Eating Out

[QueenIsabella]

Outside of vacation, practically never. We're a family of 6--even fast food would get pricey, very quickly. We do order take-out Chinese about once a month. Pizza is expensive and not particularly good where we currently live--DH makes it better at home, so we have that frequently. We will also very occasionally order subs, for nights when we're running in so many directions, there isn't time to cook, let alone eat together. That happens maybe 3-4 times a year.

OTOH, even my teens are getting to be good home cooks--a skill that will serve them well when they move out.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Too darn much. More of a "sit down" type place a couple times a week, fast food probably once a week. Take out probably once a week.

 

[avengerspoilerer]

We have eaten out for every meal every day since the beginning of the year. Sometimes take away; sometimes eat-in but mostly delivery.

DoorDash and GrubHub make it so convenient. The time we save not shopping, washing, chopping, cooking and cleaning allows us to spend more productive time. It is so worth it for us!

 

[Libbysmom2000]

Not very often, maybe once a month. It's more because I'm picky about what I eat than for any other reason. Also, I'd rather spend money on something else than food out.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We go out for Mexican food probably three times a week. Rarely go to really nice restaurants, but as we get older, there isn't as much energy to cook, so we go out more than we should.

 

[mnrose]

My husband and I do a "date night" every Friday, and generally rotate between three restaurants in neighboring towns: Mexican, Neopolitan style pizza, and sushi.

On rare occasions, we might eat out one other time of the week. But, in general, once.

 

[mnrose]

I love eating out but I agree the price is usually ridiculous for what you actually get; it's hard to feel 100% satisfied with the experience. We go out for dinner maybe 3 or 4 times a month and practically always with friends so it's really more about the social time than the food.

Tonight was one of the rarer occasions when we went out just the 3 of us (me, DH and DS). We went to Red Lobster and didn't go over the top; 1 appetizer, 1 alcoholic drink and 3 entrees. The bill was $129.00 before taxes or tips - almost a week's worth of groceries. It's impossible to say it was actually worth it.

We have really, really reduced our fast-food take-out consumption over the years. It's down to maybe once a week or less because I'm just so sick of everything that's available. I'd rather have a bowl of cereal on nights I'm not up to cooking.

Red Lobster is over priced for what you get. Never been impressed by the "value" of that place. By comparison, last night we went out to a sushi restaurant with my son. Total of 5 drinks, three appetizers, 3 large sushi rolls (entree size), a salad, and an order of fried rice for DS. Total (before tip) of $81. And, in my area, that's the "expensive" restaurant of the three we rotate. The drinks were roughly $25 of that....so the food was $56, which was more than fair for the quality and presentation.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We live in a small town near nothing and my husband likes to cook. We eat out probably 4-5 times a year at a sit-down place, and we have to drive 45 minutes to an hour to get to any decent places, even chains. We only do fast food a couple times a year if we are traveling and don't have the dogs with us. The only takeout we do is pizza from a mom and pop place once a month or so.

The only restaurant choices in our area are Bob Evans, Golden Corral, Burger King, McDonalds, Long John Silvers (never anybody there), Taco Bell, Wendys and KFC, Subway, the mom and pop pizza place we like and Dominoes.

 

[slpeters]

I grab lunch three or four times a week at work--it's actually one of the main things I enjoy about working downtown. We go out for dinner (sit down) maybe once every couple of weeks and grab take out for dinner probably once a week. We also go out to brunch every Sunday--it's sort of a thing, all our friends know about it and they will invite themselves, see who's already going; sometimes it's just my husband and I, sometimes it's twelve people, but it happens every Sunday.

 

[kdonnel]

Way too much!

We go through spurts of as many as 10-15 meals a week to as few as 5 on a good week.

 

[ronandannette]

We do delivery about once a week (dozens of places to choose from), no fast food, Chipotle is the only chain (even though we have tons). There are a lot of restaurants in my little town, but lots in neighboring towns too. I cook almost every night. Last night we ordered mussels, a plain pie, pasta vodka pie, gluten free pie, a calzone and a dozen garlic knots.

