Poll

How often do you dine out or order take out food?

Several times a week
53 (18.2%)
Once a week
99 (33.9%)
Once or twice a month
111 (38%)
Only a couple times per year
28 (9.6%)
Never
1 (0.3%)

Total Members Voted: 292

Author Topic: How often to do your dine out or order take out?  (Read 9025 times)

wageslave23

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How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« on: August 26, 2022, 03:26:35 PM »
I'm interested in how often people order restaurant food. Please disregard the incoherent topic title ;)
« Last Edit: August 26, 2022, 03:28:55 PM by wageslave23 »

Ladychips

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2022, 04:20:27 PM »
I like to set boundaries for myself so that I spend what I think is appropriate. Otherwise I would overspend in some categories (books) and under spend in others (everything else). 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. We eat out when we have doctor's appointments because they are an all day trip out of town. But I really prefer to eat at home, especially if DH is cooking!

Fun poll!

K_in_the_kitchen

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2022, 04:25:40 PM »
At this moment in time, it's once or twice a month.  There have been times in the past when it was weekly (pre-kids when we both worked outside the home), or even several times a week (raising young children).  There have been times when we challenged ourselves and didn't eat out for several months at a time -- I think the record is not getting any outside food until 5 months into the pandemic.

Our current rules are simple: we can eat at a restaurant for a major celebration, occasionally if invited by our friends (not more than once a month), and we can get takeout if we are doing a major house project like deep cleaning the kitchen or doing a thorough clean out and organization of the garage.  Oh, and we can eat out when we travel, but the way we travel we also have the opportunity to take most of our meals with us.

For a celebration, it usually means a family thing and someone else has planned for us to eat at a restaurant -- if I'm planning I try to steer us to potlucks or just offer to cook.  We don't typically eat out for our birthdays, and I hate restaurants on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day and would much rather cook.  But we do go to a nice restaurant for our wedding anniversary.

We did eat out more often earlier this summer, with a kid home from college who had really missed the good food in southern California.  And wow, were we blown away by the price of restaurant food now!  Even fast casual is over $10 per person, and that's without beverages.  We went with friends to a casual brewery type restaurant in July and were amazed that all of the entrees were in the $20 range -- even the sandwiches!

SuperNintendo Chalmers

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2022, 04:46:51 PM »
Once a week for us, usually Friday night.  Occasional weeks of 0 or 2, but 1 is pretty much the standard. 

joe189man

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2022, 04:51:56 PM »
I am the black sheep that is multiple times a week - we are too busy

10dollarsatatime

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2022, 05:19:46 PM »
We're once or twice a month.  At the moment, we're working through a year's worth of Mo'Bettah's meals that I won in a drawing.  We'll probably not going to cut back once we're through all of them.  We like that place.  We do 'fancy' (more than $30 for the two of us) about four times a year. 

lifeisshort123

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2022, 05:35:50 PM »
Unless traveling, we try to limit it to once every couple weeks.  Especially with inflation now.  We used to eat out more.  I found that, at least in our area, rarely did it really feel worth the premium.

In today’s day and age, it is difficult to have a sit down meal for less than $50 a person.  For us, that is a lot of money, especially since we could make similar meals to the restaurants in our area at home.

Captain Pierogi

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2022, 05:38:45 PM »
It's very seasonal for us, so I responded on average 1-2 per month.  We love restaurants using seasonal, local ingredients, so during the growing season, we're 2-3 times per month.  In the winter, it's very rare.  Restaurants are more about eating foods I don't cook (well) at home and less about convenience.

Zikoris

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2022, 08:06:59 PM »
For this year it's been:

January - once
February - twice
March - once
April - once
May - three times
June - twice
July - once
August - twice

So very literally once or twice a month.

FrugalToque

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2022, 09:33:30 PM »
It's basically for birthdays and anniversaries.


Since two of the birthdays are close together, it's basically three birthday dinners, one anniversary and that's about it.


Honestly, we're pretty good at cooking (we're canning salsa right now), so it doesn't make much sense to dine out.

