Romain lettuce is the most efficient lettuce to grow. It gives more lettuce bulk wise than other lettuces, per sq inch of row space. It is less prone to bolting/wilting and produces better per sq inch than leaf lettuce. It is ready to eat sooner than head lettuce, and less prone to slugs and the like. You can pick the outer leaves only for your salad, leaving the rest. By not having to cut the whole head, you prolong your harvest. It is pretty cold hardy. It tastes good.