Restaurants and recession

We haven't completely stopped eating out, but I've been cooking meals far more often at home and keeping track, closely, of our restaurant meals.  I'm allowing our family 2-3 sit-down meals per month and four fast food meals per month.  Previously, we would spend at least $300/month eating out.  I can use that money far more wisely, but there are still times when we are out and about and the kids get hungry, or it's mealtime and we're far from home.  My husband and I are ordering less expensive items and being content with a bowl of soup or an appetizer we share.  It there's an upside to the slow-down in the restauraunt business, it's that we NEVER have a wait, no matter where or when we eat out.

Of course, who would go out if money if tight,

You can make dinner for 2 for under $5, we can have tri tip, potato and a very good salad.

You betcha  we have pretty much stopped eating in restaurants...with the price of utilites going up, taxes (state & local) going up, groceries gone up and income going down (recession?? how 'bout depression??), if there isn't a decent discount coupon attached to the meal, we don't go out....

Yes - sorry all you restaurant owners out there !

Yes, we previously ate out one or two times a week.  Now we eat out maybe once or twice a month.  Even to go out for a burger add fries and a drink your close to $10.  Then you have the tip.  So for a couple to spend $20 to eat burgers; it is much cheaper to go to the grocery store and buy a pound of ground sirloin at $4 a pound a package of buns for a $1 a couple of potatos for a $1, do for about $6 I can save $14!

Not completely, I have cut back about %50 

I eat out almost every night. Beats cooking at home. Red lobster last night wow what a meal that feast is it was well worth the 26 dollars

Yes.  we (husband and I) used to eat out about 4 times a week but we haven't eaten out in over 2 months and I've found that we save at least $200 a month.  I've noticed that when I do go into a restaurant that used to be packed, it's now pretty empty. Restaurant owners are complaining about the loss of customers because of the economy.  Well we the consumers are in the same boat so maybe if they lowered their prices, more people would go out to eat.  We now go to Chili's occasionally and will share an entree, maybe ordering something extra on the side.  It's plenty of food and cuts the cost in half.  Applebees has some good deals too for $5 or under.  We do the same thing there, ordering one entree and a couple of sides.  Plenty of food and more food than most people need these days with everybody's waistlines expanding, lol.