h, the great loyalty debates in life: Coke versus Pepsi, Home Depot versus Lowes, or Ford versus Chevy. Face it: if someone doesn’t have a decal of Calvin defacing it, it probably isn’t a true brand debate.

I first tasted brand loyalty when I got into motorcycles years ago. My friend and I bought a couple of old road bikes, and on weekends we’d stop by a local bar in our college town to admire the beautiful motorcycles that would line up in front. We had no desire to go inside; we just loved seeing the motorcycles parked out front that were clearly out of our price range. We’d drool over the high-end ones, but of course, we’d always park our junkers around the corner since we didn’t feel worthy to line up with the big boys.

One Saturday afternoon, I watched as three bikers came out of the bar and began checking out the motorcycles with us. They looked like the Harley Davidson catalog had thrown up on them. If Harley made it, they were wearing it. Suddenly, a bright yellow bike caught their attention at the end of the row and the three quickly walked over to get a closer look. But as they approached, they noticed it wasn’t a Harley and quickly scoffed at it. “It’s just a Honda and I wouldn’t be caught dead on one of those bikes,” expressed the biker who was all decked out in Harley chaps.

From my vantage point it sure looked like a nice top-of-the-line bike, but I didn’t let his remarks bother me. As we were walking to our own bikes, we decided to take one last look back, and that’s when we saw these three “bikers” (who didn’t think anyone was watching) cross the street, hop into their Toyota Tercel and drive off. Despite the full motorcycle wardrobe, these jokers didn’t even own bikes! Yet their brand loyalty to Harley justified—at least in their own minds—their desire to mock another manufacturer.

This month, voting for our annual Dining Awards kicks off, and I’d like to make a plug to not only get out and vote, but also be open to trying new places. Over the years, I’ve noticed some friends who remain fiercely loyal to certain restaurants despite increasingly poor customer service, a decline in food quality, or maybe a dramatic price hike.

If you feel your favorite restaurant deserves recognition, be sure to vote, and maybe it’ll be recognized as one of the best in Idaho Falls this year. Just keep in mind that new businesses have opened since last year’s voting and if you haven’t given them a try yet, this is as good an excuse as any.

When a new restaurant goes out of business, ask yourself if you helped spread the word? If you love a place, share your support by voting for them in the Dining Awards. Your vote shows appreciation and can make a difference.

On the flip side, there are some true East Idaho restaurants that have been staples in our community for decades. They’re still competing for our date-night dollars as competition intensifies. Vote them in.

Even if you plan on voting for the same places you voted for last year, you owe it to yourself to keep an open mind and try a business or two you haven’t visited before. I’m not campaigning for you to break all loyalty ties with your favorite restaurants, and I’m certainly not saying change just for the sake of change. All I’m proposing is that you take advantage of the great dining establishments our area has so you can make an informed decision when it’s time to cast your votes. Whatever you do, just avoid emulating those Harley wannabes in hatchbacks who belittle or question the loyalties of others. If you love the place, vote for it.