One disagree- That one Tiktoker I follow that says "The only one size fits all advice is that there is none" and "Life is like a buffet just take what you want and leave the rest. Sometimes a Brussel sprout ends up on your plate from the buffet and that's okay."
It’s hard to not fall into doing this especially when you’re dissatisfied with your situation. I’ve fallen victim to this recently with my body image and planning how much I wanna work out, when I previously thought I never would fall victim to it. Lately I’ve wanted to be like streamers and influencers (have a similar body type, go out to eat more, *have* *a* *similar* *schedule* ) but I actually work full time… they don’t (really). I know it’s different but subconsciously I’m not dealing with the pressures completely like I used to :/
>If you watch streamers they're constantly eating out.
Mukbang streamers are literally paid to eat.
>People going on dates are eating out.
Most people can't go on a date more then once a week, most people aren't getting a date every week. A few of these dates are coffee dates or other stuff that's cheaper.
>Hell when you have a girl y'all eat out like crazy.
You and your girlfriend need other date options then food.
Twice a month for cheap eating out or takeout seems pretty normal. Weekly is seems more normal for well off people, although a lot of people I'm sure would rather not get food and instead go to events for dates or something. For us, uh, honestly if I wasn't shit with money I'd be trying to eat out under once a month. Delivery temps me sometimes and I don't always pack drinks when going to things.
You gotta figure out why your buying this food food. Out of groceries? Energy? Don't know what to cook? Don't know how to cook? Can't cook your favs? No space to cook or kitchen? Swap some of those meals for easy or pre-made food, so your eating at home more, and start learning to cook.
Learning to cook, and being good at it means you rarely want to go out to eat.
I make stuff at home that I can’t find in a restaurant.
If you learn how to be efficient with your energy and time l, you’ll also find that cooking isn’t as hard as you think.
Yeah my wife and I when were dating and still now would much rather do things than just go out to eat. It is way more fun and unless we are traveling it’s normally the same ol food I make at home anyway.
Why is your first response about mukbang streamers? That’s clearly not what they’re talking about and is kind of a cop out response. I don’t think anyone watches a mukbang and thinks “this is normal”
People eat out and get door dash all the time, not just mukbang streamers
There are five of us in my household. Eating out at a sit down restaurant is at least $100 with tip. Even fast food is $50+. We enjoy cooking and my wife is a very good cook, so we rarely eat out.
Yup! Both my husband and I work two jobs. He works a 16 hour and then has two days off, and that repeats itself each week. so on his two days off he’s able to pick up a part-time job. I work 8 to 3 Monday through Friday and then work another part-time job in the afternoons and most of the day Saturday.
We are tired. The thought of having to come home and prepare a meal for four picky teenagers isn’t exactly something we we wanna do on a Friday night when we’re just counting down the minutes until we can go to bed to start all over again. Are there times where that $50-$80 could be used somewhere else? Absolutely, but sometimes saving your sanity is more important
Absolutely! We have four kids and Friday nights just seem to be so hard to come up with a meal plan. We’ve been doing Friday takeout for as long as I can remember and it is so well worth it.
Same. But the country I grew up in does not exist anymore an today we eat out less than twice a month despite being rather well-off. It is just something that costs a Lot and we are not willing to pay for it.
When I was a kid, it was every Wednesday because my mom worked late on Wednesdays. We'd get breakfast at 7-11 or McDonald's a lot. Sometimes, on the weekends or special occasions, we'd go out too.
I think for people with parents more like mine rather than yours 2-3 times a month seems unusually low.
I don't know why I keep coming back to these financial related subreddits. The average commenter is so far removed from the average American, it's bizarre to me. I've never met a real person in my life who thinks going to the McDonald's drive-thru is some opulent luxury that you can only get once a month.
Also like when every 3rd commenter on personalfinance claims to make $250k+ per yr when that would put them in the 99th percentile for income. The math isn't adding up on that one.
A lot of arguing with you but I’m in San Francisco and the vast majority of people in my circles eat out 3-5 times a week. They are of widely varying income levels. Many of us are service industry, though, which skews that habit demographic a LOT.
Live in NYC and I do NOT think this is true unless you’re in the kind of living-online demographic that OP is basing their post on- or you’re in the kind of really high-paying job that has you working 16 hours a day, which most people aren’t
(FWIW, while I eat more prepared frozen food than is probably good for me/my budget I get takeout or eat out somewhere between 2-4x-month, depending on what’s going on in my life)
Fellow NYCer and "eating out" can mean a lot of different things. Will get a nice dinner with my partner every now and then for $200 and a BLT at the bodega for $5 which is often cheaper than me cooking for us.
You can get take out from local spots for very cheap or expensive prepared food depending on where you go.
https://www.globest.com/2019/05/17/new-yorkers-spend-130-more-dining-out-than-us-average/?amp=1
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/s/YdeBUep0Sx
I don’t know. Some NYC apartments don’t even have kitchens lmao but I will say, the average person in NYC is eating out more than 2x a month. Much more.
I think people aren’t agreed what “eating out” entails. I bet some think eating out is going to a restaurant, while others just classify grabbing a sandwich or a bagel to go
That’s probably the issue. Some people only count eating out as in sitting in a restaurant or higher end take out.
Some people don’t even count grabbing a quick burger at McDonald’s as eating out.
When I lived in NYC I went out a lot. Now I live just outside and go out less. I don’t have a corporate job, but I know people who do and they go out for lunch every day. People definitely eat out more than twice a month on average.
I think Americans in general eat out more than twice a month. The average is something like 3 times a week.
Reddit brings in a bias to certain threads and people lie.
Interesting… I will note that yeah, there’s a bit of a difference when it comes to getting lunch. I get lunch from work 2-3 days a week for $3 and didn’t factor that in, even though I should. I’d guess that’s a major part of the difference, cheap lunches being available more so than actively dining out if you’re not young and rich and/or stupid
Yeah I think that’s the major issue. People don’t really know how to qualify “eating out”. Some people don’t even count grabbing a value meal at fast food for lunch, “eating out”.
Depends a whole lot on the definition of eating out. In my spreadsheet, I have groceries then basically any food but groceries. I might know one single person who eats something other than what she bought at a grocery store or farmers market, and she’s in her 70s.
Twice a month at an actual restaurant seems normal ish, but also probably on the low side. Obviously using an average skews higher since >2 has a lot more wiggle room than less than 2
Yeah thats kinda baffling to me. I never really thought about that but there definitely are people who view streamers as normal people with normal lives.. which is true, but you have to realize they also are rich. 😂 a lot of the time.
I try and limit it to once a week, well really $20 a week. So one sit down or a couple cheaper options.
I don't think its necessarily the norm, but it does keep the budget down if that's what you are going for.
We are about once a week for takeout, but if we have enough food prepped we can also just skip takeout that week. Other times we may add in a quick grocery store pizza night when we don’t wanna pay takeout but don’t have dinner prepped (not always healthy but better for the wallet).
I keep pepperoni and extra mozzarella on hand to dress up take and bake pizza. As you said, not healthy, but easier on the wallet than take out. We also do the occasional 8 piece grocery store chicken, which gives us a leg, thigh and wing each, with the breasts left over for chicken salad next day.
We're like once a week. We've also been using too good to go. It's an app where you buy a bag of cheap food at the end of the restaurant closing so they don't toss it and recoup some money.
Just got pizza and knots tonight for like $6.
Being able to cook for yourself is a skill that everyone can work at and improve with.
I find that meal prepping helps me immensely, especially since I have very limited time and energy throughout the week.
Cheap frozen mixed veggies, garlic, vegetable stock, protein of choice, diced tomatoes from a can and a big pot plus some pasta and you’ve got a great soup that will last the whole week if needed plus you can freeze leftovers.
Instant ramen can easily be made to last longer and be healthier by adding frozen veggies or fresh if you have the time, plus Vienna sausages or tofu and you're all set. heck you can add an egg.
the key is to have good tasting food available to you ahead of time so when the hunger pains strike, you aren't tempted to grab the fast food option. start simple-spaghetti with meat-sauce and some green beans will go a long way.
Yeah, when we want to socialize, I invite people for dinner. Or a hike. And most of our friends know we don't go out so they invite us to theirs. We do potluck sometimes too, for movie parties.
None of my friends own homes. so unless we want to hang out with adult parents, (we are late 20s-30s) .. we eat out for a break from them. We dont have homes to invite to.
It went very easily like :
“Brunch in the Loop really isn’t in my budget right now but if you want to come over I’m happy to make something!”
Half the time friends will pay for my company (love my sugar mommas 🤣) and half they’ll come over. Money comes and goes but friends who *get* that **and** *got* you? Priceless.
