How are people still able to afford eating out?

[Anonymous]

There's only two of us now and frankly I find the cost for going out to a good local restaurant about the same as purchasing high quality ingredients and making it myself. It's the margin of wholesale vs retail. Plus I like ethnic variety and it's expensive to stock all the spices. I do find myself doctoring the take out more with extra protein and vegetables but that's okay with me for the convenience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip, ever. It saves a lot of money and makes life easier.

Easier for whom?

[Anonymous]

Yep, have definitely cut back. It's just stupid expensive. We still go out, but it's less often and we are more discerning about what and where we spent those dollars.

[Anonymous]

I again, the prices and surcharges made us cut back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip, ever. It saves a lot of money and makes life easier.

Agree. Tipping is just throwing money away. It's not my job to pay some guys bills cause he made the wrong career choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip, ever. It saves a lot of money and makes life easier.

Agree. Tipping is just throwing money away. It's not my job to pay some guys bills cause he made the wrong career choice.

What's wrong with paying someone for doing a good job? Seems kind of messed up not to pay for the value you received.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, and I don’t mean this to be harsh? No, I don’t even notice. Our food budget has gone up but we are nowhere near close enough to the bone for me to pay attention or worry about it.

In fact, food has always cost “more” for me because I tip a lot.

I don’t even notice what dinner costs. I just do the tip arithmetic and sign.

Again, not trying to be harsh, just in the spirit of anonymous dcum honesty.

same

The lawyers and doctor's (or their wives) chime in!

^^ It's all the same posters who chime in on the "I'm looking to spend $250/pp a meal" thread.

Is there such a thread? How odd. Spending a lot of money doesn’t guarantee a good meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip, ever. It saves a lot of money and makes life easier.

Tipping is the way the wealthy put the risk of operating a business onto the poor people. They pay waiters $3.50 an hour to hope that you people make up the difference. Cheaper to operate that way. If you care about equality, don't tip.

Oh, please. All you’re doing is stiffing the little guy, unless you talk to the restaurant owner and tell him or her exactly why you’re not tipping. You’re being cheap under the guise of caring about the plight of the worker. Trust me, no server is going to thank you for not tipping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a personal chef. We only dine out occasionally when we are in Italy, France, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Romania, Thailand, Bali, Dubai, and Vietnam.

Way to list every country you’ve ever visited. Based on your destinations you must enjoy associating with shady Russians, lol.

[Anonymous]

It is a great primary source of joy so we invest.

[Anonymous]

We do take out, and pick it up. Still expensive, but I despise cooking and already do it two nights. We did adjust a bit as to what where we buy stuff from. I get it will be expensive or the portions will be smaller. But when it’s both and the quality declines we stop ordering from there.

I go out to eat occasionally with a friend who likes nicer places. It’s ridiculous how much a small meal costs for what you get. But I guess I am paying for the social setting in addition to the food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't tip, ever. It saves a lot of money and makes life easier.

Agree. Tipping is just throwing money away. It's not my job to pay some guys bills cause he made the wrong career choice.

You probably shouldn’t go to a restaurant more than once, otherwise you’ll probably get some boogers in your food. And the waiter might make a point of not washing their hands after going to the bathroom.

[Anonymous]

We are becoming as expensive as in Europe without the social safety net.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, and I don’t mean this to be harsh? No, I don’t even notice. Our food budget has gone up but we are nowhere near close enough to the bone for me to pay attention or worry about it.

In fact, food has always cost “more” for me because I tip a lot.

I don’t even notice what dinner costs. I just do the tip arithmetic and sign.

Again, not trying to be harsh, just in the spirit of anonymous dcum honesty.

same

The lawyers and doctor's (or their wives) chime in!

^^ It's all the same posters who chime in on the "I'm looking to spend $250/pp a meal" thread.

Is there such a thread? How odd. Spending a lot of money doesn’t guarantee a good meal.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1257853.page

It's the "Best tasting menu for $250/pp" thread.
I thought it was a joke at first.

[Anonymous]

When we eat out at high end places, it's on the company card. DH and I both work in client-facing jobs.