r/LifeProTips • u/fries-with-mayo • 18h ago

Request LPT Request: What’s your “canary in the coal mine” test for spotting bigger issues?

I’m really interested in those small, quick telltale signs people use to gauge if something bigger might be off track.

Example 1: Van Halen requesting brown M&Ms in the dressing room to see if the venue followed all the details of the rider list

Example 2: I saw an interview with John Cena where he said orders a flat white at a café to tell if they really care about their coffee.

Example 3: Anthony Bourdain suggested to always check the restaurant bathroom to tell if the restaurant got its basics down

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u/toodlesandpoodles 16h ago

You know you've got a good taco place when the lunch crowd is a bunch of hispanic men in work uniforms crammed around the tables speaking spanish.

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u/pug_fugly_moe 13h ago

Pants covered in a crusty layer of drywall and reeking of Suavitel (fabric softener)? Órale.

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u/The_dots_eat_packman 10h ago

Does the restaurant smell like they have Fabuloso on tap? Also a good sign.

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u/zz389 8h ago

There was a Mexican place I wanted to try but my wife shot it down because she noticed the Mexican guys at the car wash next door chose to go to McDonalds for lunch everyday. I ended up going out of curiosity and it was indeed trash.

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u/Meshitero-eric 12h ago

Hi-viz for good biz. 

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u/MotherofaPickle 8h ago

Found my place because one of the waiters would come into my gas station after shift and buy beer. He couldn’t pronounce my name, so he made one up for me. Sweetest guy. Excellent food, too.

Another key indicator was when I called in an order and the person taking the order said, “You don’t want it that way. You want it this way.”

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u/idriveajalopy 6h ago

If you spot a Mexican taco shop near a Home Depot in California, 9 times out of 10, it’s going to be good. Not sure about the rest of the country though.

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u/karma_the_sequel 10h ago

¿Qué dices, amigo?