Doesn't Anybody Go Out to Eat Anymore?

Mobilman44

Mobilman44

Member
Not all that long ago, the restaurants around here (north Houston area) were booming businesses. There was always a line at the cafeterias, Cafe Express, Jason's Deli, etc. for lunch. And come dinner time, the Outbacks, Red Lobsters, Carabbass, TGI Friday's, etc., etc. were mobbed.

Now, and for the last few years, those restaurants are gone or just barely hanging on. Even taking into account the horrible impact of Covid, what happened?

As I've been told, "young folks" today just don't care to eat in restaurants. They do take out or more likely, have food delivered. That does explain a lot, but what about everyone else? And is it the same in other cities?

I've been told by more than a few parents of young folks that "today's kids don't date, don't marry, don't eat in restaurants, and are not that keen on learning to drive". I just don't understand all that, although I do keep in mind that my views are from 30-50 years ago, and not the current environment.
 

Mobilman44 said:
Now, and for the last few years, those restaurants are gone or just barely hanging on. Even taking into account the horrible impact of Covid, what happened?
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I'm thinking what happened is that the exact same restaurant meal my family used to pay $60 for is now $90 to $110. Inflation. Looming recession. Many food prices from the grocery store have risen at least 50-80% in the past 18 months or so. Restaurants wouldn't have been able to escape those much higher food prices so there's nothing for them to do except pass it on to the consumers. Consumers don't like that.
 

Yes, rising prices have done a number on most everything, and of course that is a factor.

I did forget to mention that the managers of a few fast food restaurants have stated that take out has exceeded "eat in" by far for the last few years.
 
Yesterday a fairly popular restaurant announced it was closing today. They had really good food. At least the one time I ate there it was good. They had been closing in the afternoons because the homeless people were gathering outside the entrance and would sit on the sidewalk. So their customers had to step around them. Even if the cops made them move, they would be there again the next day.
 
I think that a lot of the more upscale restaurants have simply priced themselves out of the market. The pandemic also forced a lot of doors to close, and they never reopened.

I confess to doing takeout and drive-up meals. Simply by using my own drinks at home and avoiding a tip, I save about $10 on meal expenses for two.

I also prefer diners to fancy and trendy upscale restaurants. Just give me something with brown gravy on it and a waitress who calls me “Honey,” and I’m happy… 😸
 
Though not often, anytime I’ve been in a FF place or nice restaurant, I’ve seen the Skip or others doing pickups. I can’t comprehend paying more for a Big Mac and cooled off fries. Tip is mandatory, if you ever want a delivery again.

There are still lineups at Tim’s and McDonald’s. At the better restaurants, a reservation in needed, mandatory in tourist season.
 
When RVing we tend to eat lunch out every other day and prepare all other meals ourselves. Takeout is limited to when the older grands are with us.

Other than that or an occasional meetup with a GF for lunch, I rarely eat at restaurants.

I've literally eaten in restaurants many thousands of times over the course of my lifetime, from very high end to street taco stands. As has my husband. (We worked in an industry where everyone went out to lunch every day.) Any thrill restaurant dining brought is long gone.

Bottom line: I can prepare tasty meals faster, healthier and cheaper at home.
 
Pretty rare for me, even to hit a drive-through for a burger or nuggets. Last time was maybe a year ago.

As far as I can tell the only people who hit the fast food places regularly today are the working poor who'd be far better off financially and health-wise just not doing that.

I might get into a "sports bar and grill" next week, but only for an informal reunion of retired co-workers I haven't seen since 2011. I fully expect a serious case of sticker-shock... assuming the place hasn't closed by then.
 
From what I've read, there are three levels of eating out. Fast food, casual dining, and gourmet. With the economy being as it is, the market is getting squeezed. As such, the low end is falling off, while the middle is doing better. So perhaps it's just a market adjustment.

You know, perhaps the time for fast food has come and gone. It was grossly unhealthy, low paying, and the level of service wasn't terrific. Perhaps it really is time to move on?
 
Mobilman44 said:
Not all that long ago, the restaurants around here (north Houston area) were booming businesses. There was always a line at the cafeterias, Cafe Express, Jason's Deli, etc. for lunch. And come dinner time, the Outbacks, Red Lobsters, Carabbass, TGI Friday's, etc., etc. were mobbed.

Now, and for the last few years, those restaurants are gone or just barely hanging on. Even taking into account the horrible impact of Covid, what happened?

As I've been told, "young folks" today just don't care to eat in restaurants. They do take out or more likely, have food delivered. That does explain a lot, but what about everyone else? And is it the same in other cities?

I've been told by more than a few parents of young folks that "today's kids don't date, don't marry, don't eat in restaurants, and are not that keen on learning to drive". I just don't understand all that, although I do keep in mind that my views are from 30-50 years ago, and not the current environment.
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Cost for us. Last two times Sharon and I went out to dine it was $110 and $90. Not counting tip. And these were 'family' restaurants, not high-end eateries.

Heck, even 'fast food' is approaching the cost of what it once was five years ago to eat sit down. No value there either.

And yeah, just getting there and back through the ever-present horribly heavy traffic is a deterrent as well.
 
"In fall 2022 and spring 2023, consumers in the United States were asked what changes they made in the past six months when dining out at restaurants. The leading change in habit in both seasons was selecting cheaper items on menus, at 53 percent and 55 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the dining habit that has changed the most between fall 2022 and spring 2023 was cutting out alcohol/drinks, with 43 percent of respondents saying they had been doing this over the past half a year in spring 2023 compared to 31 percent in fall 2022."


"Food service and drinking place sales in the United States increased significantly over the past three decades. In 2022, total U.S. food service and drinking place sales amounted to around 975.9 billion U.S. dollars."

Perhaps the restaurant business has topped out for a while. People might be figuring out it's healthier, cheaper, and lots more convenient to eat at home. Digesting covid, costly delivery services, food, materials, and labor sky rocketing are going to take years to digest before the industry regains momentum.
 
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restaraunts and cafes and take aways seem to be doing well here. Some come and go but certainly not something people are stopping doing

Cost of living perhaps impacts this - or people get take away so they don't have to worry about drinking and driving - or the extra costs of drinks in a restaraunt
 

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