To avoid overgeneralizing after having one bad meal at a restaurant, you can follow these steps: Recognize the Overgeneralization**: The first step is to recognize that you're overgeneralizing. Overgeneralization is a cognitive distortion where you apply one experience and generalize it to all experiences, including those in the future. Challenge Your Thoughts**: Ask yourself if it's reasonable to judge the entire restaurant based on one bad meal. Restaurants, like any other businesses, can have off days. Chefs can make mistakes, ingredients can be off, etc. Look for Evidence**: Try to remember if you've had any good experiences at the same restaurant. If you have, then it's not fair to judge the entire restaurant based on one bad experience. If it's your first time, consider giving the restaurant another chance. Consider External Factors**: There could be external factors that contributed to your bad experience. Maybe the restaurant was unusually busy, or there was a new chef. Practice Mindfulness**: Be present in the moment and try not to let past experiences cloud your judgment. Give it Another Chance**: If you've generally enjoyed meals at this restaurant before, one bad experience shouldn't negate all the good ones. Consider giving the restaurant another try