It’s not a secret that I view most dining out as a complete waste of money. It’s not that I’m totally against eating at a restaurant, sometimes the ebb and flow of life is made easier by having someone else cook for you. Other times it’s done as a celebration of a special event. But many times it’s done out of poor meal planning, or laziness. On top of that, people pay astronomical prices for things they could easily make at home cheaper, faster, and better.
Here’s a list of things that when ordered are like nails on a chalk board to me:
- Macaroni and Cheese : Seriously, its pasta and cheese. I could make mac and cheese at home faster than it takes a family to load into their vehicle and drive to a restaurant. I’m not talking about the box with powdered cheese variety either, I make it with real melted cheeses, milk, and butter.
- Chicken Strips: We always have chicken strips and fries in our freezer. Always. For the price of a single chicken strip basket at a restaurant I could buy a family sized bag of strips and fries and make them for the whole family.
- Spaghetti : The common varieties of pasta with sauce are one of the least expensive food types on planet earth. Yet, people go to places like Olive Garden and pay $15 for a plate of Spaghetti. Now, if we’re talking about some sort of specialty sauce, I’m willing to give it a pass.
- Hamburgers : When I see someone order a hamburger at a restaurant, I have visions of someone in the back smashing the patty has hard as they can, squeezing the juices out, trying to get it to cook faster. I can get a better sear, add my own seasonings, and have an actual juicy burger (not a piece of shoe leather) on a toasted bun at home thank you very much.
- Steak : I can’t remember the last time I ordered a steak at a restaurant. If it’s a high end steak house with actual trained chefs, I’m all in. Otherwise, I’m fairly certain the person behind the grill at the local chain restaurant location is NOT going to be giving my steak the love and nurturing it needs to be the great piece of meat a steak is destined to be.
You may be looking at this list of items and realizing these are some of the most commonly ordered foods when families go to restaurants, and you would be correct. They can all be made more easily, cheaper and faster at home. Now you know why I think eating out is mostly a complete waste of money.
I have to agree, especially with the pasta one! I was at a restaurant last night, and I ordered a pasta dish that sounded delicious described in the menu. It turned out to be spaghetti with tomato based sauce and a few olives thrown in. A waste of money and calories!!
I must respectfully and totally disagree with you on this. First off, when we go out to eat it is an opportunity to get together with extended family. Usually we go to a local restaurant, not a chain. We never eat steak, hamburgers or mac-n-cheese at home. We eat a lot healthier than that at home, a lot of veggies, chicken, fish, soup and salad. It is a special occasion to go out and we do it maybe once a month. We are older and no children so we can afford a splurge now and then.