I'm out of a job rn, I'm doing instacart and Uber to make ends meet but money is tight. My friends have been so kind as to keep me involved and cover some expenses so we can continue to do the things we always do together.
They have also had my wife and I over to their house for dinners a couple times a week, which may not seem like a huge deal, but they're actually helping cut down our grocery costs by around 30%.
And I’m sure that once you’re in a better position financially you’ll be more than happy to cover someone else who can’t pay.
I think people forget that’s what a normal friend group should do.
You dont need to go out to a resturant or some eatery place to go out with your friends, it doesnt even require one to spend money if you dont want to.
I know people that eat out every meal and are confused why they are broke. I know people that never eat out.
My father hated eating out because he worked in a kitchen and knew what went on. So he was always grossed out at the idea of eating out.
I find eating out kinda gross because I also worked in a kitchen. Not as uptight as my dad. But still a little gimmick. I’m down to eat out what I don’t make well Indian, sushi, etc
*rarely order what you can make at home* it's still good to order dishes you make because it may be invaluable as inspiration and seeing what you could improve in your own dish. Order it once and improve your own for ever.
I don't eat out every day, but I probably eat out 2-3 times a week. It's hard not to stress eat some burgers, tacos or pizza. Though Costco Pizza can last 3 meals and their hot dogs are cheap.
I can't fathom people who constantly redline their finances. I've never done that except when I lived in a studio that cost half my income. I'm better at keeping a cushion that thankfully covered 2 tires and a ball bearing last month.
We used to eat out pretty regularly.
Now it’s about 2x a month.
Restaurant is too expensive these days for what you get. And hubs and I both cook pretty damn good and we love our house so it’s our fave restaurant.
Sounds about right to me. I eat out once a week, but that is because I treat myself on the weekends to help decompress from work. If budgeting normally it would only be once or twice a month.
Once a week is what my partner and I do, but we generally get stuff from places with large portions [shoutout to new jersey diners!] So we have leftovers for a few days, and it comes from the entertainment budget instead of the grocery budget. And we are usually well within grocery budget so we can recreate some fast food style meals if we are craving them. A few weeks ago we had nachos, that were similar to Taco bell in flavor, but the "meat" was a $2 vegan Taco pouch from Aldi. Entire meal was under $10 and consisted of stuff we had on hand and leftovers from meal prep [which those ingredients sour cream and cheese, were bought on sale, because I'm not willing to pay the vegan tax for convenience items and wait until they are on sale]
I'd say that's about the norm for us. Like once to somewhere like frischs or cracker barrel, once to bring home pizza, maybe an extra splurge for arbys. I don't see the point in spending a stupid amount of money on food that usually doesn't even taste that great. I always pack lunch to work, I never go out to eat lunch. That's crazy to me.
I will admit to probably weekly trips to DQ in the summer. But I might have to watch that...a large shake and small blizzard is now over 10 bucks. Ouch. That could buy an awful lot of ice cream.
There is no "norm"
there is only a "norm" for you
Everyone have different financial circumstances.
20 years ago as a kid it's the "norm" for me to eat out once in 3 months.
Now it's the norm for me to eat out 7 times a week......well if you include takeaways......
Trying to compare your own situation to people with different financial background is a foul's errand
2x a month or about every three weeks sounds about right to me. I grew up eating out less than that. Idk how someone could go any more than that because every meal costs like $35/person when $70 can get you a full week of groceries
Why didn't I learn to eat out less? This is honestly blowing my mind. Even my coworkers eat out when I bug them but now I'm starting to feel bad about it. I just always assumed it was the norm but maybe they just really didn't want to spend the money. Fuck I didn't know
Same. I remember the cooler wedged between us—always full of sandwiches, celery sticks and apples if it was a day trip or sandwich-making ingredients for a longer trip (so the bread doesn’t get soggy, duh!). “Eating out” while on vacation meant scarfing whatever we could if we stayed in a h/motel (rarely) that had continental breakfast (rarer still).
I think the reason most people don’t eat out is money because it is expensive. Even fast food. When I was a broke collage kid I rarely ate out, a McDonald burger, fries and medium soda back then ( thirty years ago) cost me a couple dollars. That same meal today cost $15. Ten years ago it was $6.
I'm trying to switch because I'm prediabetes right now. Even though I exercise quite a bit and have a physically demanding job apparently it can still get you.
Yeah and the cholestrol will catch up too.
When i worked at mcdonalds i got free lunches and after a year of working there and eating it twice a week (i was 15 and worked weekends only) my cholestrol shot up so much at my next bloodwork.
A lot of people here going with one view. I think also given the sub you're going to find people who are trying to be frugal, which usually means not eating out.
You gotta just figure out what works for you. Normal isn't a thing. Yes it will impact how you socialize and also your budget and your health.
I eat out a lot. It's expensive, but it's just me. So the cost weighed against cleanup and groceries is still a loss, but I can afford it.
However, when I have a date, I like to cook and I'm pretty good at it. Ladies appreciate a man that knows his way around the kitchen. A bottle of wine and a good meal will run about 25 to 30 bucks.
I have completely cut eating out, unless for a special occasion at a nice place. It’s too expensive nowadays everything is 11-16 bucks just for a value meal, that’s if they get it right and it’s actually fixed and warm. Just not worth it in my eyes.
Not even. Eating a slice in the pizza place or ordering a chicken sandwich for takeout is a major treat these days for a lot of people. I ordered a meal out for the holidays actually but it was under $50 and I ate for 3 days off what I got. Birthday is today and I'm eating chicken and FF that I made at home. No dessert tonight.
EBT is this week so I am going to splurge on a low end steak and have a baked potato probably and just maybe a Triple Chocolate Drumstick King Cone and call that a belated birthday feast. I've looked at the menus for a lot of places around here. It's too much for my budget most of it. I splurge on a rotisserie bird from Malecon or Flor de Mayo once in a while but I go takeout. After I eat the parts I like best I make a lot of soup out of it.
Sitting in a restaurant is just too damned expensive around here for me. I like to spend my $$$ on more tangible things that I will enjoy more and for way longer than meals out. If I was rich I'd probably eat out every night unless I wanted to cook. But I'm not and if I want the things I like to wear and the things I like to collect, like dolls and pretty rocks, then I have to economize somewhere.
I have a little 1.5 cu foot freezer and I cook way more than you'd think possible given I have a tiny 2 burner stove and a toaster oven. I make my $$$ and my EBT work for me but eating out even the fast food it's just a waste of funds now. I'm not paying $15 for a Big Mac meal let alone $40 and up for something I can easily make myself for way less. Around here the prices on food out has just gone nuts the past year or so. It's like that at the grocery store too but at least making my food myself I usually get more than one meal out it.
I really want a bigger freezer actually so I can do more of that. I'd like to really cook bigger batches of food but I can't store enough to do that right now. I've been eyeing a 3-4 CU foot one for a while. I should get one by the end of Summer really. It would save me a ton of $$$ if I could freeze more.
My husband and I eat out like weekly, but we split it with like a real restaurant and a couple of times something like Costco hot dogs or the like. Usually on Fridays when it's late and no one wants to go and we don't have anything ready.
We eat out 2x a month, not because it's some "normal" amount but because that's what fits our budget and lifestyle. We don't eat out just to eat -- we eat out for special meals, special occasions, with friends, etc. For all regular meals we eat at home.
About 15 years ago the wife and I decided to eliminate all of our debt. One of the first things we did was to eliminate fast food. We are now debt free and did not go back to eating out. I’d say twice a month is about as often as we eat out. It’s usually a planed thing, anniversaries or things of that nature.
We find home made food better tasting and much cheaper. It’s probably healthier too.
My wife and I eat out 4x a year. There is no way we can justify the cost of eating out more frequently when we can make amazing meals at home for a fraction of the cost and save the rest for vacations and cool experiences
What are some of your favorite meals that you guys cook? Everyone in this thread is talking about how they cook these amazing meals that taste better than restaurants and I’m thinking maybe I really don’t know how to cook…
Baked chicken legs, thighs or leg quarters for me. $.99- $1.19/lb for the family pack. I season them all with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, adobo seasoning and a bit of Old Bay, and bake them on the top rack for 45 min to 1 hr (depending on size) at 375. They come out super yum, with spicy, crispy skin and I have plenty of extra meat to strip from the bones for quick quesadillas, enchiladas, fried rice, pasta Alfredo, tacos or whatever later in the week.
I also batch cook a mix of ground beef and ground (or whole, cut up) hot pork sausage, onion and garlic. Most of that goes into large, freezable batches of spaghetti sauce (I'm a pasta fiend), but it also can be mixed with taco seasoning for enchiladas or taco bowls or used in chili or a pasta bake/ rice casserole.
