I guess this is somewhat offtopic, but on Valentine's Day my wife and I went to a restaurant of questionable elegance -- since our first anniversary and now, we

I guess this is somewhat offtopic, but on Valentine's Day my wife and I went to a restaurant of questionable elegance -- since our first anniversary and now, we've grown far more accustomed to eating at nicer places, and wasn't sure whether this place was going to hold up to more informed scrutiny. When ordering, I asked the waiter if I could substitute the potato gratin for something else. The waiter informed me that I could, but that I'd be making a huge mistake, as he believed that the chef's pairing with the tenderloin worked especially well. Turns out, he was right, and my skepticism was unwarranted, but I (as you) also knew well enough when to defer to more-informed opinion of the staff. I guess what most surprises me is that people, in general, don't. I don't know if they've developed a mistrust of people in that position, or if there is something particular to the design profession (as it is rather... abstract) that makes it harder to just accept things that don't look good to you. Regardless, I agree with your assessment that the 'fun' being had at the clients' expense is harmless, and sanity-protecting.