How often to do your dine out or order take out?

[Travis]

I budget $100 a month for the family for all eating out (sit down dinners, fast food lunch, coffee at a social gathering). Looking at my spreadsheets we've averaged that over the years. I love eating fast food, but then I get buyer's remorse when I stop to think how much that one meal cost me.

[Metalcat]

My family eats out a lot. I'm a foodie and even though my partner is an awesome cook, we just can't replicate all of the world cuisines that we love and have access to. 

I think how often you eat out is strongly correlated with geography (and child-status).

For example, a couple in Manhattan has a million restaurant choices within walking distance while someone in a rural area may have to travel 20-30 minutes to the nearest restaurant (most likely fast food or chain restaurant).

Also, if you have young children, it's often not worth the hassle (more likely to do take out or delivery).

 

Funnily, we eat out more often when we're in the rural community that has very little choice compared to when we're in the city and surrounded by amazing ethnic restaurants.

In the city, I can easily find ingredients and can pretty easily replicate pretty much anything that I like except for things like wood burning BBQ because we live in an apartment.

Otherwise the access to exotic ingredients is amazing, and recipes and videos of particular techniques are readily available online. Although there are some restaurants with specific, original dishes that I just can't recreate, so we'll go to those for special occasions.

Whereas when we're in the remote community, it's hard to get basic ingredients. I couldn't even get cabbage for a few weeks, much less anything exotic. I jumped for joy when I saw that the stores usually carried ginger.

We ate out more often largely because it's the main activity available to do if one wants to leave the house and engage with people. Back in the city I have access to so many activities beyond sitting somewhere and eating.

So for us, access to great restaurants doesn't actually correlate with more eating out.

[MisterA]

I budget $100 a month for the family for all eating out (sit down dinners, fast food lunch, coffee at a social gathering). Looking at my spreadsheets we've averaged that over the years. I love eating fast food, but then I get buyer's remorse when I stop to think how much that one meal cost me.

Yes, we're about the same, once maybe twice per month. But the price has risen so much in the last couple of years. Buyers remorse? yes, most definitely. I'm very capable of producing a nice meal myself (one that I like anyway!), if the restaurant doesn't give us something special, I always focus on what it cost. But as we don't eat out often, we don't always know the best places to go. A few years ago when we ate out 1-2/week, we always knew the best restaurants.

[Cassie]

Once or twice a month since inflation increased prices of everything. I used to eat out once a week.

[jinga nation]

Once a week mostly, but with extended family or friends. Nothing high-end. Just mom-n-pop Thai/Vietnamese/Lebanese/pizza/fusion/etc, extremely rarely chains. Used to be 2x/week but my kids enjoy cooking and helping, sometimes we skip eating out for a couple of weeks. Cook, eat, chill, pool, repeat.
I don't enjoy eating out much, noticed food has too much salt. I feel thirsty for a couple of hours post-meal. This also affects my morning bike rides or workouts on subsequent days. Rarely have alcohol.
Don't like buying lunch during the work week for the same reason. Take home-cooked dinner leftovers or make sandwich.
Dine out limits are for health reasons primarily. We don't enjoy take out, eat in the restaurant, hot and fresh. Worth paying the tip for good service.

[Fomerly known as something]

I voted several times a week due to work.  I travel a lot for work, when I do I east out.  At home it is generally 2x a week.  My Thursday post group run pizza outlining and one other meal.

[pachnik]

My husband and I go out for dinner on Fridays.  On Saturday mornings, I get coffee and a muffin.  I used to get coffee and a muffin twice a week but the price has gone up too high.

[fuzzy math]

I put several times a week. That doesn't represent $60 each time, but frequently I'll get one of the kids a chicken sandwich, a burger etc if I'm out with just one kid. I have a coffee subscription to Panera ($9 a month) which allowed me to kick my 2-3x a week starbucks habit and I go there nearly every work day to grab an iced coffee. I'm GF so there's no worry about being tempted to buy food there.

I think our restaurant spending averages $400 - 700 a month for a family of 5. Not great, but if someone's visiting or there's a birthday in the house, its a minimum of $80 at a sit down restaurant and I'm not going to sweat the occasional celebration.