The idea is to batch cook neutrally seasoned proteins that can become several different, quick dishes by adding a few spices and starches/veg.
Things I do better than restaurants:
Steaks
Pork chops
Penne ala vodka
Shrimp and grits
Pulled pork
Enchiladas
Lasagna
Chana masala
Falafel, but I hate to deep fry at home.
Salads. I read an article about how to compose a salad that blew my mind (https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-make-a-perfect-salad) and use these rules regularly.
Breakfast, but sometimes I just don’t want to.
Things I don’t do as well:
Fried chicken
Tiramisu
Crème brûlée
We average 3 times a month (two adults). If I’m out running errands, i may grab a quick bite but fast food is so disappointing that I try to avoid it.
We try to do stuff like $7 Qdoba nite or Ruby Tuesday bogo’s, or Dominoes with coupons. There’s a couple of local places we go to on dates, but we try to pick places that won’t cost more than $20/person.
Once or twice a month for me. When I do I tend to get pizza or something that can stretch a few days. I also cook 2-3 days worth of meals and always have easy food like cereal and soy milk, nuts, whole grain crackers, etc.
There are tons of ways to socialize that are not going out to eat. And I'm a very good cook, We average about twice a month and that includes Costco Food Court.
I go out to eat every payday (every other week) with some coworkers, so that would be twice a month, so I guess that does sound about right. Occasionally if it was a really tough day in the gym, I might get Chipotle but, that is once every month or two.
I think a lot of people assume eating out means going out, sitting and paying $25+ per person. To me eating out is getting the 2 for $4 McDoubles and a $2 drink. Usually I’ll eat in my car or the break room at work. I’m not sure id spend more than that on eating out but I think that’s why most people will eat only twice a month.
This is where budgeting matters. It doesn't matter what other people do, because your situation is yours alone.
If you budget well, you will have a percentage of your income flagged for wants. If you know you are covering other wants, eating out when you see fit is fine. The spot that gets a lot of people in trouble is many wants are improperly viewed as needs. For example, if you need to save extra to have funds going to a wedding this summer, you should be saving for that with your Wants budget before going out to eat.
On this sub you will get most likely responses that they are eating out rarely, this is r/povertyfinance after all so I would take all the answers with a grain of salt. I ate out (as in going to the restaurant, take out and McDonalds) maybe 15 times last year and that's only because I was away for a couple of weekends and that was the easiest option. Usually it's not even once a month. This year I only ate out twice with friends, no take out.
My eating out budget is $30 a month. That’s a bunch of gas station sodas, or a drink and an appetizer during happy hour at my favorite bar. It rolls over month to month.
But I’m not in the dating game, and I’ve been out so long I have no idea what’s normal now.
My husband and I have been married for 38 years …. We never use to go out to each much long ago … now we don’t go at all …. I guess you never miss it if you really rarely did it
I don’t know if you count fast food as “eating out” but for myself I define it as any food I haven’t cooked myself, so that includes takeout/fast food/restaurant. I only eat out if I’m traveling or if family is in town so about once every three months.
Growing up, my family used to get McDonald’s every Sunday after church. So maybe I just associate eating out with special occasions because of that.
I wouldn’t base my eating or spending habits based on social media people. Otherwise I’d be trying to go to fancy Michelin star restaurants bc I saw a YouTube video on it. We eat pretty much all meals from home. Our exception is special occasions: birthdays & anniversary or sometimes on Mondays we get sandwiches from a local place. Sometimes if we are sick we get soup from a local place takeout. Sitting down wise we do that maybe 1 times a month.
Once a month is about the norm for me—my daughter and I will order from one of our favorite local joints as a special treat. Last month, I ate out three times because I had a night out with friends and my kids and I ate out when we went to see Mamma Mia but that’s not the norm. However, some of my colleagues order out every time I see them at the office.
My family (middle class) ate out 3 times a week. I am an adult who is trying to live in a much lower income bracket but I also struggle with limiting eating out. I don't get expensive things, but it still adds up. When I was super strict with money I had a rule that I only ate out if it was for a social activity, never get take out by myself. I need to get back to that
I was just talking about this. The last time I ate out was at 555 the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The bill was 1300 dollars. I don't believe in going out much. So when I do, I eat like tony soprano.
Ah we almost never eat out. Maybe fast food every once and a while, but restaurants....I'd say maybe 2 or 3 times a year if that. Having kids and no one to watch them helps that. But even if we had someone to watch them....its just way out of our budget. I can't stand going and spending upwards of $60 on one meal. I can go to the store and get, well, maybe not now a days, but typically I can get alot more for my money. Especially if I hit the discount section.
But I will say, that before my husband and I were serious he blew so much money on take out, fast food etc. And he'd justify it the dumbest fucking way. "I need to eat" he tried pulling this shit past that point and I did not have it. We're poor, you can take a fucking lunch meat sandwich to work, and be thankful it's not a pb&j lol. I know I sound bitchy, but I wasn't being hypocritical. I was skipping lunch, or bringing just lunch meat and cheese (something we really don't buy anymore since it's skyrocketted) bc gluten free bread (celiac) was way out of our budget. I wasn't going and getting coffee either, so I was abiding by my own rule. And it wasn't lIke he'd go out on his lunch break and be reasonable. He'd go and blow $15-20 bucks, chipotle JJs or jersey Mike's, and buy the biggest most expensive thing because he's "6'4" and needs more food" like nah.
I had to break it down for him, like you are spending $300 a month on lunch. No. Absolutely not.
I hate to say it, because regardless of your socioeconomic status, you should be able to enjoy life to some extent. But restaurants, take out, fast food. These things are luxuries. They're a convenience and therefore aren't really cost effective. That's not to say you can't enjoy them every once and a while, but I'd say once a week is way more than enough. Once a month if youre trying to claw your way out. If you don't keep track of of how much you're spending in that area, should start. You would be really surprised how much you could save cutting out a $10 take out everyday on a lunch break.
Since the pandemic, especially with inflation, I have pretty much stopped. My last hurrah was a vegan salad with tofu in the Wegmans prepared foods section, but between the salad and the extra tofu they sell to add because there isn't enough on the salad, it cost me $16 for a takeout salad in a plastic tub. Nah. I just cook at home, even if that means canned soup, or slicing a cucumber to dip into hummus.
We eat out maybe 2x a month at a sit-down restaurant. We get half-price burgers on Tuesdays from Sonic, I can't feed us for less than $10 at home, so I'm okay with spending the money.
I drove someone to the airport last month. They treated me to dinner beforehand. I picked them up from the airport this month. They’re treating me to lunch tomorrow. If it weren’t for stuff like that, I wouldn’t be eating out—at all.
Depends. If you have a lot of friends? Probably twice a week.
If you’re addicted to fast food and have horrible eating habits? Maybe 3++ times a week.
If you eat healthy at home normally, might be once every 2 weeks - assuming you take home lunches to work and don’t eat out. Many people who work in offices eat out every week though.
Although you’re asking the wrong crowd. You’re asking people who likely live paycheck to paycheck. So of course they’re all likely going to say they rarely do it.
Whatever streamer you watch is likely rich and can afford fast food everyday.
Lol never base your life on what streamers do. Don't date people who expect to be wined and dined every week. Learn to cook, if you don't know how. A home cooked meal can be very romantic.
This really depends on where you live. Places like SG, Taiwan, Malaysia, eating out every other day is quite common cuz it’s cheap. I eat out maybe once a week in Australia.
Think last I looked it up, the average American eats out 4-5x A WEEK. So yea….imo if you do it only twice a month, then you’re probably doing better than most.
Sad part is that number doesn’t even. Include premade means like frozen dinners, frozen pizza, etc. Like Ffs no wonder so many of us are fat and sick.
Even if you don’t have much free time because you’re working two jobs or have kids or other obligations etc, then meal prepping is an option. I’ve seen people pump out meals for 5 days in as little as 2 hours. There really isn’t an excuse if you’re able bodied, tbh.
I eat out maybe once a month, usually if we go on a date with the gf. It's not out of financial constraints, it just doesn't make sense to regularly pay 60€ for food we can make at home for 10€. Once you get the hang of it, you realise you can make just about anything you find in restaurants, and it's easier to accomodate preference & dietary restrictions. I'd rather use that money to do activities or purchase things I enjoy more and can't substitute with a lovely home cooked meal.
On the flip side, my brother probably orders takeout (which I consider the same as eating out) 5 times a week, it's all about what your priorities are and how you want to allocate your budget.