Freedomin5

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2022, 11:29:45 PM »
We eat out about once a week, usually it’s because other people are all heading out to lunch after church and it’s a way to socialize and catch up with friends. Sometimes we eat out as part of a family adventure day, where we cycle to a new part of the city, eat lunch, and cycle home.

EchoStache

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2022, 01:38:46 AM »
Currently about once a week.  The impact on our finances is pretty close to zero.  We found a local Mexican restaurant that runs a special on Tuesdays.  Chips, salsa, water, 2-3 tacos each, and the best Pina Colada(shared) we've ever had for $14.  Once or twice a month we order pizza, mostly for the kids.  Pizza joint nearby has excellent extra large pepperoni for 8 or $9.  LOTS of large delicious pepperoni.  I'm not sure we could make it that cheap at home honestly.

I'm 100% in the camp that it doesn't make any sense to look back one day and wonder where all the money you made went, and realize you ate it all(eating out).  It's an expense I definitely like to keep firmly under control.  I do prefer to eat at home most of the time.....It's hard to enjoy a meal out that isn't at least a reasonably good value.

For my birthday, I asked for a meal at home.  I preferred it greatly to a $200+ family eat out splurge.  Maybe its a mindset that eating at home is not a punishment, and eating out isn't necessarily always a reward.  But if I feel like going out for a taco after work, I'll do it, find a good value, and enjoy it 100%.

I've seen people push frugality to the point that it detracts from quality of life for a negligible amount of money.  Visiting family in Germany.  After a long international trip, we made the mistake of having a long drive to our destination, picked up by family.  We sat in a 2 hour traffic jam on the autobahn....hot, miserable day.  Rather than roll the windows up and use the A/C to be comfortable in a miserable traffic jam, it was windows down, no A/C, ignition off every time we stopped for a few seconds.  I would have gladly paid the $1 or $2 for gas to be less miserable.  Sorry, bit of a tangent.  /endrant.

stoaX

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2022, 05:07:57 AM »
A few times per year for us. We used to enjoy it more in the past, but we started tapering off about 10 years ago.

Metalcat

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2022, 05:31:03 AM »
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.

As for us, it depends on where we are. At our city home, there are so many things/activities to do, so we rarely choose going out for whole meals as an activity.

At our rural Newfoundland home, going out for a meal is one of the only cultural activities you can do, so we go out upwards of once a week, typically Friday nights when there's live music with the dinner. Plus restaurants here are very inexpensive.

That said, now that we've been here a bit and are making local friends, we'll probably go out to restaurants less since that's not part of the local culture. People here socialize at each other's homes, not at establishments. Those are more for tourists.

I batch cook, so we never use restaurants for convenience meals, only for fun date nights. When I can't batch cook, I hire a service to do it for me.

The only time I order in food is when I'm sick and craving pizza.
« Last Edit: August 27, 2022, 06:37:42 AM by Malcat »

couponvan

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2022, 06:30:38 AM »
We eat out or get takeout about once per week, but rarely as a full family. The kids go out with their friends on the weekends and DH and I have a date night, or we have a lunch with friends. Since COVID, dining out is fairly rare. I have a fabulous kitchen to cook in though, so it’s a joy to cook these days. When I was working, we did a ton of restaurant meals because I was too tired to cook.

herbgeek

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2022, 06:33:12 AM »
I'm a decent cook, and also retired.  The good restaurants around me have gone out of business, making the choice to eat out (or not) an easy one.  There's lots of chains, and some so-so individual places.  When we do go out, its typically to a brewery to have snacks to go with our beer.

PoutineLover

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #16 on: August 27, 2022, 07:34:40 AM »
Maybe once or twice a month I am just really tired or low on groceries or inspiration so we order food. It's been getting so expensive with fees and tips that it feels really wasteful but it is a way to get certain cuisines that we don't normally prepare at home. We'll also occasionally go out for dinner with friends, although I prefer going to each other's houses.

Kris

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2022, 08:08:34 AM »
Maybe once or twice a month I am just really tired or low on groceries or inspiration so we order food. It's been getting so expensive with fees and tips that it feels really wasteful but it is a way to get certain cuisines that we don't normally prepare at home. We'll also occasionally go out for dinner with friends, although I prefer going to each other's houses.

