To hate going out for a meal

[Bigbouncingbaby]

I’ve always thought eating out was expensive…but since covid and not going out at all now I just can’t be bothered to go ! Every time I go out the service is crap or the food is crap . Then I get the bill at the end and think omg could of brought loads in Lidl for that 🤔😳 would much rather eat in but I think my husband just thinks I’m being miserable. Is it just me 🤷‍♀️

We love eating out! So many different restaurants to try...we go out once a week...used to be three times but reining things in.
I'm a good cook but enjoy the whole experience...we usually eat out late afternoon rather than evening.

@thepeopleversuswork

I have to be honest I think this is miserable way to look at the world and I find it depressing.

A meal out is about so much more than the food or the quality of service.

This is a classic example of someone knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

I don't agree at all. A meal out is definitely about the food. I can turn a blind eye to poor service on the whole but food that isn't even as good as you can make at home is definitely not on.

Also does no one else find restaurant food far too salty. The last meal out me and DH had all I could taste was the salt. I actually spoke to the restaurant about it as I thought the chef may have oversalted by mistake but was told that there was nothing wrong with my meal and no one else had complained! Spent the rest of the evening drinking water and even had to get up in the night for a drink.

I enjoy times out with DH but prefer to go to the cinema or theatre or out for a day.

I would and do go out with friends and/or relatives if they wanted to but would prefer to have them at our house and cook for them or get a takeaway.

Can still have good conversation at home, have the exact food you want and cooked the way you want and not be bothered by too loud music or too loud other diners.

I love eating out, but when you have a waiter with an attitude it does taint the experience a bit.
Also depends where you go. I'm reluctant to go to places like Bella Italia as the food is often meh and I could do better at home.
There is also a massive shortage of chefs & hospitality staff now which will impact the experience

I do agree around the poor hygiene element though.. the amount of times glasses do not look clean even with visible lipstick marks or cutlery is grubby is gross. In my experience, it’s an issue more in the uk then anywhere else.

The being able to cook better at home is not the point, I can drink wine at home too but sometimes it's nice to go out

@Momicrone

The being able to cook better at home is not the point, I can drink wine at home too but sometimes it's nice to go out

It is the point for me, and many others. Why pay over the odds for something you can cook as well at home if not better?

You can drink wine at home for a much more reasonable price than the ridiculous prices restaurants charge.

It's nice to go out but it doesn't have to be to a restaurant

@mydogisthebest
But restaurants are nice places! Well they should be. Nice decor, ambience, atmosphere. Great settings for conversation and socialising. Far better for that than obviously places like cinema or theatre or shopping or sight seeing or whatever

[quote LuckySantangelo35]@mydogisthebest
But restaurants are nice places! Well they should be. Nice decor, ambience, atmosphere. Great settings for conversation and socialising. Far better for that than obviously places like cinema or theatre or shopping or sight seeing or whatever[/quote]
Yes quite a few restaurants have nice decor, ambience etc but when the food is not great, too salty and overpriced I don't find it enjoyable.

Both me and DH love food. I am obsessed with food. I read cookbooks for enjoyment, watch just about every cookery show going, love planning our meals, love cooking and love eating. If we eat out and the food is not as good as me or DH can cook then I am disappointed and annoyed that we paid out good money for no good reason

The atmosphere in a lot of restaurants is not great. Often too hot or too cold, too noisy.

Obviously you can't socialise at a theatre or cinema but you can go to a nice pub. I go to the theatre and cinema with DH and we do more than enough talking other times so no need to talk at either of them

Today am going to Sadler's Wells and seeing world class ballet for £15. Would much rather that than eat the slop that passes for Indian food in most London restaurants bar the expensive ones.

@CaliforniaDrumming

Today am going to Sadler's Wells and seeing world class ballet for £15. Would much rather that than eat the slop that passes for Indian food in most London restaurants bar the expensive ones.

If you like vegetarian Indian food then Sagar is Covent Garden is worth a visit.

Lovely food and very reasonable prices. A meal for 2 there costs less than any of the Indian restaurants near us in East Midlands

I love going out for food... It's so nice to get dressed and go somewhere lovely and have good food.

@mydogisbest I know of that one thank you! And it is pretty good.

See, I really LOVE a good meal out, BUT, it's the thought of making my way home, that I absolutely HATE.

