<p>“Hey Jimmy! HAve you tried that new restaurant in town? It is such a great deal, the bill was only $60.00. All you can eat breadsticks!”</p>
<p>“Hey Susie! You have got to try this restaurant in town. It is great, who needs to eat at home?”</p>
<p>It is estimated that the average American dines at restaurants 3-4 times a week. The average bill at a decent restaurant excluding fast food is close to $30.00. That can be a costly luxury if you ask me. So why have Americans decided to abandon their kitchens for a quest of expensive dining? I DON’T KNOW!</p>
<pre><code> Personally, I believe eating out is the biggest rip off today. Some people eat out every single day expending over $100.00 a week at restaurants. Why America? It is so much cheaper to just eat at home; goodness, I would much prefer to eat steak at home rather than spending $60.00 at Outback Steakhouse. To prepare a steak dinner at home is rather cheap when compared to dining at restaurant. Olive Garden, great…let’s spend twenty dollars on a pasta platter which you could prepare at homefor less than $2.00.
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<p>As George Bush says,“America is addicted to oil.” Well Dubya, add eating out to the American addiction list as well. America is addicted to eating out. American stoves and ovens are beginning to collect dust.l STOP, SAVE YOUR MONEY, EAT AT HOME. Let’s say you spend $100.00 a week at restaurants(which is quite a conservative number compared to most American families)
$400.00 a month. $4800.00 a year?!?!?! My, I’d prefer to go to Hawaii or Bermuda a few dozen times for the same price. So, I hope that my speech has helped you realize the preposterous aspect of DINING OUT!</p>
<p>You must be eating at really expensive olive gardens. When my friends and I go (yes, my suite goes out to dinner every few weeks) even for all five of us the bill doesn’t come to $20 a person. </p>
<p>People eat at restaurants when they a) don’t have time to cook themselves, b) if they want a change of scenery c) for some kind of special occasion. Frankly when I’m at home my family and I eats out when we’ve all had long days at work and don’t want the hassle of preparing the food, eating the food, and then cleaning up after the food.</p>
<p>And as a student who lived off dining halls for three months at a time…sometimes eating out is very, very necessary.</p>
<p>I think the main reason Americans dine out so much is that they are so short on time, and it takes time to plan menus, shop for groceries, and prepare meals. If you get home from work, find you are low on cooking ingredients, and want to eat NOW, it is easier just to head for a local restaurant than to plan, shop, and cook.</p>
<p>Our family actually rarely eats out–maybe once a month, not counting another monthly pizza pickup. But then we have never had the money to eat out frequently. We were a one income family for many years, and now that dh and I are both working, our extra money mostly goes to college expenses. Back when I was homeschooling our kids, I found it made life much easier if I planned menus two weeks at a time, did one big shopping day on payday, and thus had what I needed for the planned dinners. Thus we didn’t run into the problem of trying to figure out what to eat for dinner with what we had in the cupboards–it was planned out ahead. (We did still have a small shopping trip the week between paydays for milk and produce.) No rushed trips to the store for missing ingredients or stopping on the way home for take out. I have continued the habit of menu planning, and I know it really does save money, as well as time.</p>
<p>However, to each his or her own. Perhaps those who eat out frequently have more time than money, so that works better for them. Look at the bright side; at least they help provide work for a lot of people. :)</p>
<p>I rarely eat out, which is a big contrast to other college students I think. I know one of my friends who didn’t have anyplace to cook other than a small community kitchen with a broken oven down the hall, and didn’t have a meal plan, and apparently ate out for every single meal during the school year. She apparently didn’t think it was a big deal and wasn’t paying for it anyway.</p>
<p>I never go anywhere to eat out by myself…even if I’m not at home all day I’ll wait until I get back to eat rather than buy something from somewhere because it bothers me that it would be about the same cost as a week’s worth of groceries. I’ll go out with friends just for the social aspect of it, but not frequently. My family generally only goes out for special occasions, maybe once a month or so. The only exception to that is when both my parents were on a bowling league that met on Friday nights, and we had pizza every Friday because there wasn’t time between that and work to cook. My mother usually has menus planned out 3-4 days ahead of time and has some basic things around the house she can make if she doesn’t make one of the planned things.</p>
<p>Honestly I feel like by the time you get in your car, drive to the restaurant, wait to be seated, wait to order your food, wait for the food to arrive, wait for the waitress to bring you the check, drive home…you could have easily made yourself some salad and spaghetti or something similarly simple in the same amount of time or less. You have to wait for it to be cooked, either way.</p>
<p>I think eating out at expensive resteraunts is quite costly. I went to the Olive Garden this year for my birthday… and that was the only time I will have eaten there this year. I also recently went to a TGI Friday’s for the first time ever. However, you can eat out for decent amounts. I go out for dinner with my friends pretty much every Friday and for the 4-6 of us (depending on who all comes) I’ve never seen our bill higher than $20.00… including tip</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s that Americans don’t have time to cook-I think it’s that they don’t plan on cooking. It does take planning, but it’s a lot cheaper and and a lot better for you. </p>
<p>I try to keep things in the house for quick dinners or busy nights. Omelets with a green salad and bread are quick easy, and cheap–and a lot better for you than burgers and fries or pizza. </p>
<p>I cook things like chicken or hamburger in batches and freeze extra for another time. I chop onions and celery and freeze to throw in soups and caseroles. I try especially during the busy school year to make sure that I get at least 2 meals out of one preparation.</p>
<p>I find that by eating out less I can use my money for better ingredients like shrimp and steak and fresh fruit.</p>
<p>It’s not only the money, it’s the quality of the food, and the ingredients. When I travel, I’m always at restaurants, and I can see the health impact over time. So we’ve resolved to eat out only once a week, on weekends, and to be very careful what we choose from the menu. </p>
<p>When on travel, I have resolved to eat only salads, fruits, and to try to convert client dinners etc. to lunches and breakfasts.</p>
<p>I love to cook, and I love to eat out, too. I was flattered that my son (who doesn’t think he’ll miss much about home when he heads to school this month) says he will miss my cooking and the dog. Thanks, honey… I think.</p>
<p>I don’t mind budgeting for eating out, as I value good quality food. I’m not a meticulous housekeeper by a longshot, but I wouldn’t want to pay a cleaning person because an immaculate house is just not something I value that much. I’d rather deal with a little soap scum and dust (and hope that no one can ever trace a disease directly to my house), and use the money to go to a good restaurant.</p>
<p>Before I get off my soap-box, I am always astounded when I see the amazing kitchens in most newer homes. From what I read, families are eating out or ordering in more and more, so who’s using these gorgeous cooking spaces?</p>
<p>“I’ve never seen our bill higher than $20.00”</p>
<p>Wow, are we talking about McDonalds here?Last year, I went to TGI Fridays for the first time. For a simple hamburger, the cost was $8.00 plus tax. The bill was ridiculously high.</p>
<p>What I find amusing is that people will scream,“Gas prices are much to high!”
