Choosing where to eat while visiting a new city often involves deciding whether to keep searching or return to a favorite spot. Researchers report that physicist Richard Feynman developed a mathematical solution for this issue when options are limited, mirroring strategies people apply naturally. Professor Tom Griffiths of Princeton University, a study co-author, explained that exploring reduces chances to apply new information. The dilemma represents a stopping problem, where one must determine when to switch actions. The restaurant scenario allows revisiting venues. In Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team details how Feynman addressed the question during a 1970s lunch in California. His friend considered repeating an order or trying something new. Feynman modeled it mathematically, though notes stayed hidden until recently decoded. The researchers adapted the problem to selecting restaurants over multiple nights in one city. Feynman’s method advises trying different places until finding one above a quality threshold that drops faster as days remain. This reflects reduced value in seeking perfection near the end of a stay. The approach assumes equal chances of any quality level. Tests showed adjustments needed if quality distribution varies, such as higher thresholds amid mostly poor options. Experiments with 2,520 participants revealed people tend to lower thresholds linearly rather than rapidly. Griffiths noted this simpler tactic still performs effectively when consistently applied.
