If I want a natural stereo sound, I'll record a single pass in stereo (X/Y, Blumlein, ORTF, etc). If I want hyper wideness, I'll record two passes in mono and pan them hard L/R. If I've recorded a single mono guitar track and want it in "fake stereo", I'll pan it opposite of a slapback or reverb. Which of the above methods I choose depends entirely on the context of the arrangement and mix texture I'm aiming for.