Yesterday, my family of three (my eldest son was absent due to some errands) dined at Royal Host, one of the premier family restaurant chains in Japan. It had been a decade since we last had a family meal at a family restaurant, or specifically Royal Host. However, as we finished eating, my younger son announced, "I'll take care of the bill." "Why?" I asked, taken aback. "Because it's Father's Day," he replied.
Over the past few years, it had become the norm for us to split the bill evenly whenever we dined out as a family (the children and my spouse and I would share the cost). It wasn't a deliberate decision; it just happened naturally. The children started to say, "We'll pay," and it became our standard practice. On the previous Mother's Day, the children had footed the bill. Come to think of it, they also took care of it on my birthday last year, and on my wife's birthday. Of course, when it comes to the children's birthdays, we let them choose the restaurant, and my spouse and I cover the cost. During my younger son's birthday, his older brother chips in, and vice versa. I wonder how many years this custom has been going on. Father's Day had always been an occasion where my wife would cook my favorite dishes. But this year, considering that it would put a heavy burden on her, we decided to celebrate it at a restaurant.
We chose to dine at Royal Host, inspired by its feature on the popular variety show, "Jobtune." This program saw top chefs judging the restaurant's acclaimed dishes. Each of us opted for an item that had been bestowed with their "seal of perfection," and we collectively enjoyed a shared salad.
Next, we audaciously ordered pancakes for dessert, a dish that had suffered harsh criticism by the judgess and subsequent failure on the show. Despite its televised failure, we shared this infamous dessert amongst ourselves. Typically, when a dish receives a failing grade on "Jobtune," it's expeditiously removed from the menu. However, these pancakes, a traditional staple of the Royal Host menu, managed to remain available. This was due to the public outcry that followed their critical panning, with patrons exclaiming, "What were the judges looking at?!" It was as if the pancakes' failed rating had sparked a rebellious uproar, allowing the dish to retain its place on the menu.
Reflecting on the rare occasion of dining out for Father's Day, the payment was completed and we headed home. "The meal was especially delicious today," my wife remarked. I sincerely believed that such experiences are not about the money. It was an incredibly tasty, fun, warm, and delightful dining experience.