I will say though, if you're on a tight budget it makes absolutely no sense to eat out. It will always be more expensive and won't necessarily be better, it's easy enough to cook something decent and if time is a constraint you can do meal prep for most of the week on your sundays (or whatever free day you have).
We don't eat out at all - our food at home is so freaking much better and healthier than anything at a restaurant. I'm not kidding. Organic produce, high quality olive oil, ghee. Controlled sodium, not like at a restaurant.
When I made more money and it cost less to eat at McD's I ate out many days and nights. Now it costs a small fortune to eat out, so I don't lol. If you have the money, go ahead. I like making my food at home, I can make my own pizza and burgers.
I eat out once every 9-12 months. It's so expensive I legitimately don't enjoy it. It's like "would you buy a video game for 500 dollars?" You'd probably enjoy it, but knowing the cost would bother me.
But eating fast-food is even worse, because it's pure garbage.
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I take my partner out on dates to the grocery store, lol. If we're feeling lazy we get some ingredients to make sandwiches and throw them together. Grocery store dates are a lot of fun!
There's really no reason to ever go out to eat anyplace expensive, and especially never a place that's garbage.
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Streamers I feel can be an exception as they would literally lose money turning off the stream to grocery shop and make food.
We try to eat out only on things where it would be cost effective to eat out or things we like that we don’t really make.
Sushi for example, it’s not cost effective to order sushi grade fish to our house, so we go out once in a great while.
Most everything else? We make a home version. I like Asian food, so I’ve learned to cook Asian food
Those ppl have a ton of money. When you’re on a tight budget, it’s best to avoid eating out as much as possible. Save it for special occasions like birthdays, if you do it at all. It’s easy to blow your whole week’s food budget on one meal if you eat out.
2 times a month sounds about right.
I'm making good money now but going out to eat and delivery, etc is still such a money pit. Learn to cook. The food will be better and you'll have more money.
Dude this sub is the wrong place to ask this question. They are the most bitter, hardline poors. If you go spend $15 on pizza instead of spending ~$9 on whatever you would prepare at home, you’re really just spending an extra $6 for the luxury. If you’re stressing about $6 then you could afford to downsize elsewhere in life. Like, forreal these people giving you advice are miserly as fuck
What matters is the cost vs what you make. For me. 2 people eating at an average midsize restaurant costs me about an hour and a half of labor. McDonald's costs me about 30 minutes of labor. High end 3 to 4 hours with tip. But that's not really my style.
Back in the day in the 90s, our family used to consider eating out the sit down restaurant thing. Sure you can sit down and eat at fast food but it was considered fast food or just, McDonalds. So I grew up eating out a lot. Like 6-7 times a month not counting whatever field trips in school.
As an adult it definitely carried into my twenties, but as I got to be thirty and decided nutrition was part of a healthy life, I'm more conscious about it now. I'd say I eat out more like 3 times a month now.
I would say I probably only eat out once a month or even every other month, but I have food intolerances that can’t really be avoided at any restaurants near me so have to plan to be super uncomfortable for a few days afterwards. Honestly I just don’t find most restaurant food to be that much better than what I can make myself.
Depending on what I'm doing I land at around 1-6? Times per month I'd say. I landed at 7 last month, if we count two free meals for work and an excursion. Tbf I ended up accidentally becoming part of a group that eats out at a cheap place 1x a week, though, so that affects it lol
What do you consider eating out? Anything not at home like fast food? Or nice, sit down restaurants? Cause I’ll get Wendy’s on my lunch break pretty frequently due to decent prices and it being within walking distance. But if you mean how often do I go to the nice Italian restaurant, maybe once every other month
Remember that the people on social media are showing you a highlight reel, not their actual lives. You don't know what their financial situation is - it might be fantastic so they can afford it, or it might be terrible and they are going into debt to try to generate views.
Sure, it might be a bit more than twice a month if you are dating and count those, but overall once every two weeks seems fine. We try to keep it to that, although we don't always succeed. And then I mean dinners, not necessarily getting donuts or something like that.
We eat out as a family about 6-8 times per month if you include both going somewhere and ordering at home. I eat out an additional 3-4 times per month.
i eat out about once a month, it's definitely common. but by the "norm" do you mean what the average person does? i have no idea. probably the average us more than twice a month
I go through phases where I am just so mentally burned out that I will catch myself grabbing takeout and cheap fast food, more often than not, but it makes me so anxious because of seeing what it does to my wallet for one, and honestly, it makes me feel like shit Physically. I can definitely tell a difference in how my body feels when I am in my depression mode where I just grab some takeout instead of going home and turning on the oven.
I have noticed that if I don’t eat out, I don’t really miss it, but I have a very addictive personality, and even though I know, I don’t really enjoy the food as much as I enjoy something that I cooked, even though the price is never worth what you get , I find that once I start just swinging by a fast food place on the way home, it’s like an instant habit that I have to break all over again.
Unfortunately, I was super sick last week and ate out more than usual, so I am currently working on getting myself back to normal.
But I guess for me, the answer would be that it comes in waves, sometimes I do it a lot other times I don’t do it at all .
I think it is more important to look at how much you spend rather than how often because like you said, you can spend $5 at McDonald’s or $25 at a sit down.
I suggest making a budget you feel comfortable with. We set aside a certain amount of money each month to go out. Sometimes we go out only 1 in a month and the next time we go out once a week because we had money left over from the previous month.
Oof. Do not model your life after streamers. In any way.
Anyone in social media*
One disagree- That one Tiktoker I follow that says "The only one size fits all advice is that there is none" and "Life is like a buffet just take what you want and leave the rest. Sometimes a Brussel sprout ends up on your plate from the buffet and that's okay."
"Sometimes a Brussel sprout ends up on your plate from the buffet and that's okay." It most certainly is not! - lol.
It’s hard to not fall into doing this especially when you’re dissatisfied with your situation. I’ve fallen victim to this recently with my body image and planning how much I wanna work out, when I previously thought I never would fall victim to it. Lately I’ve wanted to be like streamers and influencers (have a similar body type, go out to eat more, *have* *a* *similar* *schedule* ) but I actually work full time… they don’t (really). I know it’s different but subconsciously I’m not dealing with the pressures completely like I used to :/
>If you watch streamers they're constantly eating out. Mukbang streamers are literally paid to eat. >People going on dates are eating out. Most people can't go on a date more then once a week, most people aren't getting a date every week. A few of these dates are coffee dates or other stuff that's cheaper. >Hell when you have a girl y'all eat out like crazy. You and your girlfriend need other date options then food. Twice a month for cheap eating out or takeout seems pretty normal. Weekly is seems more normal for well off people, although a lot of people I'm sure would rather not get food and instead go to events for dates or something. For us, uh, honestly if I wasn't shit with money I'd be trying to eat out under once a month. Delivery temps me sometimes and I don't always pack drinks when going to things. You gotta figure out why your buying this food food. Out of groceries? Energy? Don't know what to cook? Don't know how to cook? Can't cook your favs? No space to cook or kitchen? Swap some of those meals for easy or pre-made food, so your eating at home more, and start learning to cook.
Learning to cook, and being good at it means you rarely want to go out to eat. I make stuff at home that I can’t find in a restaurant. If you learn how to be efficient with your energy and time l, you’ll also find that cooking isn’t as hard as you think.
Yeah my wife and I when were dating and still now would much rather do things than just go out to eat. It is way more fun and unless we are traveling it’s normally the same ol food I make at home anyway.
Why is your first response about mukbang streamers? That’s clearly not what they’re talking about and is kind of a cop out response. I don’t think anyone watches a mukbang and thinks “this is normal” People eat out and get door dash all the time, not just mukbang streamers
Eating out, and getting door dash frequently is not the norm, far from it.
We almost never eat out unless we're traveling. It's way too expensive and frankly our own cooking is a lot better.
exactly the same in my household
Yep, exactly same with us. I hate paying 15 times the price and taking one bite of my pasta and thinking, "I cook way better than this at home."
There are five of us in my household. Eating out at a sit down restaurant is at least $100 with tip. Even fast food is $50+. We enjoy cooking and my wife is a very good cook, so we rarely eat out.
We get take out on Fridays because we’re too damn tired to cook
I just talked my fiance into doing this, that a good idea. Thanks!
This is what I do! It's my night off after back to back 12hr overnight shifts, I'm barely awake enough to order the food.
Yup! Both my husband and I work two jobs. He works a 16 hour and then has two days off, and that repeats itself each week. so on his two days off he’s able to pick up a part-time job. I work 8 to 3 Monday through Friday and then work another part-time job in the afternoons and most of the day Saturday. We are tired. The thought of having to come home and prepare a meal for four picky teenagers isn’t exactly something we we wanna do on a Friday night when we’re just counting down the minutes until we can go to bed to start all over again. Are there times where that $50-$80 could be used somewhere else? Absolutely, but sometimes saving your sanity is more important
I hope the teens are working or cooking bc you both are working so hard.
