Our favorite place closed down recently. Had our first date there, normally went there on our anniversary. The owners said on FB they weren't really intending to retire yet but the combination of working long hours with a skeleton crew for a couple of years and the continuing rent increases made it impossible for them to continue.

I’m not buying those numbers as accurate.

He also once said his A/C bill was $600/month and had no idea why... just throwing shit against a wall to look reeruned on the internet.

Granted, that does seem low, even though I'm sure a whole lot of people eat the cheapest food available.

Yep, in addition to losing a couple of fast food places, pretty much all of our family-owned restaurants are either on drastically reduced hours, have switched to take-out only, or just shut down completely. The only niche that seems to be immune is Mexican food. Without making it political, let's just say they have plenty of help.

We can afford to eat out, but it has become the principal of it at this point. I'm not paying $70 for the wife and I to go to a restaurant just to eat food I can make at home. I started shopping at AlDI more and it's amazing how much less expensive that place is. Plus, I really enjoy cooking so it hasn't been a sacrifice at all.

BTW, if you don't mind the knife work, bone in, skin on, chicken breast can still be found for around $1.50/lb and leg quarters are even less. We purchased half a side of beef and it ended up being less than $4 a pound when it was all said and done. Shop smart and cook at home and you can eat for pre 2020 costs

Last time i had BK it was 16 dollars for my "value" meal, normally when I eat fast food I combine it with two meals usually lunch and dinner, I guess when you look at it like that it isn't too bad. But still....

I try to skip drinking the soda so even 3 McDoubles and a medium fries is like $13. The price is way up and the quality of the food is garbage. When I was in my 20s that was my go to meal and iirc it was under $7.

Nothing worse than seeing your town's dining options reduced to a bunch of shite mexican places.

We run the gamut here. The closest town to us is about population 15K. They have as many Mexican restaurants as fast food places combined.

A couple of them are pretty good and a couple of them are trash. The rest are just blah.

In the same boat - totally agree.

Soda is what usually drives up the prices. You can save a good amount by just ordering water at many places.

Fast food is still relatively cheap, though prices have increased of course.

I used the first source. Looking at some others, it was a little low. But not much. Even for a liberal meal plan, 1 middle aged male averages ~$450/month. Here's straight from the USDA:

https://i.imgur.com/wpttyeN.jpg

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/...2LowModLib.pdf

Not sure how. I don't even really eat at nice places outside of Friday or Saturday Night.

Mon breakfast: Clio Yogurt Bar $2, Perfect Protein Bar $3, Red Bull $3
Mon lunch: Chipotle Burrito with extra steak & chips $17
Mon dinner: Twisted Fresh Southwest Chicken Sandwich & chips $18
Mon late: C4 Energy Drink $2, Cashews $0.50, Yogurt $1.25

Tues breakfast: Toaster Strudel $2, Perfect Protein Bar $3, Red Bull $3
Tues lunch: Panda Express Plate $13
Tues dinner: Hawiaan Bros w/ Pineapple $16
Tues late: CFA Chicken Sandwich and Fries $13, Alani Energy Drink $2.50, Robert Irvine Protein Bar $2

Wed breakfast: Perfect Protein Bar $3, Half a thing of blueberries $3, Red Bull $3
Wed Lunch: Pegahs via Door Dash $27
Wed Dinner: KMachos Mexican Fajita $20
Wed late: C4 Energy drink $2, Cashews $0.50, Beef Jerky $2, Clio Yogurt Bar $2

Thurs breakfast: QuickTrip Donut holes $4, Red Bull $3, Half a pkg of blackberries $3
Thurs lunch: Chipotle burrito bowl with extra steak via Door Dash $30
Thurs dinner: Johnnys Tavern Stir Fry $20
Thurs late: Alani Energy Drink $2.50, Perfect Protein Bar $3

Fri breakfast: Ihop eggs, bacon, waffle via Door Dash $25, Red Bull $3
Fri lunch: Five guys burger and fries $15
Fri dinner: Stockhill Ribeye & glass of wine $80
Fri late: Crumbl Cookies $12, Red Bull $3

Sat breakfast: Perfect bar $3, Red Bull $3, Toaster Strudel $2
Sat lunch: California Pizza Kitchen pizza from Target $10
Sat Dinner: Joes KC Rib Dinner $22
Sat late: Taco Bell Chalupas $13

Sun breakfast: First Watch $20, Red Bull $3
Sun lunch: Chipotle burruto bowl with extra steak via door dash $30
Sun dinner: Street Tacos and rice. $16
Sun late: C4 Energy drink $2.50, KFC Chicken Sandwich $8

Shit I guess it is more than I thought. Thats like $600 a week so $2400 a month. Not sure how you guys with a bunch of mini mes running around can afford it.

I don't drink pop so I always order water or nothing at all (not supposed to drink with my meals after I had stomach surgery). At a fast food restaurant, that's about 2 bucks off an $8-10 meal. At a sit down restaurant, it could be as much as $6.

The Mexican place near my office downtown still has under 10 dollar lunches with 3 dollar margaritas.

Always full.