Whether you’re out for a quick snack, dining with friends, or you’ve just got a bad case of the munchies, there’s a ton of places to grab a quick bite in Stamford. So when you decide where to get your next meal, consider the following factors for just how to make your decision: Convenience, accessibility, and atmosphere. By the end of this column you will find three suggestions on where to eat, three factors on how to make the decision, and three recommendations of what to eat after you make the decision.

The first factor to consider is convenience. At Buffalo Wild Wings, one might find this first factor in low supply. Often crowded and noisy, it is far from out of the ordinary to have to wait for a table for longer than a half-an-hour. Also note that a party planning on dining at BWW should try to keep its party size under six lest they want to be walloped with an additional charge of eighteen percent gratuity just for bringing in the extra business. Let’s be honest, all teenagers carry around with them are twenties which makes the check damn near impossible to sort out. There are, however, many upsides to going to BWW, such as the coverage of various and diversely ranging sporting events to nearly every customer’s satisfaction. While killing conversation, the boisterous atmosphere is perfect in mimicking that of an actual sports complex; resulting in a surreally accurate simulation of actually attending the game. This makes the customer feel like he is sitting in row fifty, seat 12.  If at BWW, be sure to order wings with one of their specialty sauces, as it is the restaurants main entrée and their pride as a restaurant chain. However, one could also get their burgers topped with any of the specialty wing sauces as well. Although my preference is “Asian Zing,” the world doesn’t move to the beat of one drum, and any type of sauce you get will be at the very least spectacular.

Yet, if this isn’t the environment your evening calls for, one may have to refer to our second factor often referred to as the “in-or-out conundrum.” While seeming rather obvious it is very important to decide whether to “go out” or “dine in”.  If you decide to dine in (putting BWW off the table) a place I would recommend is Garden Catering. Unlike the aforementioned, one can generally walk right in and order their food (during peak business hours right after school, lunch time, etc.). Therefore, it ranks highly among food establishments regarding the convenience factor. But, you are forced to commit to taking the food home as there are zero accommodations for seating. You can never go wrong with a simple “high school special” which is enough to satisfy a teen’s hunger at a low enough price not to leave him broke. Be sure to ask for their famous honey mustard sauce some students have even described as heavenly.

This brings us to our third factor, “hominess.”  A happy medium between BWW and Garden Catering would be a place like Giacomos. A local deli, Giacomos offers much convenience in speedy service, seating accommodations, and televised entertainment. Giacomos is also managed and run by a staff of less than ten, resulting in a close relationship between employees and customers. And finally, if you wind up in Giacomos, order my personal favorite a number thirteen, which is a reasonably priced chicken cutlet sandwich with a rich house made honey mustard sauce.