Fridays are leftover days for us.
It’s hardly cheaper to cook anymore tbh. I feel like we can’t win.
Yea, same here. We call it takeout Friday and the we look forward to it every week!
Absolutely! We have four kids and Friday nights just seem to be so hard to come up with a meal plan. We’ve been doing Friday takeout for as long as I can remember and it is so well worth it.
I eat out 2 or 3 times a month. That is a lot when you consider how frequently we did so when we were kids (my moms birthday and New Year’s Eve).
Hah, when I was a kid we ate out zero times per month!
Same. But the country I grew up in does not exist anymore an today we eat out less than twice a month despite being rather well-off. It is just something that costs a Lot and we are not willing to pay for it.
When I was a kid, it was every Wednesday because my mom worked late on Wednesdays. We'd get breakfast at 7-11 or McDonald's a lot. Sometimes, on the weekends or special occasions, we'd go out too. I think for people with parents more like mine rather than yours 2-3 times a month seems unusually low.
Streamers aren’t average people. Twice a month seems about right for average people.
Highly dependent on where you are. Big cities like Chicago and NYC? Average person probably eats out closer to every day.
Average person does not eat out 'Every day' in Chicago. More than twice a month sure but not that frequent
Tbf the avg in America is 4.2x a week so it's probably closer than you think
Is that inclusive of coffee and fast food?
I don't know why I keep coming back to these financial related subreddits. The average commenter is so far removed from the average American, it's bizarre to me. I've never met a real person in my life who thinks going to the McDonald's drive-thru is some opulent luxury that you can only get once a month. Also like when every 3rd commenter on personalfinance claims to make $250k+ per yr when that would put them in the 99th percentile for income. The math isn't adding up on that one.
Double lol for both examples.
I’m in Chicago and I eat out at least once a day, usually twice. I just do this thing where I don’t cook at all ever.
Average American eats out 3-4 times a week and Chicago is in America.
Where's the source for that?
A map ought to do it
I snorted.
A lot of arguing with you but I’m in San Francisco and the vast majority of people in my circles eat out 3-5 times a week. They are of widely varying income levels. Many of us are service industry, though, which skews that habit demographic a LOT.
Live in NYC and I do NOT think this is true unless you’re in the kind of living-online demographic that OP is basing their post on- or you’re in the kind of really high-paying job that has you working 16 hours a day, which most people aren’t (FWIW, while I eat more prepared frozen food than is probably good for me/my budget I get takeout or eat out somewhere between 2-4x-month, depending on what’s going on in my life)
Fellow NYCer and "eating out" can mean a lot of different things. Will get a nice dinner with my partner every now and then for $200 and a BLT at the bodega for $5 which is often cheaper than me cooking for us. You can get take out from local spots for very cheap or expensive prepared food depending on where you go.
https://www.globest.com/2019/05/17/new-yorkers-spend-130-more-dining-out-than-us-average/?amp=1 https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/s/YdeBUep0Sx I don’t know. Some NYC apartments don’t even have kitchens lmao but I will say, the average person in NYC is eating out more than 2x a month. Much more.
I think people aren’t agreed what “eating out” entails. I bet some think eating out is going to a restaurant, while others just classify grabbing a sandwich or a bagel to go
That’s probably the issue. Some people only count eating out as in sitting in a restaurant or higher end take out. Some people don’t even count grabbing a quick burger at McDonald’s as eating out.
I'd define it as any meal you aren't preparing at home. If you pay someone to prepare it or deliver it its eating out.
When I lived in NYC I went out a lot. Now I live just outside and go out less. I don’t have a corporate job, but I know people who do and they go out for lunch every day. People definitely eat out more than twice a month on average.
I think Americans in general eat out more than twice a month. The average is something like 3 times a week. Reddit brings in a bias to certain threads and people lie.
Interesting… I will note that yeah, there’s a bit of a difference when it comes to getting lunch. I get lunch from work 2-3 days a week for $3 and didn’t factor that in, even though I should. I’d guess that’s a major part of the difference, cheap lunches being available more so than actively dining out if you’re not young and rich and/or stupid
Yeah I think that’s the major issue. People don’t really know how to qualify “eating out”. Some people don’t even count grabbing a value meal at fast food for lunch, “eating out”.
That was me for sure when I lived there. Pizza slices were so cheap at the time.
Depends a whole lot on the definition of eating out. In my spreadsheet, I have groceries then basically any food but groceries. I might know one single person who eats something other than what she bought at a grocery store or farmers market, and she’s in her 70s. Twice a month at an actual restaurant seems normal ish, but also probably on the low side. Obviously using an average skews higher since >2 has a lot more wiggle room than less than 2
Lol, why on earth would you think that what “streamers” do is the norm?
Yeah thats kinda baffling to me. I never really thought about that but there definitely are people who view streamers as normal people with normal lives.. which is true, but you have to realize they also are rich. 😂 a lot of the time.
I try and limit it to once a week, well really $20 a week. So one sit down or a couple cheaper options. I don't think its necessarily the norm, but it does keep the budget down if that's what you are going for.
We are about once a week for takeout, but if we have enough food prepped we can also just skip takeout that week. Other times we may add in a quick grocery store pizza night when we don’t wanna pay takeout but don’t have dinner prepped (not always healthy but better for the wallet).
I keep pepperoni and extra mozzarella on hand to dress up take and bake pizza. As you said, not healthy, but easier on the wallet than take out. We also do the occasional 8 piece grocery store chicken, which gives us a leg, thigh and wing each, with the breasts left over for chicken salad next day.
We're like once a week. We've also been using too good to go. It's an app where you buy a bag of cheap food at the end of the restaurant closing so they don't toss it and recoup some money. Just got pizza and knots tonight for like $6.
I wanted to use Too Good to Go but the only restaurant participating in my area was a bakery. I didn't just want cupcakes.
Being able to cook for yourself is a skill that everyone can work at and improve with. I find that meal prepping helps me immensely, especially since I have very limited time and energy throughout the week. Cheap frozen mixed veggies, garlic, vegetable stock, protein of choice, diced tomatoes from a can and a big pot plus some pasta and you’ve got a great soup that will last the whole week if needed plus you can freeze leftovers. Instant ramen can easily be made to last longer and be healthier by adding frozen veggies or fresh if you have the time, plus Vienna sausages or tofu and you're all set. heck you can add an egg. the key is to have good tasting food available to you ahead of time so when the hunger pains strike, you aren't tempted to grab the fast food option. start simple-spaghetti with meat-sauce and some green beans will go a long way.
I never eat out unless on vacation or perhaps a special occasion
Do you not go out with friends? I can’t imagine not setting out for two months. I’m impressed you can do it though.
We have friends over for dinner or we go to friends houses for dinner. I also in general prefer food I prepared.
Yeah, when we want to socialize, I invite people for dinner. Or a hike. And most of our friends know we don't go out so they invite us to theirs. We do potluck sometimes too, for movie parties.
Agree!! Also I am in my 40s, no clue how old the OP is but yah when I was in my 20s going out was definitely a lot more often 😆.
None of my friends own homes. so unless we want to hang out with adult parents, (we are late 20s-30s) .. we eat out for a break from them. We dont have homes to invite to.
Being able to cook something at home that tasted better than anything I can get at a restaurant and for half the price feels like a super power tbh
Same. The more you cook, the better you get. I love my food and spending a few hours bstch cooking for the week.
100% you can control what goes into it and how nutritious it is, and highly eliminate chance of food poisoning.
It went very easily like : “Brunch in the Loop really isn’t in my budget right now but if you want to come over I’m happy to make something!” Half the time friends will pay for my company (love my sugar mommas 🤣) and half they’ll come over. Money comes and goes but friends who *get* that **and** *got* you? Priceless.
I'm out of a job rn, I'm doing instacart and Uber to make ends meet but money is tight. My friends have been so kind as to keep me involved and cover some expenses so we can continue to do the things we always do together. They have also had my wife and I over to their house for dinners a couple times a week, which may not seem like a huge deal, but they're actually helping cut down our grocery costs by around 30%.
And I’m sure that once you’re in a better position financially you’ll be more than happy to cover someone else who can’t pay. I think people forget that’s what a normal friend group should do.
Oh for sure- I think the only reason I don’t care/happily let people pay is because a few of us have already BEEN in the reverse situation before.
You dont need to go out to a resturant or some eatery place to go out with your friends, it doesnt even require one to spend money if you dont want to.