[dividend]

The husband and I have a standing date night every 2 weeks.  We alternate who plans it - usually a fun free-ish activity (last time we checked out a cool nature trail) followed by dinner somewhere new/interesting.  Dinners range anywhere from $30-$250 - we like good, interesting food, stuff I can't cook at home easily, and we look for it any price point.
We probably do brunch on the weekend once or twice a month with friends.  Yesterday's brunch cost $75, which I felt was a little steep, but it was delicious and the company was great. 
About once a month I got out with a friend who likes getting dressed up fancy as much as I do, so we go somewhere where we can do that.  Last one I spent $86 for cocktails and appetizers.
We also probably once or twice a month do lunch/dinner out on the way to my FIL's house - he lives 40 minutes away and we visit frequently because he's sick.  Sometimes it's like Arby's or Taco Johns for convenience on the way to/from, sometimes we take them out if he's feeling up to it.
I get a fancy coffee from an adorable place in my neighborhood about once a week for $6-7.
We do drinks out a lot, anywhere from a $2 beer to a $12 cocktail just casually while we're out walking around or doing other stuff. 

Otherwise, I cook and make drinks/coffee at home.  We host monthly potlucks, have small dinner parties for 1-2 other couples, have my brother or friends over for drinks, host people by the pool with drinks, snacks, cheese boards, etc. 

I really hate going out and feeling like what we ate was not worth the price.  Especially in that weird mid range chain spot at ~$40 or so.  So I try to minimize eating out for no reason - I meal plan around our schedules, keep really good homemade easy stuff in the freezer (right now I'm stocked with homemade burritos, mac & cheese, and a couple great soups that are just heat-and-eat), and we've got 2 fantastic local pizza places that deliver as a backup if we just can't even.  So our eating out budget is flexibly high (at least as much as our groceries), but targeted towards maximizing enjoyment and not towards convenience. 

[chasingsnow]

My SO and I have eaten out a lot in the last month (moving to a new spot and there are so many good choices in our new mountain town) I think in a perfect world every two weeks would be the sweet spot for us!!

[Money Saver 1]

I ate at Panda Express a few weeks ago.  $20.00 for three servings of Teriyaki chicken, 3 spring rolls and a side of mushroom chicken.  Teriyaki sauce is now served in packets, they no longer make it fresh.  Probably won't eat out again for a month or two.

[sonofsven]

I hardly ever eat out because of the cost and the (lack) of quality. I'm a good cook and take pride in buying ingredients and turning them into meals.
But last night I got some to go soup from a teriyaki place. I'd had a long stressful weekend and at work everything was one step forward, two steps backwards, so I just wanted some comfort.
It was $14 with tip, and it wasn't very good.

[wageslave23]

I hardly ever eat out because of the cost and the (lack) of quality. I'm a good cook and take pride in buying ingredients and turning them into meals.
But last night I got some to go soup from a teriyaki place. I'd had a long stressful weekend and at work everything was one step forward, two steps backwards, so I just wanted some comfort.
It was $14 with tip, and it wasn't very good.

That's the other problem. You have to spend time researching which places don't rape you on price. We have a couple places that we get food from for about $15 total for the two of us. If we don't research or decide to go somewhere else it's usually about $50 total. Either way we are full afterwards and didn't have to cook. So the $50 meals are annoying as hell for basically the same food ingredients mixed in a different way.

[Runrooster]

Aside from having to research inexpensive places to eat, it seems more valuable to research easy, fast recipes. My local grocery store was giving away their Cioppino sauce (fish stew). I added some onions and zucchini, shrimp, and canned salmon. I didn’t have to get in a car or pull out 15 spices, and half the cooking time was peeling shrimp. I love recipes that I can pack for lunch every day.

The other grocery store item I’ve been enjoying is bagged salad kits from Taylor Farms. I eat the entire thing and call it lunch. I love the Thai Chili Mango.

[LD_TAndK]

We eat out if
 - we have someone visiting and they want to see our downtown
 - birthdays if the birthday person requests a restaurant
 - we're travelling and find ourselves not able to cook

It ends up being once or twice a month. However, we were hiking the pacific crest trail for a couple months this summer where we would eat literally four meals out in a day if we were in town that day. Then a pile of microwave food at the hotel. Then a veggie party platter. Then a quart of cottage cheese.

[sonofsven]

I hardly ever eat out because of the cost and the (lack) of quality. I'm a good cook and take pride in buying ingredients and turning them into meals.
But last night I got some to go soup from a teriyaki place. I'd had a long stressful weekend and at work everything was one step forward, two steps backwards, so I just wanted some comfort.
It was $14 with tip, and it wasn't very good.

