Prices around here are way up and it's just not worth it.

$12.00 ( before tip ) now for the exact same $7.00 breakfast or lunch, that we used to get six months ago.

We were going for lunch five times a month and breakfast three times a month.

Yeah. Yeah,yeah, supply and demand ,
Blah covid, blah,

It was nice when three or eight friends would dine , Converse and giggle.

Those days are gone.

No we are not going to entertain a half dozen people ,three times a month.

We can eat better for less money ,here at the house.

Am going to miss it, just another reason to head tword the exit.

Didn't eat out a lot before COVID, maybe once a week, now, hardly at all, cook at home, smoker, grill,

Maybe you could find a way to get together and do a pot luck, BYO lunch, at a park or each others homes now and then...

I eat out regularly at one restaurant (Thirsty Lion) once a week and try to support them. I was so angry when dine-in restaurants were shut down and I couldn't wait for them to reopen. I usually spend around $25 after tip, just for me. Prices haven't gone up, but I consider the staff friends of mine. It's my happy place that I go to weekly to have my personal time by myself. No work, no family, no kids. Just me. I went back the first day dine-in was allowed again.

Tony.

It got too expensive for me a few years ago. Never mind that the portions are too large. Make it a healthy portion and the price would go down, but we can't have that...people eating somewhat healthy. I eat 6 times a day. I just can't put too much $ into one single meal. Anything the restaurant makes I can make as good or better at home for less money. I made a rule. I'm not going out and spending money anywhere where I just sit on my ass. Restaurant, bar, ball game, just no.

Feel your pain. We used to go out every Friday for a casual sit down dinner. Nothing fancy except on special occasions like anniversary and birthdays etc. No more. We now pick up a lot ofu times on Fridays, and have thought about braving it and going out,. But as you have eluded, we also found prices are off the chart for a simple sandwich with fries and water. And a plate meal in a strip mall place... like some fresh fish, we're talking $50-$60 before tax. Sorry, I feel for the merchants, but I'm not paying those prices for mediocre food, next to zero "kiss my ass" service and no atmosphere coupled with the feeling they want you to eat up and TGFO.

I haven't gone to a restaurant just to go to a restaurant in probably 30 years.

If I'm on the road with Mrs. PHPaul, we'll try to find a sit-down restaurant/diner but it it's just me it's Fast Food and Hit the Road.

My wife is a WAY better cook than any greasy spoon we can afford. Plus, she's worked in restaurants and knows what goes on in the kitchen...

I'm a better cook than most restaurants, plus I've worked in restaurants, so that's a major turn off seeing what happens behind the scenes.

I have ate out exactly three times since COVID hit (all while traveling). No plans any time soon.

I haven't gone to a sit down restaurant to eat in a least 3 years......and that only happens maybe 1X/year. I cook at home and eat at home. I like it that way.


Many years ago I had to eat out a lot, but no longer a requirement.

Haven't been to a restaurant (even for pickup) since this whole Covid thing started.

Restaurants mostly weren't profitable before the crud.

Now, with (in many places) restrictions on seating cutting into their potential revenues - 50% of capacity here....and no relief on the fixed costs (taxes, rent, equipment leases, etc.) well....they have two poor choices - either raise prices or shut down.

Rather see them raise prices. That way they may still be around when the crud becomes a footnote in history.

I go out two to three times per week for pleasure or business. Prices here are stable over the last year or so as there was a price increase generally in our area about a year ago. Understandable as meat, insurance, rent and labor costs in this area have all risen. Food quality and service are excellent, so it's not a big deal to me.

Like Benny6, I consider many of the local restaurant owners and staff to be "friends" and I want to support them through these trying times. I don't want my favorite places to go away, so that means patronizing them with take-out when the ban was on, and now eating in and tipping that the ban is off.

I am not a good cook nor do I have the time to really prepare stuff for a really good meal. Plus by the time I am done shuffling a lot the little ones around my food is cold.

We eat out as much as possible when we don’t have the kids. We can actually just enjoy our time together and enjoy a hot meal.

Most places are back open and prices are not any higher that I have seen around here.

Having to mask up including being waited or greeted by faceless individuals and not able to socialize really kills the mood doesn't it?

$7 for breakfast or, lunch....what do you get for that? Other than a slice of bread, cheese and maybe some protein, that's unbelievably cheap.


As for eating out, keep in mind food suppliers and distributors have been stifled, just as much as the restaurants during all of this. Operating margins for restaurants I understand hover around 5-7%, incredibly slim and doesn't allow the owner to build much of a nest-egg/rainy day fund, not to mention the lease increase after the first 1-2 years, that certain locations have.

For the record I used to eat out at least once a week on my own, and at-least 3-4x week for work during certain periods. I enjoy supporting local establishments over chains and themed eateries.

We don't go out specifically to eat very often, but that's not related to the Wufu Flu - we just never have done so.

Quite a few locally owned and chains closing in the Central MT area. Tough to stay open with 1/2 oe 1/3 seating capacity.

And I now many who are tired of fast food drive up, so they may be the next to suffer?

Frankly local food, short of typical cafe breakfast/sandwiches/burgers is pretty over priced and not noteworthy at all. MT is not known for good food. The locals will eat about anything as long as theres a lot and its cheap or even reasonable.

When you stop eating out, and stop eating takeout, you begin to notice how much salt the industry uses. Like it is a seasoning or spice.

Before COVID, I ate out often. It was both bad for my wallet and also my waistline.

I’ve spent the last few months trying to learn how to cook (with varying results). Now, I’m not intimidated by having to cook and actually find some joy in it.

The downside is that I miss eating with friends and family. For the past 19 years, I would take my dad out to lunch on Fridays. We’d only skipped maybe 20 lunches in that entire time. This is what I miss most about the pre-COVID days. We still talk on the phone, but there is something great about enjoying each other’s company while eating.

I would say you have been lucky. Been a long long time since you could get a good breakfast or lunch for $7 around here. I would say $11 - $13, plus tip for is the normal around here.

We eat out 2-3 times a week. Costs are up 25% since the KungFlu started up.