The menu is the third-most sought-after item in any restaurant, cafe, or burger joint. Third, because food is always the biggest priority, followed by getting a reservation. But here’s the unfathomable truth: your menu is bound to leave the table as soon as the waiter does with your order. So, why do they do it? Why does the waiter take away your menu?

Once you’ve made the monumental choice of what to eat—quite an endeavor in itself—having the menu still in front of you is a recipe for disaster. Not having it still with you helps ward off any negative doubts creeping in about your order. If you keep looking at the menu, you may start second-guessing what you want. Do not give in to that temptation. I repeat, do not give in to that temptation. It is at this point that you are supposed to relax, and by that I mean, pick up your phone and start scrolling.

First and foremost, restaurants are businesses. Their survival depends on serving as many customers as possible before the health inspector shows up. When your waiter removes the menu, it’s not just a charming display of hospitality; it’s a subtle nudge to hurry up and get on with your meal. This signals to you, the diner, that the time for contemplating is over and that the next phase—eating, talking, and eventually leaving—is upon you.

More diners mean more opportunities for the establishment.

Celebrity food writer and chef Anthony Bourdain once said in his television show,

What’s the point of eating out if you’re too busy deliberating over the “perfect meal”? Get rid of redundancies. With the menu out of the way, you gain precious table space for the real star of the show—your food. And before it arrives, you get plenty of cozy conversation time with your beloved company. Quality time spent well.

Think of it like a ceremonial act. The precursor to something special. Your order is more final than it can ever be, and hence, the staff can start preparing your meal.

Other servers won’t bother you if they see no menu on the table. It’s all adequately staged, the ceremonious part of the ‘exclusive experience’, especially so when, a while after the server leaves with your order and menu, you get to smell the delicacies soon headed your way. Relish in the moment, and start building your appetite.

As a bonus, here are some other restaurant service secrets.

Waiters are trained to keep your glasses full, not just to keep you hydrated (though that is a part of it), but to demonstrate their attentiveness. That is when you decide if the service is worth a hefty tip. Next time you’re dining at your favorite spot, take a moment to observe how often your server checks in and refills your glass. Count how many times you find yourself sipping air instead of quenching your thirst. It could be a simple way to appreciate the service and leave a good Yelp review.

Plates start disappearing while your dining companion still gnaws on their meal? It’s simply a tactic to keep your table tidy and to move things along. It’s a subtle segue to the next act—be it dessert or the bill. And isn’t that what we’re all waiting for?

Some waiters like to brandish their notepads and look professional, while others are proud of their seemingly infallible memory. In high-end establishments, a waiter’s ability to recite your order without writing it down is supposed to impress you. And impressed, all of us certainly are. However, in crowded eateries, the notepad becomes a practical and necessary tool—because nothing kills the mood faster than someone getting your order wrong and you not having the heart to report it.

So there you have it—the secret psychology at play in restaurant service. Every action has a purpose, whether it’s pushing you toward dessert or clearing your plate to speed up your exit. And while you may not have asked for this deep dive today, at least now you can sit at your table and ask for the menu back without looking for it.