This is basically us, too. My DH does all the cooking, so whenever he doesn’t feel like it for whatever reason, I absolutely give him leeway to order delivery or decide on a restaurant date.

Michael in ABQ

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2022, 08:50:47 AM »
The last time just my wife and I had a sit-down meal at a restaurant? Maybe once in the last year at a local Italian restaurant.

9 times out of 10 for us it's getting lunch at Chick-fil-A or the Costco food court if we're out on errands on the weekend. The former typically runs about $50 (family of 8) while the latter is usually about $20 for a $10 pizza for most of the kids to share then maybe some hotdogs and an ice cream to share.


I can't fathom going out to eat at a regular restaurant multiple times per week. It's bad enough when our kids decide they don't want to eat a sandwich or slice of pizza that costs a few dollars. Not going to spend $15+ on an entree only to watch them not even try it. They can do that at home where we can at least save the leftovers easily enough (which is why I'll be eating salmon for the third lunch in a row today).


clarkfan1979

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #19 on: August 27, 2022, 09:04:11 AM »
We moved from Hawaii to Colorado and our monthly food cost went up. This is mostly because my wife's family and friends in Colorado have a culture of going out to lunch and dinner when meeting up socially. I don't think it's crazy expensive and we can afford it, but we are no longer frugal in the food category. My wife also gets special wine delivered to the house. The bottles are $10-$15. She likes the brand because there is no added sugar. It's just the natural sugar from the grapes.

Our total food & alcohol monthly spend went from $1100/month to $1350/month over the past three years. We also have a 5-year old that is now consuming more food, but I don't think his growth in appetite explains an extra $250/month.

My goal for 2022 is to get it down to $1300/month. I usually take a break from alcohol in September & October every year, so that will help with the monthly spend. 

BikeLover

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #20 on: August 27, 2022, 09:15:08 AM »
I've seen people push frugality to the point that it detracts from quality of life for a negligible amount of money.  Visiting family in Germany.  After a long international trip, we made the mistake of having a long drive to our destination, picked up by family.  We sat in a 2 hour traffic jam on the autobahn....hot, miserable day.  Rather than roll the windows up and use the A/C to be comfortable in a miserable traffic jam, it was windows down, no A/C, ignition off every time we stopped for a few seconds.  I would have gladly paid the $1 or $2 for gas to be less miserable.  Sorry, bit of a tangent.  /endrant.

Off topic, but was that actually frugality, or fear that the cold air would give them a cold? Europeans in general aren't as big on air conditioning as Americans, and are often a bit skeptical or fearful of it.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/07/22/europe-to-america-your-love-of-air-conditioning-is-stupid/

https://www.spiegel.de/international/draftophobia-blown-away-by-the-fear-of-air-a-407764.html

ATtiny85

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #21 on: August 27, 2022, 09:30:55 AM »
I am the black sheep that is multiple times a week - we are too busy

We are too busy to eat out.

We cook on the weekend for the whole week. Maybe two hours of time total.

We eat out maybe twice a month, normally breakfast at the farmer's market and a lunch somewhere.

Omy

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #22 on: August 27, 2022, 09:56:05 AM »
Before we retired it was several times a week and our monthly food and restaurant expenses totaled over $1000/month for 2 of us. We were both working a lot, and we justified it as entertainment.

Approximately a year before retirement, I decided to see if we could bring that number down, and we started eating in and only going out once or twice a week. Monthly food budget dropped to $500 per month.

When covid hit our monthly food budget dropped below $300/month since we weren't eating out at all.

With inflation and going back to eating out once or twice a week (making frugal choices and looking for deals), we're back to $500 per month.
« Last Edit: November 13, 2022, 05:10:56 AM by Omy »

TempusFugit

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #23 on: August 27, 2022, 09:59:07 AM »
I pretty consistently go out to dinner 3 times a week and I meet up with friends for lunch 1 day most weeks.  Add to that picking up a pizza or a sub sandwich another day.  Dining out is my largest expense, full stop.  OK, maybe taxes are more but I don’t notice those as much until tax day.  I enjoy it as a social activity and I also enjoy good food and wine.  This is where I see the highest inflation recently and so I may take some minor steps to reduce my total spending in this area. 

