As a special treat my wife took me out to one of my favorite barbecue restaurants here in Kansas City (a city known for its barbecue).
Looking around I’d say about 80% of the customers were men. If their was a table of several people, it was all men. The only women there were seated with men. No groups of women together. Although nearly all the wait staff were women.
Groups are a big thing and I dont think I’ve ever seen say just 4 women going out together to a bbq joint. Now a group of bros or dudes going out together - yeah bbq! it doesnt matter if its a group of lawyers or construction workers, men all love bbq.
BTW, this wasnt some cheap bbq and beer dive (which I LOVE) but a very fine, respectable restaurant.
Why is that? Is it because barbecue is messy, greasy, and fattening?
I would say women like barbecue just fine, for instance I do although I don’t particularly care for ribs. (Greasy, messy, hard to eat, not enough meat for the work.)
However, in any group of four women there will probably be one vegetarian/vegan and one who’s on a diet or not eating gluten or somesuch. They find a place where everybody can get what she wants. I have gone out for bbq with one other woman but not with three.
But a lot of bbq joints seem to want to attract men, with scantily dressed waitresses and lots of big-screen TVs showing sports. So that’s a self-fulfilling prophecy right there.
There’s only two pictures of food on that website there, and neither of them seem to feature such a thing as a vegetable. Now I like meat fine but … and also greenery please?
It appeals to men more than women, and it appears to some traditionally primal male trait. It’s the using your hands, sauce everywhere, paper towels at tables, and the relationship to men doing the BBQ’ing, not to mention the flatscreens. It’s a restaurant that appeals to the ‘man cave’ mentality. It is also a place that men can feel free to be more of themselves in a male way, let their hair down so to speak.
Perhaps a smokehouse would be a equivalent which would be more appealing to women, but once BBQ is somehow in the name, ‘man cave’ restaurant is what comes to mind.
I not a fan of huge amounts of meat and if everything takes on a smokey taint then it isn’t for me.
I like a hint of smoke as an element of variety but too much is too much. I’ve been to traditional BBQ places in the states before and it has indeed been too much, too much meat, too much sweetness, too much smoke, too much food in general to the point where it is off-putting. All very well executed mind you, *technically *very well done but it is just not for me. (I’m a man)
The other side of the coin might be represented by the tea-house we went to a few weeks ago. They serve a variety of artisanal teas, sandwhiches, dips, etc. There were m/f couples, but no groups of men. There were several large groups of women.
My wife, Pepper Mill, certainly likes barbecue – she perks up when I suggest going out to a BBQ place.
But certainly not all the time. She’s picked up a vegetarian streak from our daughter, and so eats less meat, and what meat she does eat is generally chicken or turkey. But there’s plenty of BBQ chicken, and she’ll make exceptions for other BBQ.
That’s because, even though it tastes great, it is fatty and salty and heavy and not particularly good for you if you are trying to maintain a healthy, trim body. The last time I had barbecue, it was 20 hours before my stomach desired anything other than coffee.
They serve these awesome onion rings. Almost an inch thick, hand breaded. You really bite into them. They also have fried pickles, triple cheese corn, jumbo fried mushrooms, grilled broccoli, and vegetable kabobs. Do those count?
And women are unfortunately under a lot more social pressure than men are to not put on a lot of weight. Eating BBQ very often is going to add to your weight.
Barbecue is just okay as far as I’m concerned. I’ll eat it but the real reason I’ll go to a barbecue place is to get some damn macaroni and cheese! Oh yeah.
I don’t think it’s that women don’t like barbecue, because I know a few who REALLY like barbecue, and a lot who like it just fine.
I do think that many (most?) women are very concerned with their weight and health, and deliberately forego many foods that are perceived as highly caloric, fatty or unhealthy, like barbecue, burgers, Tex-Mex, etc… or if they do go to those places, they choose stuff like barbecued turkey or chicken, or get veggie fajitas or stuff like that, and only occasionally indulge in brisket and sausage, big greasy cheesburgers and a plate of enchiladas.
