| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 12:40:15 PM
Found this article in our evening edition of the Cincinnati Enquirer. It's about America's love of eating out, opposed to making a "proportioned" and family oriented meal at home...Interesting, but disappointing.
By Jon Ortiz
Sacramento Bee
Forget apple pie and hot dogs. America's favorite food is anything - as long as it's to go.
Takeout always has been popular, but U.S. consumers are now ordering takeout meals more than ever and demand is moving up the food chain past burger joints, pizza parlors and Chinese restaurants to casual eateries and even some high-end establishments. According to newly released statistics, the trend is forcing everyone in the nation's $537 billion restaurant industry - sandwich shop owners and high-end steakhouses alike - to rethink their businesses.
"Americans now use restaurants like their parents traditionally used grocery stores," said Harry Balzer, food industry expert with NPD Group, a consumer marketing research firm in Port Washington, N.Y. "Restaurants have become places to get food to eat somewhere else."
The country's transformation into a takeout nation starts with its growing disdain for the kitchen. Americans spend 48 percent of their food dollars on restaurant fare, according to the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association, up from about 25 percent 50 years ago.
Put another way: The average American ate 208 meals prepared outside the home last year, NPD Group estimates.
Americans gobbled down an average 127 to-go meals per person in 2006, compared with 81 eaten inside a restaurant, NPD Group said. More than a third of restaurant customers - 37 percent - used curbside takeout from sit-down restaurants. The industry has enjoyed 5 to 6 percent annual growth for several years.
Restaurant customers like Clarksburg, Calif., resident Dave Nashida are part of the trend. Nashida weekly uses Applebee's curbside service.
"I can make a call and pop up here on my way home," he said as he recently picked up a $20 order.
Fast food still dominates takeout - it makes up as much as 70 percent of a typical McDonald's business - but demand for to-go meals has grown for such franchises as Chili's Grill & Bar, Romano's Macaroni Grill, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina.
Takeout now accounts for about 12 percent of business for restaurants with receipts averaging $10 to $23 per person, the so-called "casual dining" segment, said New York-based restaurant industry consultant Malcolm M. Knapp. More business is on the way. About four of 10 restaurant operators who offer table service think their takeout traffic will grow this year, the National Restaurant Association reported.
Casual dining chains dabbled with takeout menus in the 1970s, but most focused more on bar-served drinks and appetizers bought while customers waited for a table. Takeout, most restaurant operators reasoned, would cut into that business.
But about 10 years ago, harried Americans started placing greater value on time and convenience. New "fast casual" players like Starbucks sprang up offering quick counter service while promising better food and atmosphere. Suddenly, midlevel restaurants had a wait problem.
Chili's was among the first to respond with restaurants featuring dedicated entrances, parking and a counter for takeout. Six years ago, Outback Steakhouse Inc. introduced curbside service.
Knapp, the industry consultant, said Outback's goal was to slowly grow its takeout business to 5 percent of overall sales. The company, now a unit of OSI Partners Inc., hit that target in one year.
By 2004, full-service chains pulled in an estimated $14 billion from takeout, nearly equal to the combined business of Wendy's and Burger King.
Today, more than nine out of 10 family dining and casual dining restaurants offer takeout, according to industry figures.
About three-quarters of fine dining establishments offer takeout, up from almost none 20 years ago.
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sweet Harvest Homestead |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 6:42:26 PM
I don't know how she did it, my mother worked along with my father but we ALWAYS had a nice meal on the table every night. Good eats like pot roast and veggies. We also ate homemade Biscuits for almost every meal. We never had a weight problem because we were always outside riding our bikes or just playing hard.
There have been several deaths in our area from E-coli at local eateries. That in itself makes me want to take all of my meals at home.
www.sweetharvesthomestead.typepad.com |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 2:42:44 PM
I wouldn't be suprised if it is Cristine! I mean, when you have little to no money to begin with and you have to "find" money for food that you then get from a fast food place- it puts a huge amount of stress on the whole family. And it doesn't take very long to eat that type of food so the family is once again up and running to a new location again. Or even worse- you eat in the car or people take the food and eat elsewhere. It is always packaged to be portable so you don't need plates and forks...
