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I was born in the mid 1950s and when I was a kid going out to dinner was something only for a special occasion. Even going to a fast food restaurant was something special when I was a kid.
I remember going to a new shopping mall in 1974 and there was only one place to get food in the whole mall and that was a snack bar. There was no food court or sit down restaurants in the whole 200 store mall!
Now it seems like going out to dinner is no big thing and many people do not cook and spend far more money on out to eat food than groceries.
When did going out to dinner become a normal thing for the average middle class person?
You and I are about the same age and I remember that feeling well, that eating out was reserved for special occasions. Even on special occasions, it was rarely done at out house because my father preferred my mother's cooking to just about everyone else's. On special occasions at our house, the dining room table would be extended to its full length, the lace tablecloth would come out and Mother's best china (and if it were really momentus, Grandma's Haviland china would be used) and all the cousins and aunts and uncles would be invited. Now that was an occasion!
I can't say for certain because it never happened in our house, but I would say it was when the dynamics of the family began to change and women began to have careers outside the home. Several other things conspired about the same time; convenience foods began to become the mainstay of the Amercian diet, many school districts cut home economics from their curriculum, the 'Me generation' culture appeared- it was all about looking out for number one. Little wonder that no one was left at home who knew how to cook?
It seemed to me that during the early 80''s is when the fast food nation started to take off as in Resturaunts and TV Commercials that i remember. When i was a kid in the 70's we rarely ever ate out as Mom always cooked or visiting our Grandparents when my Granny would cook a large southern meal for us and when we did eat out that was a couple times a month as we went to a few places like Bob's Big Boy, Sambos, Denny's, Pizza Hut or A&W. I only remember a few TV ads in the 70's for places like McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dairy Queen and Winchels doughnuts as i don't even remember the Burger King commercials until the 80's as i remember their jingle they sang on them ''Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce....Special orders don't upset us''....
How could i forget the most famous commercial on TV in the 80's i.e. Wendy's with the little old lady shouting ''Where's the Beef''.
From what I remember, unless you lived in a big city, most food in the fifties and sixties was pretty basic fare, meat and two sides, and an institutional desert except in the smaller diners. Eating out was more utilitarian than an adventure.
Wasn't it the late 80s? I grew up in 80s and we only went out for special occasions. Then I remember people going out all the time by the time the 90s hit.
Yes, those of us born in the 50's and earlier remember the days when home cooked meals were the dominant method of nutrition. I think that two things more than any others were the reason
1.) Restaurants were smaller, less thematic, had limited hours, and the total number of restaurants in the US was considerably smaller back then.
2.) People just didn't have the money for eating out. Categorically in those days it was disposable income, same as movies, bowling, ballgames, etc. Why go out to eat when you can cook meals at home and save money?
Time wasn't quite the issue it has become now as so many of the women stayed home to raise children. Cooking the daily meals fell upon the wife. The husband grilled or bbq'd on sat, sun, or some holiday. Remember also that most families were considerbaly larger then than today as only children were a rarity back then. With one household income, almost always the man's, as I stated before people didn't have the money for eating out. Most families only had one car, one television set, and one phone (sometimes an extension was present). In comparison to what people were paid then, the cost of living was very expensive.
Not unlike the economy we are experiencing today... I remember the 70s our family being really broke. Gas was rationed, meat and milk was really expensive and Mom stretched them with soy crumbles and powdered milk. We ate a lot of starch and casserole type dishes. Hamburger and chicken always.
We never went out to eat except for ordering take out pizza or the occasional chinese food take out. Our town didn't even have a mcd's until the 80s so there really was not many place TO go.
My gram would bring me to denny's once in a blue moon. Or we went on vacation, we would eat out one night at a fancy supper club.
I would say maybe the 80s? I remember mcdonald's started on a big expansion of stores in the 80s... that started it all. Now with the economy slowing down, I believe people will begin to eat out less... unfortunately for all those restaurant owners and workers.
I'm 33 and I remember growing up that Saturday was the fast food day, and usually it was for lunch. Also once a week we had pizza. Going out to eat was special occasion
Wasn't it the late 80s? I grew up in 80s and we only went out for special occasions. Then I remember people going out all the time by the time the 90s hit.
thats what i was kind of thinking. although(in my town) the huge chain restaurants didnt really start popping up till about 10 years ago and recently did they start staying open to 3 am.
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