When you go on a dinner date, do you eat at a fancy restaurant with cloth napkins, multiple courses, and a sommelier on staff? Or do you stop at a hole-in-the-wall that serves what are supposed to be the best hot dogs in town? According to an article in today’s New York Times, stuffy restaurant dates aren’t the preference these days for many people.

In general, people have gotten a lot more casual over the years; this has certainly been reflected in dating—from casual sex to casual restaurants. While I like wearing dresses, I’m definitely of the mindset that going to a cheap, hidden gem is usually much more fun and gives you a better chance to get to know someone than dining at a high-class establishment does (unless you want to evaluate his table manners). How can you even concentrate on getting to know someone when you have to think about which fork to use?

Cabbages and Condoms is a chain of restaurants in Thailand that also promotes safe sex, hence the word “condoms” in its name. The “cabbages” part is there because the vegetable is a staple of Northeast Thailand—and as a website about the restaurants says, “Now, if condoms could be as common and used as often, then some of the population and health problems facing Thailand could be overcome!” All the proceeds from the restaurants are used to fund social development programs of the Population and Community Development Association, which promotes family planning. I’m thinking a location in Times Square, right next to the Hawaiian Tropic restaurant/bar would do quite well. [SLI.UniMelb.edu.au via MentalFloss.com]