They thought everyone did this!

I do like to know what’s on the menu beforehand because DH is such a fussy eater, and his default “there’s nothing on there that I can eat” will often rule a restaurant out. I will invariably end up having something off the specials board if there is one.

Daisyboots - I expect Portugal is like Spain in that it's a bit tricky in rural areas to avoid meat anyway.
There's animal fat even in bread it seems in Spain and it was tricky to eat out on the whole. I'm sure it's much more cosmopolitan in cities. I was so surprised as hadn't been since I was a child

Not so many menus available online with restaurants in Portugal although if they have a website they may have todays lunch special which is usually a choice of two meats or fish dishes and includes soup, dessert, coffee and a drink of your choice for about €8.
I don't have much of an appetite at the moment and even the the thought if going to a restaurant is rather disconcerting which is a first as I have always loved food and eating out. But I do love reading menus online and my BF , who eats out a lot, will often send me links to new restaurants she is visiting saying what would you choose.

We’re turning into control freaks aren’t we! I do have my favourites but like to choose on the day.

Yes, a study of menu on offer often helps me to decide whether to visit a restaurant or not. I don't make actual preselections but my appetite is seriously whetted. For me it further adds to the pleasure of the anticipated outing. I always read the specials board thoroughly on the recommendations of some professional chefs. Their reasoning made sense.

If possible I like to see, and in general I like to choose something I'd not cook myself, much cheaper. I understand that a group or a christmas meal you have to decide, and it's a set menu, and not too far in advance, and no specials. I don't like to have to chose in advance if there are specials and choices, eg soup of the day, there are some soups I'd not want. My inlaws always wanted us to chose months in advance for meals out, which if it was a aset menu ok I understand. But I could never choose soup just in case it was one I disliked, nor a special, which was sometimes much nicer than what I'd chosen. It never got us our food sooner, it took just as long for it to apear, so there were hungry children who had it never meant that there were enough staff on, and sometimes they didn't have what you'd ordered, after knowing about it for months.
I'm sure if they'd just said table for 12 including 3 children in 5 months time at 7 things would have been less fraught for everyone. And it was stressful. children saying what will the specials be, and not understanding why they had to chose so far in advance, as it was no quicker on the day [as they had learned].
But yes to thinking about it and being flexible enough to choose differently on the day

I'm pescatarian too so I do check beforehand to make sure they have appealing fish or veggie dishes.

purplepatchcat Same for us! We are all vegetarian but my eldest AC can’t stand mushrooms or swede both of which feature heavily in the veggie menu options of many places!

No, never, I’m the awful person. Craning her neck to see what other people are having and if it looks yummy.

As a vegetarian I do usually check out the menu before I go, just to check they serve food suitable for fussy vegetarians. But I don't actually choose in advance - supposing there's something on the specials board I'd like? But it's true to say I do have some advance idea of what the options are likely to be.

I like to check menus online beforehand, but always consider any "specials" on arrival. I have been known to change my mind completely after seeing what a neighbouring diner has been served.

I check out the menus to see if there’s a reasonable, or at best, veggie option. My mam called me a faddy eater in that I eat virtually no meat although will have fresh fish if it takes my fancy. I got totally fed up with set Xmas menus that only offered variations on a theme of pasta as, like others, I want something that I don’t cook myself. I also don’t like plant etc based products as it’s the texture and taste of meat I can’t stand. Also not fond of omelettes, goes back to my days in student halls when all they had to offer were omelettes and fried eggs. (Sorry, gone a bit off topic but you can see what my mam meant).

I just choose from the menu when I get there but I always have a Plan B in case my first choice isn’t available .... it saves me scrabbling back over the menu while people are waiting!

I scan a menu....especially if it’s pub grub. If we are going off piste and eating at a special place...with taster menu’s....then I like to have an idea what I’m getting. I am also tea total so their range of alcohol free is hugely important to me. I get peeved about having a choice of water, juice or kids pop....I want a range of larger, beers and maybe wine or cocktails. Then I review on trip advisor....

I wait until I am in the restaurant - and particularly look,at the Specials, which are probably not online anyway.

I might download menu to make sure it’s suitable but no I’d never make up my mind. I change my mind 3 times at the table before I decide.

I usually will check the menu online if we are going somewhere new, as DH is a bit of a fussy eater! Also if we are taking family out need to check if there is good vegan choice for eldest DGC who is vegan, but has a real dislike of butternut squash, and we have found that sometimes the only vegan option on offer at some places contains this.

Like Grammaretto (and others) I also look online to see if there's more than one veggie option before booking.

Even then, I've found more times than I can count that the only options for vegetarians are things I cook at home on a regular basis.

If I've got not choice where to go,(e.g. work - where someone else is inviting me) I'd also look online. It's sometimes awkward if you're the only veggie and struggling to find something to eat.

Personally, I wouldn't dream of going to a restaurant nowadays without knowing what was on the menu - I just don't see the point of going out to eat if you're not going to enjoy it and who's to say that a restaurant is going to have something available that you like? I also think it's useful to check the menu beforehand to make sure that it's within your price range. Nothing worse than turning up to a dinner out with friends and getting the shock of your life at the price of the meal you thought you might have and having to revert to the 'light bite'.

I am very fussy and live on a restricted diet so I have to plan in advance. If they don't have what I like, I will sit there with a cup of coffee!

I do look before hand, not to choose, but to get an idea of the type of food on offer and to check out the vegetarian options. Also if with my coeliac granddaughter the gluten free ones as well.

I do look at a menu ahead of time as I am vegan. It is getting so much easier eating out now than it used to be though.

Hello Saxifrage, Fiachna50, kittylester and Calliestemon - I'm also Coeliac and, like you, find myself having to research/scrutinise menus to find out what my options are.

It can be quite disappointing when places only offer very basic options for GF - especially the ubiquitous 'Jacket Potato with Baked Beans/Cheese :-(.

Always check the menu online mainly to make sure I like the offerings. Sometimes I’ll pick before I go, sometimes not.

Usually check for my son to see if they have gluten and dairy free options available and a general idea of what else is on offer, but don't really decide until I get there. Unless, that is, I'm going in a group and you need to order in advance!