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Ryan1006 t1_j6xdl81 wrote

Reply to comment by Dismal-Bumblebee4932 in What happened they literally just finished building the upstairs hand out spot? by Dismal-Bumblebee4932

I think the cost of eating out is the biggest problem now. Every restaurant has had prices increases and it makes it tough to eat out as regularly as people did before the pandemic. I don’t think being leery of eating out is that big of an issue, it might still be a little but not a lot. People are packing stadiums and arenas for concerts and sporting events, etc. All the people I know are over the fear of eating out that they had during 2020 and most of 2021. Yes there are still people that won’t and I don’t discount their concerns especially if it’s for underlying health reasons. I just don’t think that’s a main cause anymore, it’s the prices. For example if a meal was $9.99 in 2020 pre-COVID, it’s probably $3 to $4 MORE now. Add that up if you are eating out as a family of four and it’s like paying for another meal.

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hopsinabag t1_j6ynrzd wrote

This is my take on it too. Just trying to buy groceries is costing me easily 20% more than it was precovid, and generally speaking incomes haven't adjusted. Going out to eat just isn't financially an option as often as it was for a lot of people.

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Ryan1006 t1_j6yw026 wrote

We rarely go out as a family anymore. Most of the time if my wife and I want go out, we make something for the kids at home to save money. Or we drive though somewhere on our way home for them (fast food has gone up also though). And incomes definitely haven’t adjusted, my percentage raise every year is always the same.

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analmartyr t1_j6z20by wrote

Legit cost is what does it for us, we are a family of 5 and can’t get out of eat n park for less than 65 or 70 with tip now and they don’t serve alcohol. Dinner out once a week is now dinner out once a month.

Even fast food eating off the deals menus are 35 to 40.

I’m all for paying more if the money goes to the service workers and I understand the increases, but my household income hasn’t gone up enough to continue to eat out as we did even a year ago.

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Ryan1006 t1_j6z6ofg wrote

Yep. Chains like Olive Garden that is glorified fast food has become fine dining with the prices they charge. I don’t know what the answer is for this to get better. This pandemic really fucked things up bad.

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69FunnyNumberGuy420 t1_j704z8v wrote

The casual dining out culture that we grew up in has only really existed since the late 1970s. Prior to then, people went out to dinner for special occasions, mostly.
 
A lot of restaurant capacity was overbuilt in the 1990s and later to paper over a fading real economy. All that stuff couldn't stay in business forever.

 
It's probably for the best, going out three nights a week to shovel 2,800 calories into your face ain't good for you.

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analmartyr t1_j71khn1 wrote

Oh I agree, I went full remote at start of the pandemic, it sure makes it a hell of a lot easier to plan and prep meals as well as keep a clean house when removing commute time.

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KentuckYSnow t1_j76wliz wrote

The pandemic response really fucked things up.

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Ryan1006 t1_j76zh3w wrote

Sure did. I have confidence that it won’t be handled like that ever again. I don’t think either side has the stomach for it again. I know most of the American public doesn’t. And I’ll admit I was wrong because at the time I thought it was the right thing to do.

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