Eating Out

Posted on 01/02/2009 at 8:23 am by Bob Cesca

Nate Silver spotted a new Gallup poll that shows a significant decline in eating out among middle class Americans.

Personally, the first thing to go when the economy serious collapsed was restaurant dining. A year or two ago, I ate out maybe three times a week (all local or privately-owned places whenever possible). Earlier this year, though, we cut back to once-a-week. And since September or so, it’s been literally zero. I think we’ve been to a diner once or twice since then, but nothing else.

Most striking, though, is an apparent increase in dining out among Americans earning less than $20K. This is probably fast food.

While restaurant sales declined, McDonald’s November sales were up 7.7 percent worldwide — 4.5 percent in the U.S. — and McDonald’s was one of only two stocks in the DJIA to show an increase in 2008. McDonald’s and the others are spending more on advertising (but I doubt they’re spending more on healthier menu items). And the spazzy white guys in lower Manhattan (SWGILM) are recommending fast food stocks.

Lower-income families need sources of inexpensive food and the fast food places provide it. Whole foods stores, unfortunately, do not. But one thing’s for certain — the economic meltdown is going to make Americans even sicker and more obese than they are today.

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  • jmrunning3

    Also, I wonder if those making less than $20K are working more hours in overtime, thereby having less time to prepare (healthier) meals at home. I have no evidence for that…it’s just a thought.

  • trustno1

    Right on, and worse: traditional food pantry/food bank staples are awful in terms of nutrition (macaroni and cheese, canned and overprocessed canned goods.) Anyone out there that gives to a food bank – consider donating healthy foods.

  • Lyle

    If you have literally been out zero times since September, you couldn’t also have been out once or twice since then. Your shoelace is also untied.

  • http://www.leestranahan.com Lee Stranahan

    In my experience, grocery store prices are also higher in poor neighborhoods. Thankfully in California (and some other states) we have Trader Joe’s markets, which combines healthy, gourmet, international and cheap – cheaper than a regular grocery for most items.

  • Lyle

    There was a report a while back that in some poor neighborhoods there were NO grocery stores, just KFC, Burger King, etc. They had to travel well out of their neighborhoods to get to a grocery store if they wished to buy fruit and vegetables.

  • http://www.leestranahan.com Lee Stranahan

    I will say that all fast food places have some healthier options now…so there’s that.

  • Lee Bryner

    “I will say that all fast food places have some healthier options now…so there’s that.”True, but those are usually the most expensive items on the menu. I noticed this at Taco Bell the other day. They have a “healthy” menu where everything is like a dollar more per item, even though there’s generally less ingredients in them. Go figure.

  • gypsysoul

    options healthier than mystery meat covered with cheese and sauce yes, but i can only imagine the chemicals sprayed on the vegetables they call healthy! also, how many “healthier options” are offered on the dollar menu which i assume are where those higher profits are coming from?

  • http://ekleeman.com idabamaho

    McSpitBurger is up because the upper middle, that routinely lives above it’s means, is stopping at McSpitBurger on the way home instead of spending $40 at Olive Garden or AppleBees. Too bad though, for the price of 3 Big Macs you can make an Olive Garden entree in your own kitchen.

  • bibimimi

    ‘the economic meltdown is going to make Americans even sicker and more obese than they are today’.good christ, this is a truly frightening prospect.

  • jane

    While talking to DP (in the hospital today-send love), I came to realize it needs a name- something like The Six Degrees Of Shit.Every bad thing anyone brings up about society/environment/health/finance/etc can eventually be traced back to this administration and the choices it has made. Maybe only two degrees of Shit are required.

  • lammy

    Since when is Mcdonald’s an inexpensive meal? For 2 people to eat at Mc’D's in Canada it is twenty dollars and you leave hungry. Ironically, it is my kids that insisted that I never eat at McD’s again and I haven’t in a long time.

  • http://www.osborneink.com Matt Osborne

    As one of those under-20k workers, I can tell you the reason we eat more fast food is because we are WORKING at those fast food places.