Jerry Seinfeld had a very successful Netflix series called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. In it he picked up comedians in all sorts of cars and yes, they went to a local coffee shop. Along the way and during the drinking of said coffee they talked about everything under the sun- from the boxers vs. briefs debate to what happens after you die.
My husband and I don’t drink coffee and we don’t have access to an endless supply of cars worth more than our house. But we do have cars, we do get hungry, and we do enjoy a variety in our dinners. So on the occasional Friday or Saturday night, we will drive to larger towns about an hour from ours to eat at restaurants we don’t have in our town.
Some people would look at this as a waste of time. Others may see a waste of money. But they don’t know what’s going on inside the car and restaurant.
Obviously my husband and I see each other almost every day. But it’s easy to get stuck in routines and those routines can include conversation topics Remember to take out the garbage. What bills are due this week. Do we have enough (insert household item here)? Ho hum.
But, at least for us, going way out for dinner shakes that up. When we are on a long car ride we naturally have deeper conversations. We don’t (at least I don’t) set out with a list of topics, it just happens organically. I almost always learn something new about my husband on these trips, and that’s pretty cool after 17 years of marriage.
So no, our dinner travels aren’t a waste of time or money. They are an important tool in our marital health toolbox. One that you might consider adding to yours too.