But if you cook a dinner you usually sit down to eat as a family since it has a optimum eating time where the food tastes best, and since it isn't all packaged it takes longer to serve, eat and clean up after. All that time is a prime time to chat and catch up as a family.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
| MsCwick |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 12:46:16 PM
The other night on the news, they were talking about the 2 year olds that love french fries, and they actually suggested to use a McDonald's wrapper to wrap up things like carrots and celery because kids associate good food in that kind of wrapper. Isnt that corny?
I am young and have no kids, but I am under the influence that eating out is still a treat, but not for toddlers. Working with my husband caused us LOTS of eating out, and then one day we were just about out of money to keep eating out for three meals a day and I spent 20 bucks on deli meat, cheese, bread, ships, and snacks and drinks, and that was enough for the WHOLE week! the same 20 bucks that would have been gone at ONE meal!!
Could this fast food nation be the cause of the decline of happy families?
Cristine
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| Alee |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 12:11:56 PM
About the only fast food place that I would eat at pretty regularly would be Taco Johns. Or at least the one in my home town. They make almost everything from scratch and just put some seasoning packets in the meat and beans that are Taco Johns Brand. They fry the taco shells and chips there- not pre packaged. So if you are careful about what you eat- it can actually be pretty healthy.
But for the most part I don't like fast food and prefer to eat at home. And I would rather save our money so se can go have a uber nice meal that costs $$$ once or twice a year because those are memorable and usually really good... when what the last time you had a "memorable" dining experience at fast food that was a good experience?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 11:22:55 AM
I'm trying to think about what I ate after school because we just didn't have fast food options--I think McDonalds and Wendy's were about the only fast food places in our town, and they were miles across town from where we lived. We were also pretty poor, and even though my mom was a box-mix cook, and worked every single day out of the home, I had carrots and celery with peanut butter, or salami sandwiches, or something like that. Never fast food at my disposal. I also took my lunch to school (usually fried balogna), apples and cheese. That was about all I'd eat at that time. I remember my dad saying he would never eat at McDonalds because he'd heard (urban myth) that their burgers were made with ground up worms!!!!  Pretty funny for a depression era father! I've actually never forgotten that, and it may very well be the subconscious deterrent that keeps me from eating McDonalds!
Even when we were all going in twenty different directions, and dinner ended up being at 9:00 at night, we were all seated at the table to eat it.
You know, I've noticed that there are a great deal of obesity issues in lower income homes, in our area. Now, we could probably classify as lower middle to upper lower income (confusing?)--not on any public assistance, but we don't make a lot. The money I DO spend, like Tracy said, is well spent--$50.00 at the grocery goes a long way to buy the right things, fresh foods, meats and staples. Our farmers market even offers discounts and free vegetables to families on public assistance.
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 11:12:42 AM
I know this story from heart. When my dh & I both worked outside the home, most of our after work hours were tied up in school and after school activities for our kids, then a stack of homework so high it was sometimes 11pm before my ELEMENTARY school kids got in bed. Money was really tight, so we sat down and did the recommended 'Right down everything you spend for three months'. Talk about an eye-opener. Those cheap McDonald's burgers weren't so cheap after all. It took six months of serious cut backs, plus paying off my car, then in went my resignation. I actually ended up better off without a paycheck, than with it. Most of mine went to gas for my car, clothing for my job and an after school babysitter. (No way was I trusting MY two at home alone, even for a couple of hours!) Now, even though its just dh & I at home, you will still frequently see a weekly menu on my fridge. As far as snacks for my kids, they didn't do the drive-thru number, either. I bought inexpensive plastic storage containers and made jello, Kool-Ade popsicles, fresh fruit, and other easy, cheap snacks. Besides, how many of you have even eaten a GOOD meal in a restaurant lately?