That's the other problem. You have to spend time researching which places don't rape you on price. We have a couple places that we get food from for about $15 total for the two of us. If we don't research or decide to go somewhere else it's usually about $50 total. Either way we are full afterwards and didn't have to cook. So the $50 meals are annoying as hell for basically the same food ingredients mixed in a different way.

I mainly just eat at the taco trucks when I want something quick, some of them are really good. Another positive result of immigration :-)

[Ladychips]

I make sure we eat at my favorite Italian place once every credit card cycle. Like as soon as I pay my cc bill (in full), I'm planning what night to order italian.

Dang it! We missed this cycle.  DH and I were busy then we were sick. Do we eat twice this credit card cycle?!?!?!

[Phenix]

I make sure we eat at my favorite Italian place once every credit card cycle. Like as soon as I pay my cc bill (in full), I'm planning what night to order italian.

Dang it! We missed this cycle.  DH and I were busy then we were sick. Do we eat twice this credit card cycle?!?!?!

If your favorite Italian place is a family owned business, I say absolutely!

[Phenix]

We dine out roughly once a week. Some weeks are zero, some weeks are 2, but 1 is the norm for us. On vacation though, I like to explore the local cuisine. We'll dine out at our favorite restaurants for birthdays and anniversaries. I can't replicate the wings of my favorite wings restaurant and only eating there once a year means it's always a treat.

[Dicey]

We just returned from the Magical Moab Meetup, with a week of extra travel added on. We took the RV,  so I prepped meals in advance. We bought perishables twice during the trip but otherwise no other food spending. Zero restaurant activity.  OTOH, it's going to take a whole lot more not-eating-in-restaurants to cover the cost of the RV, lol.

[MoustacheDArgent]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but 4 times a week.    I'm always thinking I should reduce it.
I can afford it though, it's not really a financial issue for me, but I know that restaurant meals are usually less healthy than eating at home.

[Siebrie]

We (husband, me, 2 dds) used to eat all meals at home until corona hit. We couldn't travel, but we did want dds (8 and 11 at the time) to get to know other cultures, so we would pick a week or weekend where we would explore a country virtually and through library books. We'd end the 'vacation' with a meal from a proper restaurant of that country, 4 different dishes and desserts.
We have continued this by eating out or having takeaway every Friday. DD1 always asks for pizza from the mom-and-pop pizzeria in the next village, DD2 always asks for McD (which we count as 'American':)). Husband and I pick any other cuisine on the nights it's our turn to pick. We have found that restaurants in Belgium are often overpriced and their meals tasteless. There were sand and tiny crabs in the mussels from the specialist mussel restaurant, the Chinese food was bland and blobby, etc. The Greek restaurant that's close to us is excellent!

[jim555]

Only McDonalds with an app deal, like free medium fries and a large diet coke $1.

[maisymouser]

We (husband, me, 2 dds) used to eat all meals at home until corona hit. We couldn't travel, but we did want dds (8 and 11 at the time) to get to know other cultures, so we would pick a week or weekend where we would explore a country virtually and through library books. We'd end the 'vacation' with a meal from a proper restaurant of that country, 4 different dishes and desserts.
We have continued this by eating out or having takeaway every Friday. DD1 always asks for pizza from the mom-and-pop pizzeria in the next village, DD2 always asks for McD (which we count as 'American':)). Husband and I pick any other cuisine on the nights it's our turn to pick. We have found that restaurants in Belgium are often overpriced and their meals tasteless. There were sand and tiny crabs in the mussels from the specialist mussel restaurant, the Chinese food was bland and blobby, etc. The Greek restaurant that's close to us is excellent!

That is such a cute idea! Mentally filing this away for our son later ..

[Siebrie]

@maisymouser We would get some travel guides and word books from the library (books with a picture and the corresponding word in 1 or more languages), 'fairy tales from ...[country /continent]', children's encyclopedia, history books, comics if available. Figure out which typical games or crafts are done in that country (ice hockey, rugby, bull fighting, origami, etc).

[Dicey]

OMG, we're going out to dinner tonight! We're going to a show and friends have asked us to join them for dinner before the show. I'm not sure who's paying the bill (I think my friend is) or what the split might be, but what the hell? It's only money that we don't spend very often.

[couponvan]

@Dicey! HA DH is in IL and we had to go out to Longhorn Steakhouse to get out steak fix-one of DD’s friends joined, and she doesn’t eat red meat. We cracked up. She was a trooper though and her shrimp platter was eaten alongside 4 steaks. Hope your dinner was awesome, and it’s only money.

