How often do you eat out?

R. Zimm

R. Zimm

Member
Location
SE Florida
Eating out is becoming a problem with us for two reasons. Number one, both my wife and I are gluten intolerant so many places are just off limits. Number two, with changes in our health care and taxes the price is starting to rise and what used to be affordable is getting too high. One way we are saving is to make extra when we cook to have lunches for both of us to bring to work. That balances out but gives us flexibility to eat out here and there. Right now we eat out about twice a week on average but sometimes more frequently just because we are forced to by our schedule(s).

What about you? Do you eat out often or mostly cook your own?
 

When I was working, I ate out just about every day for lunch.

Since his heart attack, Mr. TWHRider packs a lunch every day.

We might go out for dinner once or twice a year. We prefer using the gas grill which has been on its last leg for five years but Mr. TWH loves that grill and keeps re-building it. It's been re-built so many times it doesn't even resemble itself anymore:playful:
 
We don't eat out very often at all, will have some take out or delivery food from good restaurants nearby every now and then. We like good food, also the comfort of eating it at home. We'll buy shrimp, crab legs, salmon fillets, rib-eye steaks, pork ribs, lamb chops, etc. and make them at home. Cheaper that way, and also tastes better. We have a charcoal grill only, and hubby likes to make the meats on that, great flavor.

There's also a lot of unsavory things happening behind the scenes at restaurants/fast food places nowadays. If you've ever seen some shows like Kitchen Nightmares, you'll know what I mean, LOL! :eek: Many times the food is not fresh, or cleaned very well, and the hygiene of the preparers and servers leave a lot to be desired.

We ate out and had take out/delivery a LOT more when we were younger and both working, but honestly, I really don't miss it at all.
 

Eating out is very rare for us. When my wife was having to go to a specialist in the city, 60 miles away we would stop at a restaurant. The only meal I remember not cooking at home last year was when I stopped at sonic and took burgers home.

When traveling it's different of course. We eat a bit on the road but still most meals are at one of the kids homes.

A friend sent $50 for our anniversary last October and told us to have a nice meal . We finally did in January.
 
Eating out has always been a favorite of mine. I love trying new restaurants and finding great eating places. We eat out on Friday nights, our Pizza night and now that we have discovered Papa Murphy's, it's eat in as you cook the pizza at home. We have a great Catfish restaurant near by as well. But, Mexican food is still my favorite.
 
I have become too grumpy to enjoy eating out much anymore. I don't like listening to the noisy, squalling brats, the $2.25 coffee, the crowds, etc.

But I have learned a few things that help me avoid that which I don't like:

For cheap eating ya just can't beat the $1 Menu at MickeyD's and other fast food joints. I can get a darn good McChicken and a McDouble and a senior cup of coffee. I give 'em $3 and get change back! And at Denny's they have the 2-4-6-8 Value Menu and I can have and egg plus biscuit and gravy for $2. Or a good "slam" for $4. Can't beat it! But ya gotta watch out for the Denny's coffee - it's over $2!

I go for breakfast or lunch at 11:00 and the places usually aren't busy and noisy. If I go to dinner around 4:00 it's also pretty slow - and usually quiet! Places that insist on inflicting rock 'n roll on me while I try to have a quiet meal I just don't go to anymore. And unfortunately that included MickeyD's, but some are worse than others.

And one more thing: Don't ya wish the photos of the food that restaurants advertise really looked that way when you buy it? For example, I've never been served a McDouble that actually looks like this ad photo:

mcdonalds-McDouble.png
 
I'm not a fan of cheap fast food, I know too much about it. If you've ever seen them selling those McRib sandwiches, think twice before you order...http://www.naturalnews.com/038442_McDonalds_McRib_sandwich_restructured_meat_technology.html . :sick: Thankfully I've never tried one.

Every now and then I make the mistake and try some food from Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Long John Silvers, only to remember why I stopped going there years back.

I worked at a Taco Bell for a few weeks in my early twenties. After seeing their backscenes habits, I not only quit the job, but stopped eating there. When you drop ground meat (not beef) on their filthy floors, they want you to pick it all up and put in in the fryer. Workers were sneezing on, and drooling in the trays of various ingredients, and just stirring in the objectonal fluids. Gave the mgr. a piece of my mind before I quit (and that was tough, I don't have much to spare). :playful: :rolleyes:
 
Unfortunately, SeaBreeze I have worked in gourmet restaurants in my bar-tending days and seen just as many infractions. People are people and sometimes they are just not always interested in public health.
I quit eating meat 6 years ago. So other than a french fry occasionally, I don't do fast food much. Give me fresh vegetables !
 
We seldom eat out anymore for several reasons.

!. Our geographical location prohibits eating out often.

2. Screaming babies and unruly kids running all over the restaurant with parents oblivious to the annoyance they are causing to other patrons. (A biggie for me.) Almost never in my life have I been to a restaurant where there was not a screaming baby. They are alway seated next to us. I am a screaming baby magnet in restaurants and planes.When I go to a restaurant, I always ask for the non-kid section. I get some pretty sour looks at times.

3. I Don't trust the food handlers and food preparers. There are too many restaurants where the hygeine of the staff is questionable at best.

