We seldom eat out, but do carry out some. I can't bring myself to sit in a fast food place, and those casual dinning place have gone up so much in price and the portions and extras (basket of bread etc) have waned. They've added nothing to what you get for your dollar. Plus they rush you trough, (not all, but more so than not) so it's "eat this shit and GTFO" Upper tier dinning, which we do 3-4 times a year, (bill for two is over $150) I go in not worrying about cost, less it will detract from the experience and I tip accordingly.

We used to eat out once, maybe twice a week. Covid put a stop to that, and we found that didn't miss it one bit.

Now, maybe we'll have lunch out while doing our weekly grocery shopping, but don't make a habit of it.

Yep, but it didn’t start this year. It started a decade and a half ago. I kept my receipts for 3 months for dining out. Analyzed it after 90 days and said fuck this. I’ve got better things, to me, that I’d rather waste my $ on.

Restaurant food (fast food is worse) is too calorie dense and the portions are too large. Been making my own meals ever since. Same as when I had broke college years, just night and day quality of food today. I do pickup food once a week and that’s that. Call it a cheat meal, whatever it is. I’m talking even if it’s free at the restaurant I’d rather not waste the time. Driving to/from, sitting around waiting for a table, then waiting for food, the check, easily could be a couple of hours. I can make excellent quality food (better tasting to me) in 1/4 the time, eat, and be done with it, for a fraction of the cost. I eat pretty clean and work out a lot so dining out just doesn’t fit anyways. Even a grilled chicken salad will be 1000 calories at a restaurant. I get free vendor dinners offered at work and it’s to the point I skip those now too. I’d rather be at the gym lifting or getting something done around the house, vehicle maintenance, whatever it is.

Now when God grants my prayers and I get to move to the rural town where I bought land, there is a town diner. That will be my once a week spot every single week. Eggs, ham steak. Country homemade food, at a mom and pop restaurant just like you see in the movies, old school. Chain food, hoity toity anything, those days are long gone. It’s lost its allure. Pricing, the time it takes, and having to be around douchebags and they’re got damn phones. Like the cineplexes that I swore off in 2019, restaurants are the same. Zero interest unless I’m on vacation or something.

What helped me get off the tattay so long ago was learning how to sling. Sling is my lingo for making a meal you really love, and being able to make it fast. I’ll bake 10-12 sweet potatoes at a time so I have them ready in the fridge to nuke. Burger/steak for me, is 90% lean ground beef in a patty with seasoning, with a fried egg on top with some raw honey poured over it. No bun, served with a sweet potato with yogurt butter. Better than any restaurant around these parts. I can make tilapia fish tacos with Caribbean jerk seasoning, and in some pineapple juice with Mexican rice and ranch beans, for sides, in about 15 minutes flat. Love making my own meals but maybe it’s the weightlifter in me. Meal prep is awesome and cost effective if done right. Again, can’t wait to move rural where I can have a bigger kitchen, bigger panty, and big fuck off garage where I can finally have a 2nd fridge + a deep freeze to stock fish, beef, chicken, and venison. Cook more. If you want the social time, invite family, friends, or neighbors over. Get out on the grill.

When I ended that restaurant deal (and bars), man, it paid for guns, ammo, furniture, and more vehicles, and modifications and parts to those vehicles. All of which I still own. Best of luck sir.

Yep, Mr Pre has it right.
Cook my own.
The only restaurant food that comes in this house is when a friend brings it over to feed me when I am working weekends.

But Once every month to month and a half there is a hole in the wall burger joint I support.
Family owned and real nice people.

But that is it.

My smoker is sitting by the garage right now for the weekend, chicken going low and slow.....mesquite and apple wood.

And Pre is right about that breakfast place (although I missed out on the ham steak) it was DELISH!

luckily, at our age, we do not eat as much so when we eat out now, we usually split a meal so costs are reasonable. We can have breakfast for $20, Lunch for $25 or dinner for $35.