The Best Way To Order At A Restaurant When You're In A Rush

If you're like most busy professionals at lunch, you eat with one foot in the running position, ready to bolt out the door before you've even chewed your last bite. In these situations, knowing what to order when you're in a rush can mitigate some of the challenges you face when lunching under a time crunch.

Salad. Sandwiches. Soup. Pasta. While these four items may not be the juicy steak you've been wanting, they also don't take 30 minutes to cook like a slab of meat does. Foods like salads, no-frills grilled cheese sandwiches, cold cut subs, burgers, soup, and pasta take 10 minutes or less to make. Additionally, most eateries have a soup of the day, and prep most salads ahead of time. Soup and salad make for a satisfying lunch that won't cost you time you don't have to spare.

Other options include ordering appetizers — like a plate of ultimate chicken nachos — instead of a regular lunch special. By their nature, appetizers are quick starters. If there's nothing like that on the menu, quesadillas or calamari are quick choices. Add a side salad or a cup of soup if you want to make it a full lunch.

When all else fails, go through the buffet if the restaurant has one. You remove the middleman — your server — and get straight to lunch with this option. You're in total control of how long lunch takes when you basically serve yourself.

Many restaurants have built-in policies dictating how servers handle the check during a rush. Some waitstaff will automatically drop off the check when they bring the food. Others will first serve you your meal, and then drop off the bill when they return to your table to check if your food tastes okay. This check-back-check-down practice ensures that you and other patrons get out the door in a timely manner.

However, if you don't know the restaurant's policy, then your best bet is to tell your server — and other relevant staff — that you'll need your check right away. If you're really Johnny-on-the-spot, have your credit card ready to give to the server before your bill comes. On a related note, it's also critical to determine at the outset of the meal whether the server takes care of the check or if you need to pay at a cashier's stand. Additionally, many quick-serve restaurants have a pay kiosk with a self-serve touchscreen right on the table. Use this when you're in a rush, rather than waiting for your server. Simply touch the kiosk screen to find your check, follow the instructions to pay, and close out your bill with your credit card.

Finally, it probably goes without saying, but don't wait for a table — pick another restaurant instead. Even a 10-minute wait is too long if you only have 30 minutes for lunch.