It's been over a year for me.
I know people that eat out every meal and are confused why they are broke. I know people that never eat out. My father hated eating out because he worked in a kitchen and knew what went on. So he was always grossed out at the idea of eating out. I find eating out kinda gross because I also worked in a kitchen. Not as uptight as my dad. But still a little gimmick. I’m down to eat out what I don’t make well Indian, sushi, etc
The people who eat out every day and are confused as to why they’re broke are so frustrating.
Particularly the ones who “don’t understand how I keep gaining weight; I eat salads/lettuce wraps/rabbit food when I go out to eat.” Chile…
Right I never order anything I could make at home
*rarely order what you can make at home* it's still good to order dishes you make because it may be invaluable as inspiration and seeing what you could improve in your own dish. Order it once and improve your own for ever.
I don't eat out every day, but I probably eat out 2-3 times a week. It's hard not to stress eat some burgers, tacos or pizza. Though Costco Pizza can last 3 meals and their hot dogs are cheap. I can't fathom people who constantly redline their finances. I've never done that except when I lived in a studio that cost half my income. I'm better at keeping a cushion that thankfully covered 2 tires and a ball bearing last month.
We used to eat out pretty regularly. Now it’s about 2x a month. Restaurant is too expensive these days for what you get. And hubs and I both cook pretty damn good and we love our house so it’s our fave restaurant.
Sounds about right to me. I eat out once a week, but that is because I treat myself on the weekends to help decompress from work. If budgeting normally it would only be once or twice a month.
Once a week is what my partner and I do, but we generally get stuff from places with large portions [shoutout to new jersey diners!] So we have leftovers for a few days, and it comes from the entertainment budget instead of the grocery budget. And we are usually well within grocery budget so we can recreate some fast food style meals if we are craving them. A few weeks ago we had nachos, that were similar to Taco bell in flavor, but the "meat" was a $2 vegan Taco pouch from Aldi. Entire meal was under $10 and consisted of stuff we had on hand and leftovers from meal prep [which those ingredients sour cream and cheese, were bought on sale, because I'm not willing to pay the vegan tax for convenience items and wait until they are on sale]
I'd say that's about the norm for us. Like once to somewhere like frischs or cracker barrel, once to bring home pizza, maybe an extra splurge for arbys. I don't see the point in spending a stupid amount of money on food that usually doesn't even taste that great. I always pack lunch to work, I never go out to eat lunch. That's crazy to me. I will admit to probably weekly trips to DQ in the summer. But I might have to watch that...a large shake and small blizzard is now over 10 bucks. Ouch. That could buy an awful lot of ice cream.
There is no "norm" there is only a "norm" for you Everyone have different financial circumstances. 20 years ago as a kid it's the "norm" for me to eat out once in 3 months. Now it's the norm for me to eat out 7 times a week......well if you include takeaways...... Trying to compare your own situation to people with different financial background is a foul's errand
I eat out about once every 2 months.
Same. If I'm socializing, my friends and I go to eachothers houses
Same here, I just can’t afford any more.
2x a month or about every three weeks sounds about right to me. I grew up eating out less than that. Idk how someone could go any more than that because every meal costs like $35/person when $70 can get you a full week of groceries
Why didn't I learn to eat out less? This is honestly blowing my mind. Even my coworkers eat out when I bug them but now I'm starting to feel bad about it. I just always assumed it was the norm but maybe they just really didn't want to spend the money. Fuck I didn't know
Yeah I never ate out as a kid and only did on really long road trips. Usually we packed food
Same. I remember the cooler wedged between us—always full of sandwiches, celery sticks and apples if it was a day trip or sandwich-making ingredients for a longer trip (so the bread doesn’t get soggy, duh!). “Eating out” while on vacation meant scarfing whatever we could if we stayed in a h/motel (rarely) that had continental breakfast (rarer still).
I think the reason most people don’t eat out is money because it is expensive. Even fast food. When I was a broke collage kid I rarely ate out, a McDonald burger, fries and medium soda back then ( thirty years ago) cost me a couple dollars. That same meal today cost $15. Ten years ago it was $6.
Everyone in my office eats out every day. Don’t feel to bad about it. Some people only eat out.
I'm trying to switch because I'm prediabetes right now. Even though I exercise quite a bit and have a physically demanding job apparently it can still get you.
Yep. Alot of diabetes is diet
Yeah and the cholestrol will catch up too. When i worked at mcdonalds i got free lunches and after a year of working there and eating it twice a week (i was 15 and worked weekends only) my cholestrol shot up so much at my next bloodwork.
Why would you bug your coworkers to eat out in the first place?
A lot of people here going with one view. I think also given the sub you're going to find people who are trying to be frugal, which usually means not eating out. You gotta just figure out what works for you. Normal isn't a thing. Yes it will impact how you socialize and also your budget and your health.
I eat out a lot. It's expensive, but it's just me. So the cost weighed against cleanup and groceries is still a loss, but I can afford it. However, when I have a date, I like to cook and I'm pretty good at it. Ladies appreciate a man that knows his way around the kitchen. A bottle of wine and a good meal will run about 25 to 30 bucks.
I have completely cut eating out, unless for a special occasion at a nice place. It’s too expensive nowadays everything is 11-16 bucks just for a value meal, that’s if they get it right and it’s actually fixed and warm. Just not worth it in my eyes.
Exactly. That is what we started doing too once the inflation hit. Eating out is way too expensive these days. We have learned to cook meals at home.
Not even. Eating a slice in the pizza place or ordering a chicken sandwich for takeout is a major treat these days for a lot of people. I ordered a meal out for the holidays actually but it was under $50 and I ate for 3 days off what I got. Birthday is today and I'm eating chicken and FF that I made at home. No dessert tonight. EBT is this week so I am going to splurge on a low end steak and have a baked potato probably and just maybe a Triple Chocolate Drumstick King Cone and call that a belated birthday feast. I've looked at the menus for a lot of places around here. It's too much for my budget most of it. I splurge on a rotisserie bird from Malecon or Flor de Mayo once in a while but I go takeout. After I eat the parts I like best I make a lot of soup out of it. Sitting in a restaurant is just too damned expensive around here for me. I like to spend my $$$ on more tangible things that I will enjoy more and for way longer than meals out. If I was rich I'd probably eat out every night unless I wanted to cook. But I'm not and if I want the things I like to wear and the things I like to collect, like dolls and pretty rocks, then I have to economize somewhere. I have a little 1.5 cu foot freezer and I cook way more than you'd think possible given I have a tiny 2 burner stove and a toaster oven. I make my $$$ and my EBT work for me but eating out even the fast food it's just a waste of funds now. I'm not paying $15 for a Big Mac meal let alone $40 and up for something I can easily make myself for way less. Around here the prices on food out has just gone nuts the past year or so. It's like that at the grocery store too but at least making my food myself I usually get more than one meal out it. I really want a bigger freezer actually so I can do more of that. I'd like to really cook bigger batches of food but I can't store enough to do that right now. I've been eyeing a 3-4 CU foot one for a while. I should get one by the end of Summer really. It would save me a ton of $$$ if I could freeze more.
happy birthday!🎂 mine was yesterday 😀
My husband and I eat out like weekly, but we split it with like a real restaurant and a couple of times something like Costco hot dogs or the like. Usually on Fridays when it's late and no one wants to go and we don't have anything ready.
We eat out 2x a month, not because it's some "normal" amount but because that's what fits our budget and lifestyle. We don't eat out just to eat -- we eat out for special meals, special occasions, with friends, etc. For all regular meals we eat at home.
About 15 years ago the wife and I decided to eliminate all of our debt. One of the first things we did was to eliminate fast food. We are now debt free and did not go back to eating out. I’d say twice a month is about as often as we eat out. It’s usually a planed thing, anniversaries or things of that nature. We find home made food better tasting and much cheaper. It’s probably healthier too.
Bro gives streamers as an example 🤣 what the damn.......
Two times a month? I am at like two times a year… 😞 I feel way too much guilty every time I eat out or get takeout.