As a middle aged singleton who lives in the suburbs I’ve found this to be one of the few social activities where I can meet up with friends and acquaintances both new and old and have an enjoyable evening.  I’m somewhat hopeful that now as more friends my age are becoming empty nesters there may be some more socializing opportunities with them.  I have enjoyed a couple of fantastic dinners at friends houses this year and I hope there will be more of those opportunities.

I consider my dining out to be my hobby.  A rather expensive hobby, but something I enjoy and don’t really mind spending money on.  I also do enjoy cooking and do so 2-3 times a week, but being single it does sort of lead to lots of leftovers and it can get a little depressing to sit alone eating a meal that took an hour to prepare and clean up but only 10 minutes to consume.  When and if I find a partner, I’m sure my habits will change and I’ll eat at home more often.   

AMandM

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #24 on: August 27, 2022, 10:15:13 AM »
We have takeout or go to the local microbrewery once or twice a month on average, I'd say. It's always at the invitation of my father, who lives with us, and it happens when he thinks I've been working hard and need a break. Going out doesn't really save time, but it does save work, especially the work of cleaning up, so I appreciate it.

Dreamer40

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #25 on: August 27, 2022, 11:28:46 AM »
It really varies for me, but we probably get food outside outside the house at least once a weekend. Like pick up something while we’re out running errands across town or get takeout Thai food after a busy day when I don’t want to do anymore dishes. There is so much amazing restaurant and food truck food near me that’s it’s very tempting. I cook a lot and but there are certain things I don’t make like battered fish and chips, or really anything fried. We also have friends who own a bar so I’m always happy to eat their incredible food and support their business. It’s like a dive bar with a chef who worked in a Michelin restaurant. Smash burgers topped with deep fried kimchi! So so good. Only in Portland… :)

vand

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #26 on: August 27, 2022, 11:31:31 AM »
As often as I feel like doing

Saffron

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #27 on: August 27, 2022, 11:38:26 AM »
About once or twice a week. We have a midweek date night and then we'll usually go out once on the weekend. It's mostly about being social and getting the heck out of our apartment than anything.


use2betrix

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #28 on: August 27, 2022, 04:36:09 PM »
This year we have spent $7,632.65 on the category of restaurants. Also included is dessert dates. We like to splurge. I’m likely taking a major salary reduction soon for a major work life balance improvement. Restaurants will be one of the first expenses to cut down significantly.

It’s a lot, we really enjoy it and occasionally pay for big meals out with family and friends on special occasions. My parents are flying in to visit next week (they’re retired) and I’ll probably spend $400+ on restaurants, I also spent $500 on tickets for a MLB game while they’re here. They spent their life living very modestly to retire in their early 60’s, and were very supportive of my siblings and I despite their means. This year I’ll likely make around 3x-4x what they ever made.

Dicey

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #29 on: August 27, 2022, 11:39:52 PM »
I was feeling all proud of ourselves for how little we've eaten out or had take-out since the pandemic began. We've taken road trips and brought all the food we needed with us. (via RV, which is not actually saying much, I admit, but also week-long trips by car).

Today, we ate a late breakfast and headed out to a tile and countertop mecca about 45 miles from home. Didn't think to pack snacks. There were so many more tile stores since we were there last! At about 2:15, we still hadn't found what we were looking for. We looked at each other and said "We need food. Now!". There was a Subway nearby and two basic footlongs cost us $16.49, with no drinks or sides. Wowza!

We took our late lunch over to an empty parking lot full of big, shady trees and dined in peace in our vehicle. This cutie pie even stopped by to check on us. We waved and he went away.

2sk22

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #30 on: August 28, 2022, 04:34:16 AM »
We hardly ever eat out and on the rare occasions when we do, the prices come as a shock just as it did for @Dicey :-)

MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #31 on: August 28, 2022, 06:47:18 AM »
I was feeling all proud of ourselves for how little we've eaten out or had take-out since the pandemic began. We've taken road trips and brought all the food we needed with us. (via RV, which is not actually saying much, I admit, but also week-long trips by car).

