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Original poster

How often do you eat out?

71 replies

QueenMabs · 23/01/2023 22:06

I'd say we eat out (dh and I no kids) almost never as a couple unless on holiday or a mini break. Either for lunch or dinner.

We cook a lot of nice food at home.

We go with friends or family on average once per month or once per two months. I go out the same amount of time again with friends We have a take away once a month.

We went out Saturday to a local village pub (several villages away v. Nice and new to me) and it was rammed. Lovely food and good value and nice atmosphere.

Then tonight I went out with work colleagues (postponed from Xmas) and again it was very nice and fancier country pub than Saturday more gastropub and it was quite busy with several tables full. Dreary Monday in January? It's in tiny village.

We live in a semi rural area and there aren't any chains (well there's a spoons and a Pizza Hut) so we don't go to those places (ask/ Nando's/ prezzo etc ) unless we visit the city.

I was really surprised how busy these places were. Or am I just in the dark ages and never go out! Also out again on Saturday.

How often do you go out?

OP posts:
SummerSimmer · 28/05/2023 20:45

4 times a week and I also go on holidays 10 times a year and eat out for all my meals while I’m away.
I have a fair few coffees out each week too.
I just got home from a £150 family meal with my adult DC.

Jellycattoys · 28/05/2023 21:43

3 times a week in our 20’s.

Now with a young child and a big mortgage, once a week, £50 per meal for us three (DH, DC and I).

We only eat out for cuisines we don’t make at home. We don’t have coffee out, don’t go to cafes.

Hedjwitch · 28/05/2023 21:49

Almost never. Only on birthdays or tare occasions

Tegrate · 29/05/2023 06:56

When the kids were at home and I didn't work, cooking was my hobby and we really did eat very well. I work now, the kids have flown the nest and we are renovating so I have been less inclined to spend my free time cooking. We probably eat out at least once a week, dh probably 5 times a week- including his lunches - I wish it was less because I am usually a bit disappointed with the flavour of the food - even when we eat top end. But sometimes we are just too tired to cook - but we are trying to make a real effort to meal plan and cook for our health more than anything.

Ragwort · 29/05/2023 07:03

I eat out with my elderly DM about once a fortnight ... lunch in a garden centre or M & S cafe or similar. She enjoys it and pays. I rarely eat out with my DH, very few nice places where we live and we are both capable cooks and prefer to spend money on decent food and drink at home. We recently went out to a gastro pub and for the first time in my life I actually sent the food back (politely), we paid for our drinks and left .. the whole experience was shocking and has rather put me off eating out.

MrsPetty · 29/05/2023 22:23

I live between London and an island that pretty much closes down for the winter. So I don’t have much choice but to eat at home over the winter. But once it’s summer on the island I eat lunch out three or four times a week, and when I’m in London DH and I have a date night at nice restaurant every week. My DDs often order a takeaway … because I’m sick of having had do cook for months on end 😂

Neverinamonthofsundays · 29/05/2023 23:19

Just us as a couple is at least once a week. We also take the kids out once a week for maybe a brunch or something as they are older now so we can leave them home when we go out and they do not eat the foods we eat.

Allrightmylover · 30/05/2023 00:12

I used to eat out twice a week, Saturday lunch with family or dinner in the evening, sometimes just DH but often with DS. Then meet up with a friend often. I also had employment that was a bit of a gravy train at the time, those days of lots of entertaining, free drinks and a works lunch once a month just to have a mixer are over now. But that lasted for 22 years in two different places of employment . I had free lunch for 6 years every day in the first place. I’m retired now and have lunch out with a friend every Thursday and DH and I go out usually to lunch on a Saturday, less in the evening now. Went out to our local pub garden today and had a light lunch.

ToeJammed · 30/05/2023 05:02

It depends. Sometimes we will eat at home for a couple of weeks, and other times we might eat out several times a week.

LindorDoubleChoc · 30/05/2023 05:08

Not all that often. DH and I went out for dinner with two friends last week. We did drink but not a huge amount. Bill came to £290.00.

garlictwist · 30/05/2023 05:41

We quite often go out for breakfast at the weekend. We probably go out for dinner once a month, take away every few weeks.