4. I am very particular about the way food is prepared. Don't throw slop down in front of me, charge me a fortune for it and not expect a complaint.
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5. I can cook better than most restaurant food I have had.

I do myself, the restaurant staff and baby toting patrons a favor by eating at home mostly.
 
^^^well said. I still wish we had a "LIKE" button that we could click on and it would say, right in the person's post, that "you like this".

Would save a lot of typing and wasted space - lol lol
 
Any food you don't grow/butcher yourself should be suspect. Even your own has doubtless been subjected to some critter's pee or poop. Ever think about what's in just plain ol' dirt? And home butchering isn't as clean as the commercial places.

The same type human beings that run the fast food joints are running the lines at the canneries, slaughter houses, etc.

That being true, and knowing that a certain amount of rat crap, and other stuff as bad, are allowed into "approved" foods meant for humans, I guess we can simply choose our poison.

I reckon MickeyD's McChicken is as safely prepared as say... Heinz catsup. Or Safeway's steaks. Or name your favorite food. Such is real life...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20013038-10391704.html
 
Seems like the "eat ins" are out numbering the "eat outs" for now. Those arguments are sound in every way. Where we live there are many good eateries but too many are really just fancy bars so those the food is not that great. We also have so nice ethnic local places (mostly Thai and Latino) that have been around for a long time and are not fancy but when you see a bunch of their family members eating there it gives you some sense of security.
 
FishWisher said:
Any food you don't grow/butcher yourself should be suspect. Even your own has doubtless been subjected to some critter's pee or poop. Ever think about what's in just plain ol' dirt? And home butchering isn't as clean as the commercial places.

The same type human beings that run the fast food joints are running the lines at the canneries, slaughter houses, etc.

That being true, and knowing that a certain amount of rat crap, and other stuff as bad, are allowed into "approved" foods meant for humans, I guess we can simply choose our poison.

I reckon MickeyD's McChicken is as safely prepared as say... Heinz catsup. Or Safeway's steaks. Or name your favorite food. Such is real life...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20013038-10391704.html
Click to expand...


I really don't dwell too much on what has happened when the food is being processed. It's a given that some contamination can and does occur during processing. Properly cooking meat at recommended temps and thoroughly washing fresh veggies will take care of most of that. If you think about the millions of tons of food processed every day, the instances of contaminations and recalls are low in comparison.

What concerns me is what happens between the time the food has been cooked and presented to me, and what virus or bacteria the handlers unintentionally or otherwise, are passing on to the finished product after it has been cooked.

Oh, and number 6 on my list of why I don't enjoy restaurants much is the blasting music that many have taken to playing. It is impossible to enjoy a meal and have a conversation with the music blaring. This is done to discourage people from lingering...in other words, eat and get the hell out, we want your table.

I remember back in the day when we would linger over a good meal with cocktails, a meal, dessert, coffee and lots of good conversation. We never felt rushed to eat and get out.
 
Yes, table turnover is a core measurement of a restaurant's profitability and many companies watch it like they do payroll. I can understand it though, in today's business environment it's any wonder these businesses can survive. It will not get any easier with our current political situation.

During the depth of the latest/current recession my wife and I decided to eat out slightly more often since we both had (fairly) secure jobs and work for the county government (ie, the taxpayers). So we did that and made sure we tipped generously.

We thought is was the right thing to do.
 
I love going to a nice restaurant and eating something that I haven't cooked. Having said that, after reading this thread, I may never eat out again.

I would hope that any wine consumed during a good meal would kill off all the nastiness that your good people have talked about.
 
TICA said:
I love going to a nice restaurant and eating something that I haven't cooked. Having said that, after reading this thread, I may never eat out again.

I would hope that any wine consumed during a good meal would kill off all the nastiness that your good people have talked about.
Click to expand...

:rofl:Too funny:D We have done a great job with our un-intended lobbying against restaurants :p

I love Red Lobster but after reading all the comments, I'm not sure I even want to make the annual birthday trek when it gets here -lollol
 
I hope I haven't discouraged anyone from eating out! I should post a photo of me. You would see that all the terrible stuff I have written hasn't diminished my appetite a bit - and that includes restaurants.

This photo just taken Saturday night at Wifey's 70th birthday. I am prepared for the coming famine!

2013-2-16zzz%20Lavonne%20and%20Dale.jpg
 
I'm sorry if I discouraged anyone from eating out in their favorite restaurants. Having ranted on them, I will say that I do enjoy a nice clean place with good food and service. I am the first to be impressed, and tip well for it. It just seems those places are far and few between these days.
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F.W....Nice photo, happy birthday to the missus and I also like the red suspenders.:)
 
Y'all are very kind. Thank you. The color red (and especially red hearts) is kinda Wifey's trademark what with being born on Valentine's Day and all. I tell the youngsters in the family that red suspenders can be worn only if you've worked in the woods. They don't pay attention to this old man, as usual, as none of them have ever been tempted to wear suspenders anyway.
 
There is nothing wrong with taking precautions about eating out. There have been many cases of food bourne illnesses and everyone I have ever spoken to who has worked in food service says the same thing about what goes on. I just use some common sense and keep my eyes (and nose) open!
 


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