Today, we ate a late breakfast and headed out to a tile and countertop mecca about 45 miles from home. Didn't think to pack snacks. There were so many more tile stores since we were there last! At about 2:15, we still hadn't found what we were looking for. We looked at each other and said "We need food. Now!". There was a Subway nearby and two basic footlongs cost us $16.49, with no drinks or sides. Wowza!

We took our late lunch over to an empty parking lot full of big, shady trees and dined in peace in our vehicle. This cutie pie even stopped by to check on us. We waved and he went away.

Subway is my teen's favorite place to eat, which I find puzzling. That said, if you think it will happen again, install the app. I regularly get a free 6" with a footlong, or BOGO50 the second foot long, get free drinks/chips, etc. Order via the app, and then just pick up in the store. It's pretty big cost savings. Again, Subway specific, but you can also buy their gift cards at a 20%+ savings, and then just upload them to the app. When you combine with an in app offer, you've saved even more. Subway is one of places we go in a pinch (similar situation to yours, but usually involves a soccer tournament or something) & I'm then ready with the app & less expensive options. Basically, plan ahead for the future time you'll need a quick meal option. :-)

StarBright

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #32 on: August 28, 2022, 08:25:41 AM »
Maybe once or twice a month I am just really tired or low on groceries or inspiration so we order food. It's been getting so expensive with fees and tips that it feels really wasteful but it is a way to get certain cuisines that we don't normally prepare at home. We'll also occasionally go out for dinner with friends, although I prefer going to each other's houses.

This is me too. Take out is when I just can't face the kitchen anymore. We are in gardening season right now so while I'd love to get take out, it feels like I'm wasting food if I do. We haven't ordered out since June 27 (I keep track of our meals on my google calendar). I am ready for not cooking!

We also do take and bake pizzas a couple of times a month - but that doesn't count to me since we buy them during our grocery trip. 

RWD

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #33 on: August 28, 2022, 08:41:06 AM »
I voted once or twice a month but when we're not traveling it's much less often and when we are it's more often. Looking through my accounting I don't think my wife and I have gone out to eat together in the city where we live so far this year. But on the other hand we were traveling (mostly work related) and staying with friends and ended up going out to eat (or ordered take-out) about 16 times in a three-week period. Fortunately my wife is being compensated for this particular travel which should cover all of that.

JupiterGreen

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #34 on: August 28, 2022, 10:24:38 AM »
It varies for us. We will go out to eat and even pay for other people's dinners if it is a social/personal connections because personally connections are gold. But if my partner and I are just being lazy usually we can talk ourselves into making something, so we don't end up relying on it too often. However, this varies widely in the year. If on vacation we do dine out a lot. When at home we could go months without. We prefer our cooking over the restaurants where we live so it's not too difficult. With that said, we don't deprive ourselves since that's not the point of life. :)

Sibley

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #35 on: August 28, 2022, 11:06:01 AM »
I don't like to eat out. So its rare.

onecoolcat

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #36 on: August 28, 2022, 11:57:27 AM »
Up until about 6 months ago I used to eat fast food a couple times a week after work.  When I started working from home about 6 months ago I completely stopped eating out and I now cook more at home.  I guess McDonald's was not worth a special trip out but a stop to the grocery store is.

Lordy

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #37 on: August 28, 2022, 01:30:29 PM »
I take out lunch a lot. There are a bunch of restaurants in my neigbourhood (Italian, Turkish, etc.).

It's quite cheap (less than $10 per meal) and given that I am in a single household, I don't feel bad about it.

However, I rarely ever have food delivered (so far, none this year), I make sure to put on my shoes and take a walk when picking up food.

Cranky

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #38 on: August 28, 2022, 04:30:33 PM »
We out if we travel, but otherwise 6 times a year - we get takeout for birthdays.

I am not all that crazy about restaurant food.

lifeisshort123

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #39 on: August 28, 2022, 05:25:47 PM »
We out if we travel, but otherwise 6 times a year - we get takeout for birthdays.

