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well, I went out on a date a couple weeks ago and we stepped into this bar, it was a real ****hole type bar, the reviews on Yelp said it was a dive bar and inside looked like one of those discount type places... well, I ordered a Sam Adams which they gave me in a 12oz bottle and my date ordered some soda water with lime. Then she says that will be $12.75 WTF? On top of that my date asks if I want a dollar for the tip and then proceeds to tell me oh shucks she has no change, now I have to leave a dollar on top of this ridiculous tab...
I travel 100% for a living and pack my own food. On a 3 day or less trip I won't purchase a thing. I also get per diem from the company so I just pocket that. Every now or then or on a 4 day trip I will purchase a Subway foot long (carved turkey is excellent).
Much healthier this way and I don't have to worry about what or where I'm going to eat at night. I pack leftovers that we've made such as homemade General Tso's or Pizza. Snacks including protein bars and oatmeal and almonds.
My wife and I really enjoy food and on vacations make a point to eat out at the hole in the wall places. It's part of the experience. But when at home we enjoy cooking together as well and as a bonus we make nice good food. We're making Buffalo Chickpea wraps tonight, they are fantastic. I will say we spend more on food than most people do because we value quality ingredients but since we don't eat out we still save a considerable amount. I think all told our total food/dining budget runs around $400 a month.
It's funny, as we've gotten older and our incomes have grown we actually find ourselves eating out less and less. I think one thing that factors into this is we've made investments on improving time at home. Versus 4-5 years ago for example my wife was gone at work 8+ hours a day plus driving 1:30 round trip. I was gone 16-17 days a month. Today she works from home and I'm gone 6-10 days a month. Quite a bit more time at home to enable us to do what we do.
We do like Chipolte and get it every now and then. We can get two meals out of each bowl so it makes it kinda cost effective at around $3.60/meal per person for picking it up when you just don't feel like cooking.
When you go on a three day business trip you pack enoigh leftovers to eat for the entire time?
I think it's also important to remember, that when you dine out, you aren't just purchasing food. You are also paying for service, you are being served the meal, you don't have to cook it, or clean up your kitchen afterward. So that's sort of built into the value of what you are getting. And you also pay for the experience of being in a nice place, nice ambience, music, etc, social and being around others, etc. If you just want FOOD, then go to the grocery store. Restaurants aren't grocery stores.
I do all the cooking so any meal i DON'T have to cook is a treat for me.
BUt alas, even Denny's has gone up. But I do get enough to take home and eat a second meal out of it.
People may not have buckets of cash, but like to treat themselves after a week of grueling work.
Some go to the movies {not cheap anymore either} and some go out to eat. SOme pay for pay cable or pay-per-view and stay home {not so cheap anymore either}
SOme pay cash {I do}, some charge it and think they will pay for it later.
SOme pay for hookers, others do not!
It's all in their perspective and stress-reliever ideal.
When you go on a three day business trip you pack enoigh leftovers to eat for the entire time?
Yes
It's not hard, it's what I've been doing for over a decade. Per diem is tax free, so even more desire to save it all. Plus I even get to deduct 80% of the difference between what the company pays and the M&IE rates, works out to a nice deduction at tax time.
Funny, rather than this behavior alienating and offending my friends and acquaintances it has empowered and emboldened many of them, and quite a few now have adopted the same behaviors, including walking away from a poor value situation.
I don't think you'll have much problem with high prices in restaurants soon enough, as if they're smart, they'll decline to serve you.
Around here, they have various lunch combos starting at $7-$9. They have a wonderful spicy chicken sandwich on the lunch menu with fries, and unlimited salad or soup for $8.99. I can get out for $12 or so with tip. If I want a big lunch, it's not a bad option. We have local Italian joints that are not as good and the service has always been good at this location.
An East Tennessee upscale steakhouse chain has various options for $8-$10. You can get two 4 oz. pork chops, a 7 oz. sirloin with baked potato, for $10. Grilled chicken salad for $8. This place is way better than Texas Roadhouse, Logan's, etc. - closer to a Ruth Chris than the major chains.
FATZ is one of the better chains around. It's also much cheaper to go out to eat at lunch, possibly during happy hour as well, than supper or on the weekends.
Five Guys is just awful. A bacon burger, little fry, and soft drink run about $13. I can go to that upscale steakhouse and it will be cheaper. I might go to Chili's, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, O'Charley's, TGI Friday's, etc., once per year each. Most of these places are struggling.
People have shifted away from casual dining to fast casual on the lower to medium end on the dining market, and lots of people are also shifting to more locally raised, responsibly sourced restaurants on the higher end.
Around here, they have various lunch combos starting at $7-$9.
Lunch prices in general are more affordable.
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