I can't afford expensive restaurants, don't like regular cuisine that I make better at home, so only go out as a special treat (birthday, etc) to ethnic restaurants that I cannot replicate at home.

There.

We just can't afford it. I definitely get bored and am getting really sick of cooking and can't believe how much longer I have to go on doing this and packing lunches, etc. But when you don't have the money, you don't.

I can't afford it. After payday and all the bills are paid, I have $150 left of disposable income for 2 weeks. We are a family of 4. Dinner out will easily cost $50-75 including tip. Since I never know what is going to come up during the 2 week period that I will need the money for, I'm not willing to spend it on one meal one night. For instance, this week my daughter is in a spring break camp. Tomorrow there is a field trip. It will cost $20 extra. If she attends camp, she has to go on the trip. My kids need haircuts this week so that's at least another $25-30. And both of my children need new shoes, so let's say another $60. Well...now I'm down to about $50 till next payday.

So nope, eating out is not an option.

I grew up in a big family so we couldn't afford to ever go out to eat. Rarely, a great aunt would take my sisters and me out to lunch. We loved those experiences. Now, my DH, DD, and I go out to eat a fair amount. I do buy Groupons, Living Socials, and restaurant.com coupons to cut down on the costs.

When I was little we never went out to eat. I mean never ever except on vacation and it wasn't boring to eat at home. My mom liked to cook (she worked full time too) and it was just the way it was and I helped a lot once in middle school. Never ordered pizza either, just not an option. Thy grew up in a different country with no restaurant culture (only fancy ones and unaffordable) so it just didn't cross their mind to not cook. Even now going out for a birthdays meal is considered less special than cooking for a table of 10+ birthday party guests for them.
I like to go out for food I cannot make at home but have been trying to cook more at home. I cook together with my husband and we plan for the week together as well to make it more fun.

DC has multiple food allergies so there's not much he could even eat if we did go out (not to mention the risk of his food containing something it shouldn't). We sometimes get take-out after he's gone to bed, but it doesn't happen that often.

Anonymous wrote:Eating out a lot is not an option - we simply cannot afford it.

Also, I was raised in a culture where women cook everyday - and nothing from a box or pre-prepared. All homemade except maybe bread. My guess is that for some Americans, cooking every day seems strange because you were not raised that way.

I was raised that way, which is exactly why I like to dine out.

And yes, I will go to "American" places like Busboys and Poets or a steakhouse, gladly.

Eating out a lot is not an option - we simply cannot afford it.

Also, I was raised in a culture where women cook everyday - and nothing from a box or pre-prepared. All homemade except maybe bread. My guess is that for some Americans, cooking every day seems strange because you were not raised that way.

We probably eat out twice a month, and like PPs said, it's always at very good/great restaurants with cuisines we can't do as well at home. I simply can't be bothered with your standard American fast fare. It doesn't look good, at times smells bad in the restaurants itself, and it's so full of salt I feel thirsty and bloated for hours afterwards. Not worth my money or health. And making a meal at home is really not that hard.

Anonymous wrote:We do not eat out a lot for dinner. DH and I enjoy cooking and it is much healthier and cheaper at home. We do go out for bdays, anniversary, vday, vacation (not every night). DD is 4. She and I will have lunch out once a week or so, usually Wegmans.

Same here. We're a family of 6 so eating in works best for our budget. We do splurge for bdays and on vacations though. Occassionally we go out for lunch (also at Wegmans like the PP), but going out to eat is genuinely a real treat and novelty.

We do not eat out a lot for dinner. DH and I enjoy cooking and it is much healthier and cheaper at home. We do go out for bdays, anniversary, vday, vacation (not every night). DD is 4. She and I will have lunch out once a week or so, usually Wegmans.

Usually eat out for cuisines I can't replicate easily at home--e.g., Ethiopian, Indian, etc. If it's American-ish, I can make it in my kitchen, and don't bother to eat out.

I don't eat out a lot, we save it for good restaurants. I eat out a ton for work and quite frankly am so damn sick of it.

I wonder, too. I am a good cook and like to experiment, but I like to be waited on and see what chefs and restaurants create!

Don't you get bored if eating at home all the time? I seriously want to know.