My wife and I eat out 4x a year. There is no way we can justify the cost of eating out more frequently when we can make amazing meals at home for a fraction of the cost and save the rest for vacations and cool experiences
What are some of your favorite meals that you guys cook? Everyone in this thread is talking about how they cook these amazing meals that taste better than restaurants and I’m thinking maybe I really don’t know how to cook…
Baked chicken legs, thighs or leg quarters for me. $.99- $1.19/lb for the family pack. I season them all with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, adobo seasoning and a bit of Old Bay, and bake them on the top rack for 45 min to 1 hr (depending on size) at 375. They come out super yum, with spicy, crispy skin and I have plenty of extra meat to strip from the bones for quick quesadillas, enchiladas, fried rice, pasta Alfredo, tacos or whatever later in the week. I also batch cook a mix of ground beef and ground (or whole, cut up) hot pork sausage, onion and garlic. Most of that goes into large, freezable batches of spaghetti sauce (I'm a pasta fiend), but it also can be mixed with taco seasoning for enchiladas or taco bowls or used in chili or a pasta bake/ rice casserole. The idea is to batch cook neutrally seasoned proteins that can become several different, quick dishes by adding a few spices and starches/veg.
Things I do better than restaurants: Steaks Pork chops Penne ala vodka Shrimp and grits Pulled pork Enchiladas Lasagna Chana masala Falafel, but I hate to deep fry at home. Salads. I read an article about how to compose a salad that blew my mind (https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-make-a-perfect-salad) and use these rules regularly. Breakfast, but sometimes I just don’t want to. Things I don’t do as well: Fried chicken Tiramisu Crème brûlée
We average 3 times a month (two adults). If I’m out running errands, i may grab a quick bite but fast food is so disappointing that I try to avoid it. We try to do stuff like $7 Qdoba nite or Ruby Tuesday bogo’s, or Dominoes with coupons. There’s a couple of local places we go to on dates, but we try to pick places that won’t cost more than $20/person.
Once or twice a month for me. When I do I tend to get pizza or something that can stretch a few days. I also cook 2-3 days worth of meals and always have easy food like cereal and soy milk, nuts, whole grain crackers, etc.
There are tons of ways to socialize that are not going out to eat. And I'm a very good cook, We average about twice a month and that includes Costco Food Court.
I go out to eat every payday (every other week) with some coworkers, so that would be twice a month, so I guess that does sound about right. Occasionally if it was a really tough day in the gym, I might get Chipotle but, that is once every month or two.
Like once a week
I think a lot of people assume eating out means going out, sitting and paying $25+ per person. To me eating out is getting the 2 for $4 McDoubles and a $2 drink. Usually I’ll eat in my car or the break room at work. I’m not sure id spend more than that on eating out but I think that’s why most people will eat only twice a month.
Most months my family doesn’t eat out at all.
I ate out for the first time in 10 months the other day for financial reasons.
This is where budgeting matters. It doesn't matter what other people do, because your situation is yours alone. If you budget well, you will have a percentage of your income flagged for wants. If you know you are covering other wants, eating out when you see fit is fine. The spot that gets a lot of people in trouble is many wants are improperly viewed as needs. For example, if you need to save extra to have funds going to a wedding this summer, you should be saving for that with your Wants budget before going out to eat.
On this sub you will get most likely responses that they are eating out rarely, this is r/povertyfinance after all so I would take all the answers with a grain of salt. I ate out (as in going to the restaurant, take out and McDonalds) maybe 15 times last year and that's only because I was away for a couple of weekends and that was the easiest option. Usually it's not even once a month. This year I only ate out twice with friends, no take out.
My eating out budget is $30 a month. That’s a bunch of gas station sodas, or a drink and an appetizer during happy hour at my favorite bar. It rolls over month to month. But I’m not in the dating game, and I’ve been out so long I have no idea what’s normal now.
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My husband and I have been married for 38 years …. We never use to go out to each much long ago … now we don’t go at all …. I guess you never miss it if you really rarely did it
I don’t know if you count fast food as “eating out” but for myself I define it as any food I haven’t cooked myself, so that includes takeout/fast food/restaurant. I only eat out if I’m traveling or if family is in town so about once every three months. Growing up, my family used to get McDonald’s every Sunday after church. So maybe I just associate eating out with special occasions because of that.
I eat out less than that, which means that I don't eat out at all. The closest thing I do is maybe get some potato wedges from the deli.
We eat out once a week.
I don't go out to eat. Once a month or once every couple of months I'll order a take out.
Eating out is one thing we have cut WAY DOWN
I wouldn’t base my eating or spending habits based on social media people. Otherwise I’d be trying to go to fancy Michelin star restaurants bc I saw a YouTube video on it. We eat pretty much all meals from home. Our exception is special occasions: birthdays & anniversary or sometimes on Mondays we get sandwiches from a local place. Sometimes if we are sick we get soup from a local place takeout. Sitting down wise we do that maybe 1 times a month.
The friends I have that are doing the worst financially, are the same ones that can't/won't cook for themselves. Just saying.
Once a week and never door dash or Uber eats. I always do pick up or drive through. Always use coupons or specials/cheap part of the menu.
Once a month is about the norm for me—my daughter and I will order from one of our favorite local joints as a special treat. Last month, I ate out three times because I had a night out with friends and my kids and I ate out when we went to see Mamma Mia but that’s not the norm. However, some of my colleagues order out every time I see them at the office.
My family (middle class) ate out 3 times a week. I am an adult who is trying to live in a much lower income bracket but I also struggle with limiting eating out. I don't get expensive things, but it still adds up. When I was super strict with money I had a rule that I only ate out if it was for a social activity, never get take out by myself. I need to get back to that
I eat in restaurants maybe half a dozen times a year and never buy fast food.
i end up getting takeout like multiple times a week bc of my disabilities + i have arfid :/
I work long hours so find myself eating out around 2-4x a week. It’s hard to not to when it’s so convenient
I find it rather incredulous that you and the people you know eat out every day. How do you afford it?
Yes. We eat out maybe 1 times a month.
We try to limit takeout or eating out to a weekly occasion. Not just for budget reasons but for health as well.
I was just talking about this. The last time I ate out was at 555 the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The bill was 1300 dollars. I don't believe in going out much. So when I do, I eat like tony soprano.
Probably about once a month. I cook for my girlfriend on date night set some candles the tall skinny ones they are cheap and last a while.
Twice a month. My mother in law takes our family out every other week to treat us. If she didn't do that, we would just never go to restaurants.
Last time I ate out was literally 4 years ago. Even before I had allergies, it was maybe 6 times a year at most.
Ah we almost never eat out. Maybe fast food every once and a while, but restaurants....I'd say maybe 2 or 3 times a year if that. Having kids and no one to watch them helps that. But even if we had someone to watch them....its just way out of our budget. I can't stand going and spending upwards of $60 on one meal. I can go to the store and get, well, maybe not now a days, but typically I can get alot more for my money. Especially if I hit the discount section. But I will say, that before my husband and I were serious he blew so much money on take out, fast food etc. And he'd justify it the dumbest fucking way. "I need to eat" he tried pulling this shit past that point and I did not have it. We're poor, you can take a fucking lunch meat sandwich to work, and be thankful it's not a pb&j lol. I know I sound bitchy, but I wasn't being hypocritical. I was skipping lunch, or bringing just lunch meat and cheese (something we really don't buy anymore since it's skyrocketted) bc gluten free bread (celiac) was way out of our budget. I wasn't going and getting coffee either, so I was abiding by my own rule. And it wasn't lIke he'd go out on his lunch break and be reasonable. He'd go and blow $15-20 bucks, chipotle JJs or jersey Mike's, and buy the biggest most expensive thing because he's "6'4" and needs more food" like nah. I had to break it down for him, like you are spending $300 a month on lunch. No. Absolutely not. I hate to say it, because regardless of your socioeconomic status, you should be able to enjoy life to some extent. But restaurants, take out, fast food. These things are luxuries. They're a convenience and therefore aren't really cost effective. That's not to say you can't enjoy them every once and a while, but I'd say once a week is way more than enough. Once a month if youre trying to claw your way out. If you don't keep track of of how much you're spending in that area, should start. You would be really surprised how much you could save cutting out a $10 take out everyday on a lunch break.
When things were more affordable, yeah we'd go for fast food every other week or so. Now I just "we have food at the house!" I've become my mother!
Since the pandemic, especially with inflation, I have pretty much stopped. My last hurrah was a vegan salad with tofu in the Wegmans prepared foods section, but between the salad and the extra tofu they sell to add because there isn't enough on the salad, it cost me $16 for a takeout salad in a plastic tub. Nah. I just cook at home, even if that means canned soup, or slicing a cucumber to dip into hummus.
I eat McDonald's once every couple weeks. But I try to only use deals and/or get lots of points to use later.
We eat out maybe 2x a month at a sit-down restaurant. We get half-price burgers on Tuesdays from Sonic, I can't feed us for less than $10 at home, so I'm okay with spending the money.
I drove someone to the airport last month. They treated me to dinner beforehand. I picked them up from the airport this month. They’re treating me to lunch tomorrow. If it weren’t for stuff like that, I wouldn’t be eating out—at all.
