You are unsure whether a plan is affordable and ask whether the restaurant is popular. The answer tells you about reservations, while the cost question remains untouched.
Name the information you actually need. You can ask for the expected price range or whether a simpler option is possible. Keep the tone respectful and explain the constraint where you are comfortable doing so.
Leave room for a direct answer
Avoid using the question as a test whose acceptable response you keep hidden. If you have already decided something, state that decision instead of asking as though every option remains open.
When the answer is incomplete, clarify the missing part. The other person may not have the information yet. You can agree on how to obtain it rather than repeating the question with growing frustration. Direct questions are especially useful in practical planning because they reveal the actual condition a decision depends on, allowing everyone involved to work with the same concern.
