to be put off going out to restaurants because of the smell?

[toonoisie]

I don’t know if this is just me being fussy, but I’m starting to feel really put off eating out. It’s not the food or the cost, it’s the smell that clings to everything.

Every time I go somewhere, especially places doing grilled or fried food, I come home and my clothes absolutely stink. My coat smells, my hair smells, even my bag sometimes. It’s that heavy, greasy food smell that just doesn’t shift unless everything goes straight in the wash. I don’t want to be washing coats and outfits after every meal out.

It’s got to the point where I think twice before going because I know I’ll come back feeling like I need a full shower and laundry reset. Bit of a mood killer when you’re meant to be enjoying yourself.

I get that it comes with the territory, it’s a restaurant not a perfume shop but surely better ventilation is a thing?

AIBU to be put off by this or is everyone else just accepting that this is part of eating out?

crickey where are you going?

Go to restaurants that serve less greasy food?

Chinese, Indian, Mediterranean places

Grilled food smells too

Neither.

It may be a temporary issue for you, so a break might help?

This is very odd. Unrelatable I'm afraid and I go out to eat a few times a week and have a pretty sensitive nose!

Not sure what restaurants you are visiting?

I sometimes get a lingering curry scent - but it goes away after a good airing.

All restaurants have to have adequate ventilation as specified by the local authority

I eat out all the time and have never come home smelling of anything like that.

Maybe you need to eat elsewhere?

I find curry smells can cling to clothes but other than that, I don’t have the experience that you do.

is your nose particularly sensitive? Are you pregnant?

Food being grilled in a different room (I presume you're not eating in the kitchen à la chef's table) doesn't make your bag smell!

We used to have this at our old local pub - absolutely hated it and ended up having one coat I’d always wear there! I think they must have had a crap extraction system in the kitchen because it would happen every time, especially in winter when all the doors were shut. Such a shame as was a lovely little pub despite having to wash my hair every time I got home.

I know what you mean about some places- Turkish can be bad for this- not greasy but meaty, often over coals etc. I think you probs need to be discerning about where you do go. I’ve just been to lunch at a nice Italian and don’t smell but did smell after Turkish the other week.

Have you never had freshly grilled food brought to your table and it is still sizzling? I ordered the grilled fish and the smell got into all my clothes and hair.

I have done this too - worn a coat that was lighter or needed washing anyway because I knew it would stink afterwards!

Stink - a bad smell
Curry does not 'stink' - it smells of curry!

My bad - I do actually like going for a curry 😁

Not really tbh. Maybe choose less greasy/"sizzling" options if it's getting to you?

Chuck your clothes in the wash and hang your coat and bag on the washing line to air?

Do you have an incredibly sensitive sense of smell? I have never thought anyone smelled of food after visiting a restaurant.

I wonder if you’re just more sensitive to smells than other people. I’m like this and notice smells lingering for hours. If someone hugs me, even very briefly, and they’re wearing perfume, I can smell it on my clothes for hours and it actually makes me feel a bit nauseous because even if it’s nice, it’s alien, if that makes sense. DP says I’m like a bloodhound😂 But sometimes it isn’t funny, it’s actually quite distressing and I get no pleasure from it. My eldest son has ASD and I have been noticing traits in myself that could explain a lot of problems I’ve had my whole life. I have noticed that sensitivity around smells is listed as a sensory issue experienced by some autistic people.

We eat out at least times a week in a range of places and have never noticed this in myself or whoever I’m with. Are you very sensitive to smells?

I have a very sensitive sense of smell and unless you're going to KFC for hours or sitting in the chip shop YABU

Back in the in the 80s and 90s public smoking was normal, and I used to hate the way it made my clothes and hair stink of fag smoke.

I have to admit that I have never noticed anything even remotely similar with food or cooking smells, but if it bothers you then yes, I guess you have to stop going to restaurants.

I don't like going to restaurants which serve fish or seafood because I find the fishy smell so strong that it becomes a taste and feels as if I am eating a bite of their dish alongside my own meal too.
But I don't relate to what you are saying about clothes smelling once you have left the premises afterwards?