[Dicey]

@Dicey! HA DH is in IL and we had to go out to Longhorn Steakhouse to get out steak fix-one of DD’s friends joined, and she doesn’t eat red meat. We cracked up. She was a trooper though and her shrimp platter was eaten alongside 4 steaks. Hope your dinner was awesome, and it’s only money.

This is kind of funny. If you follow my journal, you saw the photo from a fancy fundraiser we attended last month. At that event, my friend bid on a package that included six tickets to this concert and dinner at a nearby restaurant beforehand (plus some other stuff that's too identifying). My friend and I already have season tickets, including this show, so she talked them into dinner for eight, and four show tickets. When we got to the restaurant, dinner was from a specially arranged four-course menu. The waiter then handed me a regular menu and I got to order whatever entree I wanted. I thought it was hilarious and chose Eggplant Parmesan, which I never make at home. If you're a vegetarian, it's not unusual at this type of event that there is only one vegetarian option. For me to have the more choices than everyone else at the table was a first in 35 years of vegetarianism. The dinner and company were good, the show was fun, and it was nice to get out, see people and be social again.

[tj]

All the time. I typically get take out for lunch and dinner. I might get a more spendy meal on the weekend. I've stopped going out for breakfast though.

When I was leanFIREd, I cooked more to save money, but I've never enjoyed cooking for myself - it has been fun when doing it with a group.


Whenever I get around to full FIREing, the plan would be to fund take out meals  - or maybe move somewhere where prepared food is dirt cheap like Jason Feiber did.  It's possible that someday I'll be inspired to become Iron Chef esque, but I just don't see it happening.

[tj]

I am the black sheep that is multiple times a week - we are too busy

Why not hire someone to cook for you then? Much cheaper.

I'd be interested in the economics of hiring a chef.  Are you talking ordering pre-cooked batch meals from one of those meal delivery services and I just toss it in the microwave? I've done that before but I don't know that it's cheaper. I can't imagine that hiring a chef to prepare freshly meals on a frequent basis would be more economical than just getting prepared food from a restaurant or grocery store...

[ricelife]

it's me, husband and small baby here. Both of us work so dining out is like 1-2 times per week. Sometimes it is due to laziness/tiredness and other times it is a 'treat yourself' kind of thing. Mind you, we don't always buy the food - sometimes family treats us to dinner.

[Metalcat]

I am the black sheep that is multiple times a week - we are too busy

Why not hire someone to cook for you then? Much cheaper.

I'd be interested in the economics of hiring a chef.  Are you talking ordering pre-cooked batch meals from one of those meal delivery services and I just toss it in the microwave? I've done that before but I don't know that it's cheaper. I can't imagine that hiring a chef to prepare freshly meals on a frequent basis would be more economical than just getting prepared food from a restaurant or grocery store...

You don't hire a "personal chef" to cook on a frequent basis, you hire someone who can cook to work a few hours and bulk cook, either in your home or in their own home.

Almost all of my friends have housekeepers who also cook. For me, when I've needed help with cooking I outsource to an older Indian woman who lives in my building who makes me giant containers of vegetarian curries.

There are countless listings in my city for people who will provide this service, and they're much, MUCH cheaper than buying takeout. I previously used another service that I found online, and she made me a huge range of dishes, pre-portioned, all delicious for $5/serving, I just had to pick them up once a week.

There are always people, usually women, often retirees, who are willing to offer their cooking services for a very reasonable price.

[HenryDavid]

Once or twice a month here in Canada.
Normally to get good food we don’t make ourselves, or for convenience when out of town. Most restaurant food here is not great value, in my view.
However, we’re just back from the annual half-year in France where, surprisingly, there can be a lot of crap food options . . . AND YET, also something that really doesn’t exist much here in Canada anymore: family owned, non-chain, small country restaurants that serve amazing local food made with care for a fair price. Often in beautiful surroundings. Or, market based food stands I.e. for fresh seafood.
It’s so great that we made it a ritual to have every Sunday lunch at such places. Memorable and good value.
We need more of this here!

[Metalcat]

Right now? Every few damn days.

I'm about to go into isolation before I get full-on mutilated, and stuck in bed for many, many weeks. So DH and I have been going out on a bunch of fun dinner dates before I, uh, retreat from society for awhile. Lol.