Update: Tumbling

Tumbling (I coined that phrase by the way) is on its way to glassware Mount Rushmore. You heard it here first. 

Here’s the risotto, in all its half eaten glory

Last weekend I had a few friends of mine over for some shrimp and squid risotto + a toasted Rosellini's sourdough baguette I picked up after work. Fancy right? Instead of serving beverages in regular IKEA 365 tall water glasses, I brought out a pitcher + tumblers and paid attention to how my friends interacted with the seemingly different experience. 

A couple observations. The three guests took smaller sips and took more time to pace themselves through not only their drink. The exciting and most surprising part was that they took much longer to eat their food as well. The portion of risotto wasn't that big, pretty small to be honest. Going into this experiment, I only planned on considering the independent variable of cup size and dependent variable being pace of drinking. I failed to consider looking at eating behavior and speed. 

This leads me to think that a lot of fine dining restaurants with smaller dishes slow down the dining experience by complimenting smaller dishes with smaller glass sizes. Yes, the large glass does have a place (think Bucca Di Beppo or a burger joint). These restaurants often feature large portions and appetites are cater to more “ravenous appetites”. It’s Interesting how appetite and portion size serve as considerations when designing of overall eating experience and tableware.

Test subjects

At the end of the night, I finally asked my friends about what they thought about the smaller glasses and how it affected their experience at the dining table. Overall, the addition of the smaller tumbler was widely accepted with open arms. They commented on how it allowed for more of a communal experience, even if it was as minuscule as pouring water for another guest. They did mention how they would not use this glassware outside of a group setting. When alone, they preferred a water bottle or a taller glass for efficiency's sake.

Maybe, I'm looking at it too closely, but I believe the process of asking if someone wants more water summons a sense of care and togetherness. The fact that this act of service is done consistently through the meal, reminds people that they are, in fact, eating with others.