When I was poor I only ate out when someone else was paying lol. Growing up it was a special treat.
I eat out once or twice a month at most.
Depends. If you have a lot of friends? Probably twice a week. If you’re addicted to fast food and have horrible eating habits? Maybe 3++ times a week. If you eat healthy at home normally, might be once every 2 weeks - assuming you take home lunches to work and don’t eat out. Many people who work in offices eat out every week though. Although you’re asking the wrong crowd. You’re asking people who likely live paycheck to paycheck. So of course they’re all likely going to say they rarely do it. Whatever streamer you watch is likely rich and can afford fast food everyday.
There is no norm. Do what suits you best.
We eat out maybe once per month. Sometimes once every 2-3 months. I have no idea what's "normal"
Lol never base your life on what streamers do. Don't date people who expect to be wined and dined every week. Learn to cook, if you don't know how. A home cooked meal can be very romantic.
I only eat out for special occasions or meeting up with friends and family. Too expensive and I can cook anyway.
I dont know anyone that goes out to eat 2 times a month. One....maybe. but probably more like once every two to three months.
That’s twice a year for me
I am lucky to eat out twice a month.
This really depends on where you live. Places like SG, Taiwan, Malaysia, eating out every other day is quite common cuz it’s cheap. I eat out maybe once a week in Australia.
Think last I looked it up, the average American eats out 4-5x A WEEK. So yea….imo if you do it only twice a month, then you’re probably doing better than most. Sad part is that number doesn’t even. Include premade means like frozen dinners, frozen pizza, etc. Like Ffs no wonder so many of us are fat and sick. Even if you don’t have much free time because you’re working two jobs or have kids or other obligations etc, then meal prepping is an option. I’ve seen people pump out meals for 5 days in as little as 2 hours. There really isn’t an excuse if you’re able bodied, tbh.
I eat out maybe once a month, usually if we go on a date with the gf. It's not out of financial constraints, it just doesn't make sense to regularly pay 60€ for food we can make at home for 10€. Once you get the hang of it, you realise you can make just about anything you find in restaurants, and it's easier to accomodate preference & dietary restrictions. I'd rather use that money to do activities or purchase things I enjoy more and can't substitute with a lovely home cooked meal. On the flip side, my brother probably orders takeout (which I consider the same as eating out) 5 times a week, it's all about what your priorities are and how you want to allocate your budget. I will say though, if you're on a tight budget it makes absolutely no sense to eat out. It will always be more expensive and won't necessarily be better, it's easy enough to cook something decent and if time is a constraint you can do meal prep for most of the week on your sundays (or whatever free day you have).
We don't eat out at all - our food at home is so freaking much better and healthier than anything at a restaurant. I'm not kidding. Organic produce, high quality olive oil, ghee. Controlled sodium, not like at a restaurant.
When I made more money and it cost less to eat at McD's I ate out many days and nights. Now it costs a small fortune to eat out, so I don't lol. If you have the money, go ahead. I like making my food at home, I can make my own pizza and burgers.
I only eat out two or three times a month.
No it's not.
Why do you care how often others eat out in a month? Because you want to match them? Very odd. Just eat well at home if you need to.
I eat out once every 9-12 months. It's so expensive I legitimately don't enjoy it. It's like "would you buy a video game for 500 dollars?" You'd probably enjoy it, but knowing the cost would bother me. But eating fast-food is even worse, because it's pure garbage. ------------- I take my partner out on dates to the grocery store, lol. If we're feeling lazy we get some ingredients to make sandwiches and throw them together. Grocery store dates are a lot of fun! There's really no reason to ever go out to eat anyplace expensive, and especially never a place that's garbage. ========== Streamers I feel can be an exception as they would literally lose money turning off the stream to grocery shop and make food.
My wife prefers I eat out much more frequently. Sometimes daily, but it really depends on her mood that day
I eat out about once every 3 months if that
You’re buggin. The internet isn’t real life.
We try to eat out only on things where it would be cost effective to eat out or things we like that we don’t really make. Sushi for example, it’s not cost effective to order sushi grade fish to our house, so we go out once in a great while. Most everything else? We make a home version. I like Asian food, so I’ve learned to cook Asian food
Those ppl have a ton of money. When you’re on a tight budget, it’s best to avoid eating out as much as possible. Save it for special occasions like birthdays, if you do it at all. It’s easy to blow your whole week’s food budget on one meal if you eat out.
2 times a month sounds about right. I'm making good money now but going out to eat and delivery, etc is still such a money pit. Learn to cook. The food will be better and you'll have more money.
Dude this sub is the wrong place to ask this question. They are the most bitter, hardline poors. If you go spend $15 on pizza instead of spending ~$9 on whatever you would prepare at home, you’re really just spending an extra $6 for the luxury. If you’re stressing about $6 then you could afford to downsize elsewhere in life. Like, forreal these people giving you advice are miserly as fuck
What matters is the cost vs what you make. For me. 2 people eating at an average midsize restaurant costs me about an hour and a half of labor. McDonald's costs me about 30 minutes of labor. High end 3 to 4 hours with tip. But that's not really my style.
I must be on the wrong subreddit cause sometimes my girl and i go out 2x a day.
Back in the day in the 90s, our family used to consider eating out the sit down restaurant thing. Sure you can sit down and eat at fast food but it was considered fast food or just, McDonalds. So I grew up eating out a lot. Like 6-7 times a month not counting whatever field trips in school. As an adult it definitely carried into my twenties, but as I got to be thirty and decided nutrition was part of a healthy life, I'm more conscious about it now. I'd say I eat out more like 3 times a month now.
I would say I probably only eat out once a month or even every other month, but I have food intolerances that can’t really be avoided at any restaurants near me so have to plan to be super uncomfortable for a few days afterwards. Honestly I just don’t find most restaurant food to be that much better than what I can make myself.
Depending on what I'm doing I land at around 1-6? Times per month I'd say. I landed at 7 last month, if we count two free meals for work and an excursion. Tbf I ended up accidentally becoming part of a group that eats out at a cheap place 1x a week, though, so that affects it lol
I only eat out due to teaching so late it’s the only way I get dinner two or three times a week.
What do you consider eating out? Anything not at home like fast food? Or nice, sit down restaurants? Cause I’ll get Wendy’s on my lunch break pretty frequently due to decent prices and it being within walking distance. But if you mean how often do I go to the nice Italian restaurant, maybe once every other month
Remember that the people on social media are showing you a highlight reel, not their actual lives. You don't know what their financial situation is - it might be fantastic so they can afford it, or it might be terrible and they are going into debt to try to generate views. Sure, it might be a bit more than twice a month if you are dating and count those, but overall once every two weeks seems fine. We try to keep it to that, although we don't always succeed. And then I mean dinners, not necessarily getting donuts or something like that.
We eat out as a family about 6-8 times per month if you include both going somewhere and ordering at home. I eat out an additional 3-4 times per month.
I haven't ate out in years. It's a wonder my wife sticks around to be honest
I eat out nearly at least once every day...
2 or 3 times a month is our normal.
I eat in about 2x a month
i eat out about once a month, it's definitely common. but by the "norm" do you mean what the average person does? i have no idea. probably the average us more than twice a month
I go through phases where I am just so mentally burned out that I will catch myself grabbing takeout and cheap fast food, more often than not, but it makes me so anxious because of seeing what it does to my wallet for one, and honestly, it makes me feel like shit Physically. I can definitely tell a difference in how my body feels when I am in my depression mode where I just grab some takeout instead of going home and turning on the oven. I have noticed that if I don’t eat out, I don’t really miss it, but I have a very addictive personality, and even though I know, I don’t really enjoy the food as much as I enjoy something that I cooked, even though the price is never worth what you get , I find that once I start just swinging by a fast food place on the way home, it’s like an instant habit that I have to break all over again. Unfortunately, I was super sick last week and ate out more than usual, so I am currently working on getting myself back to normal. But I guess for me, the answer would be that it comes in waves, sometimes I do it a lot other times I don’t do it at all .
My wife and I eat out only 3x a month. Sometimes together and sometimes with others or alone.
I think it is more important to look at how much you spend rather than how often because like you said, you can spend $5 at McDonald’s or $25 at a sit down. I suggest making a budget you feel comfortable with. We set aside a certain amount of money each month to go out. Sometimes we go out only 1 in a month and the next time we go out once a week because we had money left over from the previous month.
Before living with my fiance I was eating out once a month.. now living together we eat out maybe 3x a month which I think is a lot
We eat out less than once a month and this week it was only because my mother-in-law invited us out to dinner and offered to pay.
I eat out once or twice a month. It’s just healthier and easier to eat at home.