Curious - when you say "pie" are you talking about pizza? If so, how much would an order like that cost? Here, for even somewhere like Pizza Hut or Domino's 3 medium pizzas would run over $40 and the sides would be $10 each. That's a big bill for one take-out meal.

 

[bcla]

Curious - when you say "pie" are you talking about pizza? If so, how much would an order like that cost? Here, for even somewhere like Pizza Hut or Domino's 3 medium pizzas would run over $40 and the sides would be $10 each. That's a big bill for one take-out meal.

At least at most US locations, Domino's now has a special carry-out only deal for a 3-topping large thin or medium pan pizza for $7.99. Also a deal (I think it includes delivery) of at least 2 items (including 2-topping medium, pasta, wings, etc) for $5.99 each with some surcharges for certain items. Here's a storefront where they have a sign advertising those specials:

I missed it, but last week they ended a national deal for a $5.99 two-topping large for carry-out only.

And it's weird. The one I go to prominently displays the $7.99 carryout sign in the window. I was at another location and I asked about specials, where the employee said he wasn't allowed to say anything about specials other than I'd have to look it up myself on the Domino's website. When I asked if they had the $7.99 carryout special, he said yes, but only if I mentioned it.

But the big bargain is Costco. And some locations don't even require membership because they located outside and never check membership for a food court purchase.

 

[ronandannette]

At least at most US locations, Domino's now has a special carry-out only deal for a 3-topping large thin or medium pan pizza for $7.99. Also a deal (I think it includes delivery) of at least 2 items (including 2-topping medium, pasta, wings, etc) for $5.99 each with some surcharges for certain items. Here's a storefront where they have a sign advertising those specials:

I missed it, but last week they ended a national deal for a $5.99 two-topping large for carry-out only.

And it's weird. The one I go to prominently displays the $7.99 carryout sign in the window. I was at another location and I asked about specials, where the employee said he wasn't allowed to say anything about specials other than I'd have to look it up myself on the Domino's website. When I asked if they had the $7.99 carryout special, he said yes, but only if I mentioned it.

But the big bargain is Costco. And some locations don't even require membership because they located outside and never check membership for a food court purchase.

I just did a quick google and yes, that same promotion is on here. I guess our problem is we never order a two-topper and extra toppings on a medium are $4 each so our basic order would be $7.99 + $8 each for extra toppings. We're not really Domono's people but I looked closer at the menu and the specialty pizzas that we would probably order are $19.99 for a medium.

 

[MamaLema]

We only eat out when we’re on vacation so 1 week a year.
I’m a good cook and I’ve always been disappointed in restaurant meals.

 

[Meriweather]

Usual is once a week, on movie day. Varies where.....usually sit down, but sometimes fast food

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Not very often.... unless you count the sashimi made by Japanese chefs No grocery store sushi, thanks!

 

[Floridaman999]

Not very often.... unless you count the sashimi made by Japanese chefs No grocery store sushi, thanks!

Why would you not count that?

 

[mjkacmom]

Curious - when you say "pie" are you talking about pizza? If so, how much would an order like that cost? Here, for even somewhere like Pizza Hut or Domino's 3 medium pizzas would run over $40 and the sides would be $10 each. That's a big bill for one take-out meal.

Lol yes, pizzas. Gluten free $8, plain $14, pasta vodka $18, mussels $14, calzone $14, garlic knots $4. We have cheaper places (dozens of non chain pizzerias), as a family we can never agree. We have leftover pizza good for weekend lunches for some. Unfortunately with a family of 7, 5 adults and 2 teens, our takeout orders can be pricey (but cheaper than eating out). The $8 pizzaria doesn’t do gluten free.

ETA pies here are bigger than dominos, and the calzone was huge.

 

[PollyannaMom]

There's no set frequency. A lot depends on what plans we have going on.

Same here. (Lately about three times a week, which is on the high side for us.) Generally a mix of sit-down, take-out, and fast food.

 

[fla4fun]

I only eat out when on vacation. If I ate out all the time I wouldn’t be able to afford vacation.