Wow seems like we're the only people who still do takeout and eating out the same amount as pre-covid!

That amount is once a month. Twice if being big spenders or traveling.

We used to eat a lot, several times per week pre-covid because working late hours and commmuting it was convenient.
Now we eat at home and still do take out but only from places that the food quality and taste is worth it.
Went out for the other day for a rare eating out lunch and the meal was meh. The bill would have been $20 less 2 years ago.
The server was great. The hostess ugh! Here's a tip: stop quoting bs reasons why you can't give a certain table in a family restaurant that does not take reservations, espec when it is 98% empty! Hated that before covid and still do now. I am here to enjoy a meal at a table that is convenient for very specific reasons not hear a pre-rehearsed bs speech on how you want to spread out your servers!

Between ridiculous service charges on top of raised food prices on top of servers expecting a methusalah of champagne sized tip for bringing a burger from the kitchen to my table, we have zero plans go back to pre-pandemic eating out levels.

Anonymous wrote:We have been eating out or getting takeout way too much, and just came out of vacation in nyc where everything was absurdly expensive, like crappy diner meals being $100 for 3 people crazy (with 18 percent tip included in the bill!). I need to cut back in more ways than one in the new year, so look forward to cooking with my now teen and tween daughters and learning new dishes. I hope to see a reduction in my bottom line- health and wealth!

I think you mean you want to see an increase in your bottom line. Unless you are discussing spot reduction for your ass.

We have been eating out or getting takeout way too much, and just came out of vacation in nyc where everything was absurdly expensive, like crappy diner meals being $100 for 3 people crazy (with 18 percent tip included in the bill!). I need to cut back in more ways than one in the new year, so look forward to cooking with my now teen and tween daughters and learning new dishes. I hope to see a reduction in my bottom line- health and wealth!

Anonymous wrote:‘Eating out’ for us is now selecting something from the frozen aisle and bringing home hard seltzers. I’ve got two teens eating off the adult menu at our local pub and it’s pushing me past $100 for the three of us. I’m done.

Well, I would think they’d be ordering off the adult menu! I have a 15 year old boy and 2 12 year old girls, and they’re all taller and weigh more than me. If I told them to order the kiddie cheeseburger or nuggets they’d look at me like I was crazy. And be hungry an hour later.

‘Eating out’ for us is now selecting something from the frozen aisle and bringing home hard seltzers. I’ve got two teens eating off the adult menu at our local pub and it’s pushing me past $100 for the three of us. I’m done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants also charge 2.8%-3% of ‘admin fees’ for credit card payments here in the south. I think this is new? Hopefully we won’t see this for a while back on DC metro.

Visa and MasterCard charge every business 3% on their transactions, so in these cases it’s being passed on to the consumer. Amex charges even more - 5% (or more).

its illegal to pass this on to the customer its part of the credit card agreement. 3% is minimal when considering the accounting savings

But you can offer a 3% “discount” to people who pay cash. That’s not illegal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, decreased. I only eat out if I go out with friends, or treat my teen 2-3 times a month. We used to order/eat out 2x week

To add, it’s something ethnic I can’t make at home. Not steak or Italian

Unless you are Italian, Italian food is ethnic too.

It’s become too mainstream so no

But it is ethnic, just as Chinese, Thai, Indian, Malay, German, French, Spanish, etc…

I feel like people use “ethnic” to mean, “type of food I can’t cook myself.” So lots of people don’t consider Italian to be ethnic, because they make Italian dishes. They do consider most Asian cooking to be ethnic, because they don’t know how/can’t be bothered to cook those themselves.

I’m not saying this is right, just that it’s something I’ve noticed.

Anonymous wrote:Same here, I used to order door dash a lot, but the food is not great and expensive with all of the charges.

My DC won’t eat leftovers, so I’ve started freezing leftovers and then popping them out a week later and serving.

I can cook one large pot roast, eat, then split leftovers into 3 containers, freeze and pull out one a week for 3 weeks.

He has no idea, voila, home cooked substantial meals even on a weeknight.

If my kid wouldn’t eat leftovers, she would fend for herself while the rest of us ate them. No one who doesn’t cook gets to be a food diva in this house.

Subway has a "sandwich " artist"' tip screen line.
Nope. Laughable.

^ the “guys picking the grapes” charge on the Stone Tower Winery bill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to Stone Tower Winery this summer and got an extra charge for “the guys out there picking the grapes,” as explained by the dude serving wine by the glass at the counter. Last time I go there!

WTF

I believe it was listed as some kind of service charge and when I asked for clarification that’s what he told me.