The Safety of Repetition

A couple days ago I went to Which Wich, walked right in and grabbed the Italian sandwich bag. I filled it out and ordered my food and left. I didn't look at the menu, I didn't try a new ingredient or topping. I got the same exact thing I do any other time I visit. This pattern is everywhere in my life from sports bars, restaurants and fast food.

With that in mind, this applies to not only the items at a place, but the place itself. I don't experiment, I find a place and continue to visit it. Once a place disappoints me, I generally never return.

I have a sushi place in walking distance, I used to love it. The owners sold it and new management took over. I tried the place multiple times after they took over and never enjoyed it. It hurt because this meant my safety net for the occasional urge for sushi could no longer be fulfilled at a place I knew. So I began looking and ran into a new, arguably creepy feature of Google Maps.

There was a new tab called "For you", so I tapped it.

Google knew from my many lunch trips to a Cuban place that I might be interested in a new location. I haven't tried the place so I can't comment, but I wondered what Google put for a place I really enjoy.

It was accurate, creepily accurate. I go to this location every few weeks and never have a bad experience. So Google is letting me of new locations that it thinks I will like. I haven't given Google a chance but perhaps I should.

Featured photo by Matthew Hamilton / Unsplash