Quick poll for people who love dinner without making it complicated

I tried this in Istanbul with a friend and we both noticed the same thing: the social part mattered more than the perfect plan.

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the playlist for a while.

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.