In all seriousness the key to not eating out is to have some quick meals you keep around the house. Most of the time people eat out or get delivery it's due to tiredness or not having anything to prepare at home in a reasonable time. You can do the Trader Joe's route and keep a lot of frozen stuff or quick stuff like pasta.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we eat out less. When we go out I'm often disappointed because my cooking better and way cheaper.

We'll go to restaurants where we can't replicate the cuisine - e.g. Malaysian, Korean or Lebanese food.

I like this idea.

OP, give an itemized list of what you ordered for two people at Taco Bell that cost $45.

Otherwise, it didn’t happen.

You can get party packs for less than $25, and the party pack of four large drinks costs $4, so no you did not spend $45 at Taco Bell for two people. Unless you are one of those morbidly obese people who makes fast food eating videos and posts them to social media, no you did not.

Yes, definitely. Way too expensive now, to the point where it's not enjoyable and any little issue feels worse at these current prices. Delivery apps are a complete no. We get pizza once and awhile or go out for ice cream. We used to eat restaurant food quite a bit.

We got out to cheaper places, usually asian, and never ever do things like uber eats. We always pick up carry out except a rare occasion for pizza.

The disconnect between cost and quality here are ridiculous. $35 for two bowls of pho? I'll pay it as a treat because my 5th grade daughter and friend love it. But for our family in general? No, I'm cooking at home and very much enjoying it. Now making really good bread with 8 tablespoons of butter in the dough. My son loves it warm out of the oven with freshly made whipped cream. Learned to make kimchi. Next up, beef jerky and growing indoor salad greens, started reading this book today - https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/year-round-indoor-salad-gardening/

We definitely have. With three teens the bill is crazy. We buy more convenience foods at Costco or things like frozen pizza to keep around instead. We limit Starbucks runs also.

I am honestly glad to hear that people with a high income are still eating out and ordering delivery.

But we can't do it anymore. Even our last dinner for a birthday was ridiculously expensive and the food was just ok.

I still do Starbucks, probably 2x a week on average.

Yes, but not because of finances. Mostly because we have toddlers and eating out is not enjoyable at this stage. I learned to meal plan and cook at the start of Covid and just continued to do so. It’s honestly a lot easier and better tasting eating at home. We do still get the occasional food delivery 1-2 times a week.

Anonymous wrote:Took my 17 son To Taco Bell, $45 bill. Crazy, DD is addicted to Starbucks, kaching. I told her that her habit is about $1000 a year.

I stopped getting breakfast out myself, it use to be for money but now it’s on principle, breakfast $30 out? $4+ for coffee?

She can easily earn $1,000 a year by babysitting. Get her on the neighborhood listserv.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I eat out about the same as I always have. Don't allow your DD to have a Starbucks addiction - she's either addicted to caffeine or sugar and neither are good.

Caffeine is good for your heart health this week.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/study-finds-how-many-cups-of-coffee-per-day-may-benefit-your-heart/ar-AA1qJBbf

Check back next week for another update. Then the week after it may change again.

Anonymous wrote:Took my 17 son To Taco Bell, $45 bill. Crazy, DD is addicted to Starbucks, kaching. I told her that her habit is about $1000 a year.

I stopped getting breakfast out myself, it use to be for money but now it’s on principle, breakfast $30 out? $4+ for coffee?

That amount could help fund 10 years of a kid's education in a developing part of the world. 10 years!

Anonymous wrote:We havent been put to eat since 2020 it started when covid started but we save so much and are healthier now and dont miss it. Now we hear the service is terrible, taxes very high, service fees, long waits and bad food we don't feel like we're missing anything.

+1 same!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, inflation is killing us. Now the idiots on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors are considering a meals tax. If they do that we will eat of even less.

It’s not the inflation that’s killing us anymore, it’s the lazy restaurants who can’t be bothered to cook good food anymore. And we definitely need a meals tax. Every area around us has one and we are missing out on tax revenue from non county residents.

This. $20+ for a very mediocre pasta dish seems to be the norm these days. $30+ if you want an actual cut of meat with very average preparation. No thanks.

We havent been put to eat since 2020 it started when covid started but we save so much and are healthier now and dont miss it. Now we hear the service is terrible, taxes very high, service fees, long waits and bad food we don't feel like we're missing anything.