Is foodstagramming ruining your dining experience?

We’ve all whipped out our phones to click photos of a good-looking plate of food as soon as it’s served on the table. There’s nothing wrong in clicking an Insta-worthy #foodgasm photo once in a while, but we also know at least one person who takes it a little too far and makes everyone wait until they have 20 photos of the food from 10 different angles. The result – a beautiful carousel on Instagram, but also a cold or texture-less plate of food on the table. As diners focus on capturing the perfect shot, is the essence of eating out being lost? Let's find out.

An online poll done by Pune Times revealed:
44% believe taking pictures of the food is fine if it doesn’t disturb anyone
38% people believe it's rude to bring out phones during fine dining or intimate gatherings
36% feel clicking food photos ruins the experience of eating out
12% think it's important to take a photo for the gram

Dining experience or photo-op?
At casual eateries, taking photos is almost a norm "I don’t see it as a big deal," says Sakshi Deshmukh, a food enthusiast and frequent diner from the city, adding, “I feel it’s part of enjoying the meal and sharing the experience with others. The picture is half the fun!" A manager of a popular cafe chain in the city shares that a lot of younger customers take photos of food. “If it doesn’t disturb other diners, we don’t have a problem with it," says the manager. However, in fine dining settings, the etiquette is different. When it comes to intimate meals or fine dining, whipping out a phone can feel disruptive. Acknowledging that there’s a time and place for things, 22-year-old Arya Joshi, a frequent diner, says, “Taking photos doesn’t necessarily mean I’m not enjoying the meal. It’s how I share my life with others. That said, when I’m at a fine dining place, I try to keep it low-key, maybe just a quick snap before eating."

Eating out is about the full experience
The practice of ‘foodstagramming’ has become popular with social media. However, studies indicate that for every minute spent making a food picture Instagram-worthy, the dish may actually lose some of its impact. This leaves some wondering if, for the sake of aesthetics, we’re letting the true essence of dining slip away. “Dining out is about the ambience, the flavours, the entire experience. Spending too much time in taking photos can compromise that," says Chef Manas Rishav, from an upscale restaurant in Koregaon Park, adding, "I have seen dishes lose their intended textures because they’re left sitting for too long." Hospitality expert Aastha Mishra adds, "Textures change, hot dishes cool down, and flavours can be compromised if the food is left on the table for too long. We’ve had guests who took so long with photos that we had to reheat their dishes.”

Be mindful during rush hours
Restaurant staff, especially on busy weekends, can find the constant requests for photo assistance or extra time challenging. "We get that people want to make memories," says Rishun Kumar, a server at a bistro in Kalyani Nagar. He adds, "But if it’s a full house and customers keep asking us to take pictures or arrange their food for photos, it disrupts service for others. During peak hours, we appreciate mindfulness from customers." Some restaurants have even set informal policies to manage this. "We don’t discourage photos. But if a table is taking too long to start eating, we gently remind them that it's best to enjoy the dish right away,” says Gurmeet Vora, a restaurant owner.