DeepSummary
The episode begins by discussing how taking Tylenol can help relieve anxiety and existential dread by numbing the area of the brain associated with physical and emotional pain. It then delves into the topic of plant intelligence, featuring an interview with Zoë Schlanger, author of 'The Light Eaters.' Schlanger explains how plants exhibit intelligent behavior such as communicating danger to neighboring plants, deceiving insects, and inducing cannibalism in caterpillars to defend themselves.
The discussion then shifts to the restaurant industry, with insights from Andrew Friedman, author of 'The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food.' Friedman explains why restaurants may seem expensive from a customer's perspective, despite menu prices being lower than they should be. He also discusses issues like the tipping system, service charges, and the challenges faced by restaurant owners.
Towards the end, the episode touches on the reasons behind sighing, revealing that it is a way for people to regulate their breathing under stress and can act as a mental reset button.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Plants exhibit intelligent behavior, such as communicating danger, deceiving predators, and inducing cannibalism in caterpillars.
- The tipping system in the United States is unique and presents challenges for restaurant owners and staff.
- Menu prices at restaurants are often lower than they should be due to fear of customer sticker shock.
- Certain dishes, like pasta or soups, can be more profitable for restaurants due to lower production costs.
- Sighing is a way for people to regulate their breathing under stress and can act as a mental reset button.
- Restaurants often carefully coordinate the timing and preparation of dishes to ensure consistent quality and service.
- Alcohol sales, particularly wine, are a significant profit center for restaurants.
- Plant behavior and decision-making seem to be distributed across their entire structure rather than centralized in a brain.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Tomato plants have been shown to exude a compound from their leaves that make the caterpillars look up from eating the leaves of the tomato plant and start to eat each other. It actually helps induce cannibalism.“ by Zoe Schlanger
- “If you go to most countries in Europe, the price is the price, and waiting tables is not seen the way it was for so long in this country, which was kind of like something that out of work actors did so they could have flexibility to go to their auditions or something like that. It's treated as a profession on par with the way people think about chefs.“ by Andrew Friedman
- “There are often certain dishes that are more profitable than others. It could be different in different restaurants. In a restaurant that doesn't make its own pasta, you know, a pasta dish could cost just a couple of bucks, and you might be able to charge $16 for it.“ by Andrew Friedman
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Episode Information
Something You Should Know
Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media | Cumulus Podcast Network
5/6/24