from the hearts of paradise... |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 11:06:56 AM
That is just sad. Wow. so sad.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| mommatracy |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 10:33:36 AM
I know what you mean. I read somewhere a while back that by the time a child is 2yrs old their favotite food is french fries! I guess if that is what they are use to then it's moms fault. When my children were growing up I use to see the line at McDonalds stretch out across the parking lot when school let out. Parents were going through drive up to feed the kids after school! My girls would want to go and I put my foot down. I almost always made sure that I had good nutritional snacks at home for them after school. Choice of cut up fresh fruit and veggies, homemade cookies ( limited how many) small sandwich with alot of lettuce,tomatoe,small amt. roasted chicken on it, peanut butter on crackers, milk,tea, lemonade,etc. We ate together as a family everyeving possible. I love to cook so that was no problem for me. My girls to this day talk about how wonderful it smelled in our house because there was always something good cooking on the stove. Daughters didm't have weight issues either. I also didn't let them vegetate in front of the TV. My MIL said that she didn't think anyone cooked any more! You are right about people spending too much money eating out. A fifty dollar food bill at a restaurant can be better spent buying groceries that will last more than one meal. |
| Annie S |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 2:22:25 PM
I was a single mother of two kids back in the dark ages and I worked downtown Minneapolis and had an hours bus ride back home, but I always made my kids their dinner either before or after their activities from school. I was tired yes, but that didn't stop me from making them a good meal. We never just ran out and ate at a fast food place. When my daughter was in high school she worked at McDonalds and said she would NEVER eat at those places cause she new what went into everything. My son worked at Taco Bell and said the same thing. They would always wait until they got home and then eat. Once a month we would go out to eat, but it was at a nice place and it was a treat for us.
I agree Alee, I have grandkids that I worry about because their parents do the easy thing and always go out to fast food places about 5 times a week. That's way too much, but they give the excuse that they're just too busy to cook. I think it's just being too lazy on their part. When they see us there's no junk food at all - only good things to eat.
Peace and love,
Annie
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| Alee |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 1:24:26 PM
This is really sad. I might not have learned a lot of sewing skills from school or at home, but I _did_ learn how to cook! I like to eat out occasionally as a _treat_ but not as an every day occurance. When I work at the hotel they give you a free meal if your shift is over 4 hrs long. I appreciate the food, but ugh...I always think "I could have made this so much better and with less grease."
I want Nora to be a happy, healthy, active kid and I believe that we lead by example. In my family growing up, we only ate out on a rare occasion and I still feel like eating out is a treat.
I wonder when and why American families decided that they were to busy to take care of their own bodies?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 1:12:07 PM
I'm not sure--I believe they do, but it's called something with "science" in the title. I'm sure they teach a little about cooking, but mostly they teach about taking care of an egg...at least, that's what I understand from our runner, here at the office. She just graduated and spent a week babysitting an egg to represent a child.
I just keep thinking about obesity in today's children (and adults). I mean, ok, so some of these places offer "light" options, but who really chooses them? Especially at an average cost of $10.00 per dinner? I just feel that when you cook at home, you know what's in your meal. You have better control of the ingredients, as long as you're cooking made from scratch or somewhat made from scratch meals, not something prepared from a box.
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| Woodswoman |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 1:09:05 PM
I saw this on the news the other day.
Troubling in and of itself, but more so to me because I wasn't really surprised.
I have a great-aunt who is 94 and very independent and outspoken. The other day she said to me "I don't get this childhood obesity thing. Why don't people make their kids work in the garden and eat what comes out of it? That'd take care of it.". Boy, she makes me laugh, and what a grain of truth! |
| Annie S |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 12:56:04 PM
This is also why so many family finances are in trouble - they spend so much $$$ on eating out instead of having a sit down family dinner. And of course they give excuses as to why they can't cook, etc. - but it doesn't take that much more time to fix a good meal and sit down as a family for dinner. And save some money in the process. If you go onto some of the web-sites for being frugal, you'll read about how families have stopped going out to eat except for maybe once a month and discover how much money they save. They use that extra money to pay off bills and get caught up with their finances. If this keeps up, out kids and grandkids won't know how to cook at all. Do they even teach cooking in home-ec classes any more? Do they even have home-ec classes in high schools these day?
Peace and love,
Annie |
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