“We Called Them Deathballs”: 30 Things People Remember From Restaurants That Don’t Exist Today

This might be more of a personal observation than a solid fact, but it feels like many of the classic restaurant experiences we used to take for granted, like physical menus or kids' playrooms, are quietly disappearing. And it seems to reflect our shift into a more digital society, one that often prioritizes convenience over connection. In many ways, it’s kind of sad.

We now rely on Google Maps reviews to decide where to eat, rather than just wandering into a place that caught our eye on the street. At fast food spots, we order from screens instead of people. Most places offer delivery, and apps let us avoid any real interaction, even with the courier.

QR codes have replaced menus in a lot of restaurants. Sure, they’re efficient: you can scroll through pictures of the food, updates happen instantly, and you can even pay through them without waiting for a bill. Just wave on your way out.

But something gets lost in the process. We no longer get the feel of a nicely designed menu, the texture of paper, the appreciation of thoughtful typography. The waiter doesn’t get a chance to ask how your meal was, and you just sort of… leave. It takes away a lot of the charm and beauty that comes with enjoying a meal out.

Bored Panda got in touch with Humbat Mamedov, a waiter at Street Pizza in Riga, Latvia, one of the top 50 pizzerias in Europe, to talk about what’s been lost as restaurants rely more on digital tools than personal service.

“In my opinion, nothing can replace real human interaction—talking to someone who can actually recommend what’s worth trying and what’s better to skip,” he told us.

“Modern technology has brought us a lot of useful tools like reviews, ratings, and suggestions,” he said. “But to me, a restaurant is like a theater, where every person plays their part in a kind of performance. What we really come for, more than just filling our stomachs, is the feeling, the emotion, the experience.”

Humbat is right. Food is never just about food. It’s about the people, the surroundings, and the atmosphere that stay with us. So when something familiar vanishes—like a favorite dish, a beloved corner café, or even the lady who used to sell vegetables at the market—it leaves a gap. Not because of what it was, but because of what it meant in our lives.

For Humbat, one of those lasting impressions came from a now-fading bakery chain. “I miss, or maybe it’s more accurate to say I feel nostalgic for, those Fornetti kiosks,” he said.

If you didn’t grow up in Ukraine in the 2000s, like Humbat and I did, the name might sound like a fancy Italian brand. But back then, Fornetti was a common sight—small kiosks on street corners selling hot, inexpensive pastries, from buttery buns to sausage rolls. They were affordable, simple, and somehow felt like a treat every time.

“They were everywhere when I was a student, and I really associate them with that time in my life,” Humbat said. “I remember those breaks between classes, the chats, the conversations. The puff pastry filled with all kinds of fillings, both sweet and savory. Everyone could find something they liked there.”

Out of curiosity, I looked them up. They still exist, but they’re no longer part of everyday life the way they once were. And yet, they hold a certain weight in our memories, tied to moments and feelings we didn’t realize were important at the time.

So as restaurants continue evolving and adapting to new technologies, it’s good to pause and remember what made them meaningful in the first place. Not just the food, but the warmth, the spontaneity, and the sense of connection that stayed with us long after the meal was over.