yet have no problem spending $40.00 at a restaurant. Price galging, anyone?</p>
<p>I agree with BlahdeBlah. By the time you get into your car, order, wait for the order, eat, and drive home, you could have easily prepared something in your own kitchens. Eating at home is so simple. I love crock pots, throw in some meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas, and forget about it. When you arrive home from work, you will be greeted with a divine aroma. Dish out the food-done!</p>
<p>“You must be eating at really expensive olive gardens.”</p>
<p>No, it’s been a long time since I have been at a olive garden; but I believe they have this seafood pasta garbage that nearly $20.00 Think about it people, you could make the same exact dish at home for $2.00? Add shrimp for $3.00. Done!</p>
<p>Wow, are we talking about McDonalds here?Last year, I went to TGI Fridays for the first time. For a simple hamburger, the cost was $8.00 plus tax. The bill was ridiculously high.</p>
<p>considering a combo menu at mcdonalds is around 5+, 8 bucks isn’t too far off.</p>
<p>i go out to eat frequently (about twice a week) with my friends. We eat, loiter, loiter some more and then figure out what we want to do.</p>
<p>I think Mc Donalds has the most disgusting food and I haven’t eaten at one since I was about 5. Most times my friends and I go out to pizza resteraunts but occasionally we head out for something new. Last night we ordered a pizza, a foot long hot chicken sub, a ‘loaf’ of bread (which is about a foot long and 3 inches wide), and a 2 liter of soda for $16.00 which served five of us.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago 4 of us ate at TGI Fridays for about 20 dollars. We all ordered off of the appetizer menu, and we had a coupon for a free appetizer. We wound up with two orders of chicken fingers, an order of fries, and cheese sticks which we all ended up sharing as a giant meal for everyone… and we also had a 10% off coupon which amazingly they let us combine with our free appetizer coupon. Total bill wound up around 19.85 or something.</p>
<p>Eating out doesn’t have to be expensive… as long as you have a coupon or think it out ahead of time. Most times what they gouge you on is the drinks. Think about it… it’s like 2 bucks for a drink for each person. Which is exactly why we get water at nice places (free) and a 2 liter at cheaper places - 3 bucks for 4-6 people is no problem at all.</p>
<p>i’m a girl but all of my friends are guys. and i don’t eat like a mouse. i can polish off two - three slices of pizza easy. most times I eat more pizza than my guy friends do. </p>
<p>when my boyfriend finished basic training he polished off a pizza. i was quite disgusted. </p>
<p>a few weeks ago i had a papa johns medium pizza delivered and i ate all but one slice by myself. I was pretty proud of myself… even though a medium pizza from papa johns isn’t all that big, it’s still a lot of pizza.</p>
<p>every once and awhile my friends and i will splurge and have like a $40 dinner at friendlies, but i’m not a big fan of paying 10 bucks for one meal… at least that 40 dollars includes ice cream afterwords.</p>
<p>What I’ve found is that when you are meal-planning in advance, certain meals are planned for a day, you get home and see what’s on the menu, and its something you don’t really care to eat that day…what do you do? Make it anyway?? I don’t know about you but it’s rare in my house that all 4 of us care to eat the same thing on the same day…</p>
<p>And sometimes, we will have breakfast for dinnner…Bacon, eggs, omelets or creamed chipped beef…</p>
<p>pizza, a foot long hot chicken sub, a ‘loaf’ of bread (which is about a foot long and 3 inches wide), and a 2 liter of soda for $16.00 which served five of us.</p>
<p>Okay…I now see why you only paid $20.00. But, let’s see how much this would have cost at home:</p>
<p>pizza-store bought $3.00
chicken sub: At Wal*Mart, you can purchase chicken for .39 cents a pound; bread is dirt cheap $3.00
loaf of bread: $1.00</p>
<p>2 liter of soda-Maybe $2.00</p>
<p>Total: $9.00</p>
<p>You see, eating at home is cheaper.</p>
<p>By the way, I personally would starve if I had to eat just appetizers. Appetizers at restaurants such as Fridays are pretty puny if you ask me. The appetizers are not meant to quell your hunger; it is merely a scam for the consumer to spend more money.</p>
but i usually relegate myself to 5-6 smaller meals.</p>