On Saturday night, my family went to Applebee’s for dinner. We had a very average and slightly overpriced meal but there was one thing that has stuck with me.

When our food came, my back was turned in the direction of the wait staff delivering our meals. However, even though I couldn’t see the two restaurant employees in their pursuit of our table, I knew they were approaching. All I had to do was look at my wife as her eyes got big and a smile spread across her face.

“Ooooohhhhhhh,” she said with excitement as the plates reached our table.

It was at that point that a thought came into my mind. One of life’s most underrated moments is when your food comes out of the kitchen at a restaurant.

It is a thrill for me when the restaurant wait staff rushes out with your meal and places it in front of you.

There are a couple reasons why meal delivery in a restaurant is so euphoric. First, the obvious: hunger! Many of us eat out because we are hungry and it is undoubtedly a welcome sight to see the end game to our growling stomachs.

But there is more to it than just the relief that our hunger is about to end. I personally love the anticipation when you see your plate inching toward you. Will what I envisioned when I ordered the item off the menu actually live up to what the chef prepared? Will it be a larger quantity than I expected? Smaller? What will the presentation be like?

Then you also have the joy of seeing what everyone else’s plate looks like. Who doesn’t enjoy looking at your spouse or child and saying, “Oh man, that looks good!” Yes, it is fun to celebrate others and credit them for making a good menu decision.

Perhaps my weirdest reason for enjoying the food delivery moment is just the energy. I love the purpose that restaurant employees assume from the moment they exit the kitchen to when they place the plate in front of customers. The good restaurants take food presentation/delivery seriously and orchestrate it in a coordinated, professional manner. I always appreciate the care.

Do you have a simple but underrated moment that brings joy to your life? I have a couple more that I may share in the future but I much rather hear about yours than write about mine. Don’t Blink.