Shoxfordian · 30/05/2023 05:53

We usually go out for dinner once or twice a week together; I see friends for dinner probably once a week ish as well

Zippedydoo123 · 30/05/2023 06:33

Seldom to be honest. Cannot afford it often. Every couple of months maybe.

mondaytosunday · 30/05/2023 10:41

Not often. When kids were in school I met friends for a coffee snd occasional breakfast up to three times a week after school drop off. Don't do that as I moved.
Now about once a month with friends, and once a month with one of my kids or the other (one at home, one lives away).

LBFseBrom · 02/12/2023 15:37

Mumuser124 · 28/05/2023 14:36

We probably eat out around 5-6 times a month as a family of 5 and then maybe visit cafes for lunch 4-5 times a month.

I know it’s a waste of money but honestly, I can’t bare cooking and feel obligated to cook healthy food from scratch so any break from that is just heaven. if I didn’t have children, husband and I probably would eat out once a month and just eat toast or weetabix for dinner to be honest.

It is certainly not a waste of money if you can afford it and if you enjoy it. I always enjoyed eating out.

EmpressSoleil · 02/12/2023 15:47

I used to love eating out and did it a lot. But I've fallen out of love with it now. The cost is just ridiculous and often the food is not really worth it. Its not bad but not special enough for the price. There's just other things I'd rather spend the money on.

frozendaisy · 02/12/2023 15:52

Peaks and troughs.

If we are out we don't take packed lunch we buy lunch/dinner out. So school holidays more.

We will happily go local for a couple and a crossword.

Greengagesummer65 · 02/12/2023 16:12

For dinner, basically just birthdays. It’s exorbitantly expensive and we have a lot stronger priorities. Also, my partner likes cooking and is very good at it. See friends for lunch or tea a couple of times a month.

fussychica · 02/12/2023 16:43

Very rarely, even when on holiday these days. We have been disappointed so many times we don't bother very often. We never have a takeaway either. However, we do spend quite a bit on food and drink to enjoy at home. I'd rather spend the £50- £100 on top quality food and know I'm going to enjoy it. In the past, when we lived abroad, we often ate out but the quality was high and the cost reasonable. I don't find that the case in the UK. A couple of friends are always telling me they are going out for lunch or dinner when they come back they often say it wasn't very nice, it was overpriced, they had to send it back etc. I can't be arsed with all that anymore.

mondaytosunday · 02/12/2023 16:51

I used to go out fir coffee/breakfast croissant about three times a week when kids were at school. Now on occasion I'll take my daughter (we used to go after her piano on Saturday mornings but she gave it up after breaking her finger). Lunch out maybe once a month on a arrange? Dinner rarely - couple times a year max.

Natsku · 02/12/2023 17:13

Basically never go out for dinner, its a once in a blue moon event because its too bloody expensive.
I technically go out for lunch every week day but its my school cafeteria and its free but when its something I don't want, like cabbage casserole or porridge day I go to another lunch restaurant (usually sushi buffet). Only paying for myself and only 12 euros usually so not unaffordable for me. Maybe about once a month on average.

muddyford · 02/12/2023 17:35

Not since we were on holiday (in the UK) in December 2022. DH had a rapid onset of a massive mobility problem and it's more trouble than it's worth. No holiday either.

SoRainbowRhythms · 02/12/2023 17:38

Twice a week for dinner. At least once a month for a posh lunch, non posh lunch more often. Just the two of us.

Sgtmajormummy · 02/12/2023 18:25

Birthdays, anniversaries and a couple of times when on holiday. So probably once a month. I like ethnic, DH goes for fish. Just Eat if we’ve been too busy to cook, but a toastie is fine on those occasions IMO.

I enjoy cooking, keep trying new things and can follow a recipe so it just doesn’t make sense to spend 5x the cost of ingredients + dog sitter on a meal out. This week I made a “pub lunch style” roast with veg and a cake for four at €6 per person and 20 minutes’ prep time. That I call Autopilot Cooking!

(I’m also a pottery head so I like laying the table with all the appropriate dishes, restaurant style. Sad, I know.)

HOWEVER it is nice to be served and have somebody else take the mental load. €100 nicer, probably not.

CheerfulBunny · 02/12/2023 18:34

We used to go out to eat a lot, we've got quite a bit of disposable income I suppose and we used to enjoy it. But it's just not worth it anymore, not for me anyway. It's tipped over into being poor value for money, especially if it turns out to be a disappointing meal. I'm a decent enough cook so resent paying over the odds for half hearted efforts. Adding alcoholic drinks into the equation just takes it into the realms of the ridiculous. I just can't be arsed with it. Don't mind a take away but otherwise I'll save my money, thanks.