You get nice and full, and you have that lovely glow from having had a few wines, and then, at some point, you have to think about
"The Trek Home".

If we go to one of our local restaurants, it's a 30 minute walk home. Not too bad in summer, but horrid in winter when it's cold and dark, possible windy and raining.

If we go into our nearest City, there are 100's of amazing places to eat, BUT, it's either 40 minutes by bus, or about 30 minutes on the train. Once you've eaten, by the time you walk to the bus stop/train station, wait on it arriving, do the journey, plus whatever onward journey there is after that, I arrive home knackered and the glow of the experience seems to have worn off somewhat.

I clearly need a Chauffeur!

I've never understood the big deal about going out with the intention of publicly stuffing food in.

@thepeopleversuswork

I have to be honest I think this is miserable way to look at the world and I find it depressing.

A meal out is about so much more than the food or the quality of service.

This is a classic example of someone knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

If it's not about the quality of food or service then what? This is precisely why people go out, to eat nice food and enjoy nice ambience (and service is very much a part of that).

Going out for meals is one of my absolute favourite things. That said, I live somewhere with a huge choice of places to eat - if the food or service is crap somewhere, we just don’t go back.

Why on earth would you bring food to Lidl?

@TortugaRumCakeQueen

See, I really LOVE a good meal out, BUT, it's the thought of making my way home, that I absolutely HATE.

You get nice and full, and you have that lovely glow from having had a few wines, and then, at some point, you have to think about
"The Trek Home".

If we go to one of our local restaurants, it's a 30 minute walk home. Not too bad in summer, but horrid in winter when it's cold and dark, possible windy and raining.

If we go into our nearest City, there are 100's of amazing places to eat, BUT, it's either 40 minutes by bus, or about 30 minutes on the train. Once you've eaten, by the time you walk to the bus stop/train station, wait on it arriving, do the journey, plus whatever onward journey there is after that, I arrive home knackered and the glow of the experience seems to have worn off somewhat.

I clearly need a Chauffeur!

Why don't you use taxis? We get taxis to and from everywhere

[quote CaliforniaDrumming]@mydogisbest I know of that one thank you! And it is pretty good.[/quote]
Whenever we go to London we eat there.

Their dosas are gorgeous and something I struggle to make at home

@CaliforniaDrumming

Today am going to Sadler's Wells and seeing world class ballet for £15. Would much rather that than eat the slop that passes for Indian food in most London restaurants bar the expensive ones.

oh yes me too

I love going out to eat. But most places are leaving me feeling very short changed. Far too expensive for what you get.
I prefer a take away curry as there is always some left over for at least 2 lunches.

thepeopleversuswork

I have to be honest I think this is miserable way to look at the world and I find it depressing.

A meal out is about so much more than the food or the quality of service.

This is a classic example of someone knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing“

One way of seeing things.

Ours is: loved, warm home, beloved friends, comfort, ease: a big, fat “ahh” at the door. Menu made with love, that suits all. Fire side coffee, petit fours, reminiscence and a comfy bed to collapse into with no drive at the conclusion.
Really, how is a restaurant better than that?

@Bigbouncingbaby

I love meeting friends for drinks … a coffee etc . A brunch etc but evening meals tend to feel like a rip off . *@Ionlydomassiveones* that sounds stressful 🙈

I totally agree. A good coffee and cake I don't mind paying for but an over priced dinner which I could make at home for a fraction of the price, it's just not worth it I would rather save that cash and spend it on my hair, make up, Botox or new clothes, at least I get the value from those things

"Ours is: loved, warm home, beloved friends, comfort, ease: a big, fat “ahh” at the door. Menu made with love, that suits all. Fire side coffee, petit fours, reminiscence and a comfy bed to collapse into with no drive at the conclusion.
Really, how is a restaurant better than that?"

I would choose the above any day over most restaurants that I've been to

Well it's not unreasonable you either like it or you don't.

Personally it's been one of the things I've missed most during lockdown - I like cooking but having spent lockdown making every single meal at home day in day out I just got so utterly bored of the tedium and drudgery of cooking and washing up, I look forward to meals out so very much. The chance to make something a bit more special than the humdrum and drudgery, pick something I couldn't be bothered to make myself or that we never have at home as DH doesn't like it (he's quite fussy), not have to cook it, not have to clear up, have an aperitif, chat, have a glass of wine, love everything about going out for a meal.