It may sound stereotypical, but sometimes I just can't decide what I want to eat-- I want it all. Whether I'm visiting a new brewery or checking out a new local restaurant, sometimes you just need a bit of everything to get a true idea of what a business is all about.

That's why food flights are the latest trend in west Michigan! Especially in these tough economic times, there's no way we could possibly afford to purchase a full-size order of everything on the menu. That's why flights are a fun and cost effective way to sample the menu.

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What's a 'Flight'?

A flight is a serving of various items on a bar or restaurant's menu. Traditionally, when we hear the word "flight" we often think of beer, wine, or whiskey but today's flights have expanded to include food as well because...why not?

I'm not entirely sure where the term originated. The website CanCanAwards.com suggests perhaps the term "flight" refers to moving up a set of stairs as alcohol flights are typically consumed from light to dark.

Another possibility is that the term was inspired by aviation, and refers to the way in which wine drinkers can “take off” on a wine-tasting adventure by trying a variety of different wines.

Whatever the reason may be, here are some Michigan businesses that have made it easier to sample all their wares thanks to these unique food flights:

Kalamazoo:

The brunch restaurant located downtown serves your traditional breakfast fare like pancakes and french toast, but if you can't decide which waffles you'd like try the waffle sliders! You'll get 4 mini waffles with such toppings as strawberry, rasperry, english toffee, and chicken with hot bacon jam.

Grand Rapids:

With such specialty pizzas as mac and cheese, chicken and waffles, and a Yesterdog-style pizza, it can be tough to make up your mind! The Mitten's pizza flight allows you to select 6 specialty mini pizzas for a sampling. Served on a traditional flight-style wooden paddle, this sampling feeds up to 4 people.

The famous family's restaurant offers 3 different styles of tater tots: spicy cheese and bacon, BBQ chicken tots, and parmesan truffle tots; or you can get the tots flight and try all 3!

Owners Darel Ross and Lewis Williams opened this Wealthy St. restaurant to invite, "community members from every culture to come together at the table to celebrate black culture, community and success." Forty Acres' offerings of this traditional southern staple include house, northern, and southern-styled grits, all served with shrimp. You can try all 3 with their grits flight.

Fennville:

There's always room for dessert! Crane's offers apple, blueberry, cherry, and rhubarb raspberry pies in addition to daily rotated selections. If you can't decide on one you can sample 4 different pies with their pie flight-- don't forget the ice cream!

Bonus: Sterling Heights

Though not located in west Michigan, I love this idea. This European style coffee shop allows you to choose from 4 different styles of their offerings including chai, caramel macchiato, coconut mocha, and more! Truly every coffee lovers dream.

10 Southwest Michigan Small Town Restaurants You NEED To Visit

The nice thing about all these locations is that they'll take no more than an hour to get to and it's also a good chance to explore Southwest Michigan and do something off the beaten path. Here are 10 small town restaurants near us that you seriously need to check out:

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