I am not all that crazy about restaurant food.

I used to really enjoy it.  It made me feel “special” to go out to eat.  We rarely did growing up, and even more scarcely to nice places.  That probably was a part of why I enjoyed it so much.

As I have gotten older, I have much less enjoyment eating out - they add sugar on everything, the food is overpriced, not healthy, the portions are either way too small, or more commonly absurdly large.  I find I prefer eating food at home - it tastes more like “food” to me…

Money Saver 1

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #40 on: August 29, 2022, 02:45:24 AM »
Once or twice a month.  I would love to eat out more but I cant trust having someone else prepare my food. 

pasadenafr

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #41 on: August 29, 2022, 03:13:33 AM »
Once every couple of months, maybe? None of the options really fit for me, so I said once or twice a year. It's more than that, but definitely not once or twice a month.

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #42 on: August 29, 2022, 04:21:35 AM »
Once every couple of months, maybe? None of the options really fit for me, so I said once or twice a year. It's more than that, but definitely not once or twice a month.

Same.  I budget $15 out of every paycheck, so that works out to approximately $30/month.  But for three people, dinner out at any of our favorite places is closer to $50 or $60, so we really eat out like every other month (not counting the fast food that comes out of my husband's spend-however-you-like money). 

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #43 on: August 29, 2022, 05:39:59 AM »

...more commonly absurdly large...


Isn't that weird? I guess the 'regulars' must make a fuss about it or something. We often eat breakfast at the same sit down place while on vacation and try to remember to say something like "about half the home fries planned please." Hate to see food wasted (and don't plan to have it waisted..).

mizzourah2006

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #44 on: August 29, 2022, 08:26:00 AM »
We typically do takeout or go eat out as a family on either Friday evening or Saturday evening.

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #45 on: August 29, 2022, 10:03:45 AM »
Probably twice a week, but usually only $10-$25 a pop 90% of the time (just the two of us).

soulpatchmike

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #46 on: August 29, 2022, 10:15:02 AM »
We eat out every Sunday at Potbelly for about the last 23 years.  Could have bought a Tesla for what we have given Potbelly over the years.  Total stupid money.

We eat out every other Saturday at Chick-fil-a on the way home from our bi-weekly Costco run.  Also stupid money.

We eat out once or twice a month at a restaurant(most often sushi) with friends at ~$100 per visit.

These are the only consistent ones, there are likely many others throughout the month that just happen.

Our eating out is just plain stupid money, we spend at least as much eating out each month as we spend on groceries.  Haven't been able to get away from it as it has been ingrained in our life throughout our child-raising years.

TBH it has not and will not negatively affect our current 2029 RE plan when our youngest graduates high school.  Just going to let the plan run its course and still end up with the W in the end...

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #47 on: August 31, 2022, 12:57:37 PM »
We out if we travel, but otherwise 6 times a year - we get takeout for birthdays.

I am not all that crazy about restaurant food.

I used to really enjoy it.  It made me feel “special” to go out to eat.  We rarely did growing up, and even more scarcely to nice places.  That probably was a part of why I enjoyed it so much.

As I have gotten older, I have much less enjoyment eating out - they add sugar on everything, the food is overpriced, not healthy, the portions are either way too small, or more commonly absurdly large.  I find I prefer eating food at home - it tastes more like “food” to me…

I've had some really nice dinners out over the years, but it's mostly about being there with fun friends. Really decent restaurant food costs about the same as a week's groceries, and that's just not an experience that is worth it to me. Fast food and pizza, I really don't see the point.

PMJL34

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #48 on: August 31, 2022, 08:02:38 PM »
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).

 

Abe

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Re: How often to do your dine out or order take out?
« Reply #49 on: August 31, 2022, 09:50:17 PM »
We used to eat out a lot, because both of us were working 80-90 hour weeks. Now our schedules are lighter, and with a kid it’s not any fun being in a restaurant. We get takeout now. Because of work I usually don’t get to eat lunch, and I’m not a big breakfast person. My wife does most of the choosing and our takeout frequency depends on her interest. Restaurants are much more now than I remember! And greasier!

 

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