s/o - for people who don't eat in restaurants, how and where do you socialize?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Going to restaurants is literally paying corporations to poison you with overpriced food. We avoid them not just for finances, but because we value our health and what we put into our bodies.

And as others have noted, we socialize at each others' homes, at parks, at community gatherings, and elsewhere. The idea that you can't socialize without spending money in very specific environments is one more most Americans (and nearly all on DCUM) have been brainwashed into believing.

Actually Americans, compared to most other places, go to restaurants crazily infrequently. Spend some time in France or Italy and you will absolutely laugh that you ever thought Americans were the ones spending lots of time in restaurants

Um, this is wrong. My family is French and we spend part of each year there. Most French don't eat out more than once a month or so because a.) it's expensive, and b.) it's considered a special event, and not a daily expenditure like here in the US. On top of this, most people you see in French cafes are typically tourists, especially in major cities (Paris, Nice, etc). There's also a lot of government publicity about the importance of healthy eating, and people are actively encouraged to limit eating out. Why are you spreading misinformation?

Another French person here - correct to some extent. Young professionals do eat out more often, and of course there are always the "working" lunches (my father and his colleagues would stay 2 hours for lunch and bottles of wine, but times are a-changing and the younger generation is faster).

Yep. Nothing like the restaurant scene in Paris. I really miss that.

+1

From a French woman

I can't follow what people are saying "yep" and "+1" to. The first PP says that Italians and the French eat in restaurants much more than Americans do. The next PP says that this isn't true of the French, they don't eat out more than once a month or so. The next PP says that the previous PP is correct to some extent (meaning that people don't eat out that much in France, except for young people and business people). Then someone says, "yep, nothing like the restaurant scene in Paris," which doesn't seem to follow the notion that the French don't eat out that much. And then a Frenchwoman says, "+1."

So, which is it? Do the French eat out a lot with the result that Paris has a great restaurant scene? Or do they not eat out a lot, but the restaurant scene is great anyway? Confused.

The "Another French person", the "Yep", and the "+1" are all sockpuppets of the same poster who originally was proven wrong about French eating out patterns (which, as noted several times, are much less than those of Americans).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For people who prefer to socialize over dinner at other people's houses or have other people over for dinner, the unspoken assumption is that you have a house big enough and nice enough for hosting. I have three young children and we entertain at home often, but I am the first to say that our entertaining picked up after we moved into a big house and invested time and $ into making it beautiful. Now we can host four couples with 3 kids each and not worry about the space for everyone, but I don't assume everyone has the same advantages. Plus let's be honest, it's way more work to cook, set up, serve, host and clean vs. just show up, sit your ass at the table, order and eat your food.

I find going to a restaurant less enjoyable and confining.

I would much rather go to a house and if your friends are not snobby you don't need a big beautiful house.

If the table is too small we pull up folding chairs or feed the kids first.

If u don't like to cook order in... Chinese, Thai, sushi, Indian, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hope it's ok to put this in this forum - it might be better in off topic.

On all these "how do I cut expenses" threads, I see it recommended that you stop eating in restaurants. That does sound like sensible money-saving advice - but if you do it, how and when do you socialize with other adults? I would say that our restaurant meals are as much about finding a time and place to see friends as they are about the food (we don't eat at super expensive places, but they can be maybe $20 or so per person, perhaps a little more if we have a drink or two).

Where do you see your friends - and how much does that tend to cost, then? Do you just go to people's houses?

We do potluck dinners, game nights, picnics, Top Golf, regular golf (costs as much as eating out, though). Or we just to cheaper restaurants, like a pho place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are really into music, we see a ton of shows. Excited to see Foo Fighters opening night at The Anthem in less than 2 weeks.

Wish i had friends like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Going to restaurants is literally paying corporations to poison you with overpriced food. We avoid them not just for finances, but because we value our health and what we put into our bodies.

And as others have noted, we socialize at each others' homes, at parks, at community gatherings, and elsewhere. The idea that you can't socialize without spending money in very specific environments is one more most Americans (and nearly all on DCUM) have been brainwashed into believing.

Actually Americans, compared to most other places, go to restaurants crazily infrequently. Spend some time in France or Italy and you will absolutely laugh that you ever thought Americans were the ones spending lots of time in restaurants

Um, this is wrong. My family is French and we spend part of each year there. Most French don't eat out more than once a month or so because a.) it's expensive, and b.) it's considered a special event, and not a daily expenditure like here in the US. On top of this, most people you see in French cafes are typically tourists, especially in major cities (Paris, Nice, etc). There's also a lot of government publicity about the importance of healthy eating, and people are actively encouraged to limit eating out. Why are you spreading misinformation?

Another French person here - correct to some extent. Young professionals do eat out more often, and of course there are always the "working" lunches (my father and his colleagues would stay 2 hours for lunch and bottles of wine, but times are a-changing and the younger generation is faster).

Yep. Nothing like the restaurant scene in Paris. I really miss that.

+1

From a French woman

I can't follow what people are saying "yep" and "+1" to. The first PP says that Italians and the French eat in restaurants much more than Americans do. The next PP says that this isn't true of the French, they don't eat out more than once a month or so. The next PP says that the previous PP is correct to some extent (meaning that people don't eat out that much in France, except for young people and business people). Then someone says, "yep, nothing like the restaurant scene in Paris," which doesn't seem to follow the notion that the French don't eat out that much. And then a Frenchwoman says, "+1."

So, which is it? Do the French eat out a lot with the result that Paris has a great restaurant scene? Or do they not eat out a lot, but the restaurant scene is great anyway? Confused.

The "Another French person", the "Yep", and the "+1" are all sockpuppets of the same poster who originally was proven wrong about French eating out patterns (which, as noted several times, are much less than those of Americans).

Well that's pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going to restaurants is literally paying corporations to poison you with overpriced food. We avoid them not just for finances, but because we value our health and what we put into our bodies.

And as others have noted, we socialize at each others' homes, at parks, at community gatherings, and elsewhere. The idea that you can't socialize without spending money in very specific environments is one more most Americans (and nearly all on DCUM) have been brainwashed into believing.

Dual WOHPs don't have time to cook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants are really gross. If you really knew what went on, you would never eat in one.

I'd much rather invite people over to my house.

I guess you like to cook and don't WOH 50 or 60 hours a week.

[Anonymous]

We invite people over and everyone brings something. We have a great house for entertaining so we make use of it.

[Anonymous]

My parents would go to the beach w/another couple in their hometown, share a six pack of beer and cook hotdogs on the beach

[Anonymous]

With a big backyard deck, screened in porch, big patio, fire pit, and a pool. We basically entertain at our house. It's just much easier to he able to include all members of a family, from babies to teens in our house. Nobody needs a sitter, nobody needs to shell out big bucks. Unless we are having a formal party, people just show up often with food and drinks.

If we get a sitter, its sometimes to go out to eat, but usually to see a band at 930, R&R Hotel or some other venue. We live in Loudoun County, so we definitely do quote a few trips to wineries.