspiration |
Sweatin | Worrying |
Germaphobe | A person afraid of germs |
Menu anxiety is the nervous feeling that accompanies ordering from a menu at a restaurant. It typically derives from the exorbitant cost of a meal, difficulty finding something desirable, or regret about the ordered item.
While anyone may experience menu anxiety, Gen Zers (or Zoomers) are the most likely generation to experience menu anxiety (the term gained prominence in 2022-23). Many researchers and psychologists attribute this to their lack of social development due to being immersed in technology and the effects of covid isolation.
While menu anxiety may happen when ordering online or in a drive-thru, people typically experience it at an actual restaurant. For example, you may be reviewing a menu with your friend, and she says, "Oh my gosh, these choices are too overwhelming. Can you just pick one for me? I know I'm gonna pick a bad choice with my menu anxiety."