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I've done budgets for people and sometimes they can't see the forest before the trees: the bottom line is they eat out ALL THE TIME (and don't get me started Starbucks). They are trained consumers. No, they can't afford it, and can't stop. Unless your religion has that built in thang, where you STOP what you're doing once a year, and reflect. Or may Covid's spin off benefit is we stop and think about why/how were spending and living.
If they're paying for it, they can obviously afford it.
I was raised to be thrifty and LOVE stretching a dollar, so I was never one for restaurant dining (except for very special events or occasionally to be sociable), but I've become aware during this past year just how regularly most people eat take-out, curbside, delivery, or drive-thru for their daily meals. I've also become aware of how much this stuff costs compared to buying ingredients at the grocery and making meals at home and find myself wondering how in the world people afford to do it. Then there's the tip! How often do you choose one of these options, how much do you pay for a typical single meal, and how do you afford this???
We eat out usually once a week. Nothing fancy. This week we will eat out three times. Tuesday because we got for Christmas gift cards that expired end of March so it only cost us less than $15 with tip Last night we ate out for a birthday. Less than $45 for two meals a glass of wine and beer and a generous tip because I pulled out the card and not my husband. We will eat out again on Saturday because that is our night out. Shopping groceries for two isn't cheap, especially as I don't like to freeze things, am not a cook but rather I grill mostly. I also, for me, choose these meals Publix has that are salmon, rice or mashed potatoes and a vegetable that you throw in the microwave. They are pretty good and healthy compared to frozen meals. We are retired and lived frugally when working, no new cars every couple of years, a house we could pay cash for, so we are set in retirement and eating out is enjoyment. My concern with eating out is not money, but waist line.
I tip modestly for a pizza. Usually a couple of dollars. We don't do much take out other than fast food if we are traveling and no tipping there although lately we have been going to IHOP and getting the senior meals which run around $5.95. Do be careful with them in tourist areas as we encountered one that charged $7.95 for the meals and $3.00 for coffee. Most of them though charge around $1.50 or less for the coffee.
We both work and I work a lot of hours. Sometimes we simply couldn't get to cook dinner for us and three boys. So we cook extra on weekends but often we run out of cooked meals before the next weekend. When that happens we do take out. We mitigate cost by not doing delivery and asking restaurants if they offer "family packages". Usually restaurants that do a large portion of business catering will work with us.
For example:
One restaurant nearby offers an Italian family meal consisting of a large tray of chicken parm, a large try of salad, a large tray of vodka pasta, a full length french baguette, along with all the fixings; grated cheese, salad dressing, and extra vodka sauce. We cut the baguette and make garlic bread. We almost always have enough of that extra vodka sauce to stretch to an extra meal (small lunches) by boiling up some store bought pasta.
This costs us $60 bucks and last three meals which comes to about $4 per meal per person.
Not too bad. And yes... fortunately, we have the ability to budget for this.
If they're paying for it, they can obviously afford it.
Not that if they're putting it on credit cards, building debt, and then claiming bankruptcy (yes, I know people who do this). In that case, we're ALL paying for it!
I tip modestly for a pizza. Usually a couple of dollars. We don't do much take out other than fast food if we are traveling and no tipping there although lately we have been going to IHOP and getting the senior meals which run around $5.95. Do be careful with them in tourist areas as we encountered one that charged $7.95 for the meals and $3.00 for coffee. Most of them though charge around $1.50 or less for the coffee.
What age qualifies as "senior," and does that also apply to take-out? It doesn't at Golden Corral.
I forget how old I am now and therefore forget to request the senior discount at all these places!
The only time I go to a restaurant is when I am travelling, and often even then, I just bring ingredients along to make a sandwich or similar.
I find I cook better than most places, and certainly healthier. There simply are not many healthy choices in most place... too much grease or fat, too much salt, and too much sugar. And usually way to expensive.
I make some exceptions for some ethnic places, like Thai. Maybe 3 times a year or so?
So restaurant lock downs do not effect me. I feel sorry for those that own them or work in them, and I really mean that on a human level, but if they close, it is not a personal loss.
Exhibit A: the local Starbucks next to my office building. A group of women in my department went twice a day, every day. At least $30 per day per person. They would always get a large "coffee" drink (those Starbuck drinks have more calories than a dessert) plus a snack. Lunch was generally catered by the company, so this was their chance to get out of the office.
Then the shutdown happened. My firm was by far the largest employer near this Starbucks. Lo and behold, it closed about two months after we all went home.
If everyone spent today like we did in April and May 2020, we would see a much different savings and spending profile.
That sounds amazingly inexpensive for what you get. We pay $12 here for a BBQ sandwich, a piece of cornbread, and two sides (in disappointingly tiny little cups).
wow - he sells his sandwich combos for 6 bucks.
As the day goes on and he is getting ready to close, he really slashes the prices.
so yes some people do wait - lol
But when you are hungry and craving some delicious brisket - you go at full price!
A few weeks ago a sibling picked up Olive Garden to go meals for several of us.
I had the tortellini and it came with bread sticks and side salad. The two of us had two meals out of that. And it wasn't even 20 bucks. Of course I didn't pay - she treated all of us. So nice of her!!
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