Top 9 Reasons For Not Eating Out

In the 1860�s, Britain was the first set of fast foods available to the public which was fish & chips. This trend of readily available foods later made its way to the United States which started the drive-through restaurants. But why do people choose to dine out than eating at home?

1. Pricing

Americans love eating out at restaurants. Either that or they hate the grind of cooking, eating at home, and packing their own lunches for work and will do almost anything to avoid all of the above. No matter what the reason, the net result is that we�re eating out more often, and the increase in spending reflects it. Last year spring, sales at restaurants and bars surpassed those of groceries for the first time since such data has been tracked starting in 1992.

We rather trade the brown paper bags for to go doggy bags. Americans were spending an average of approximately 4.5% of their income on eating out. If your yearly income is $40,000, that would work out to $1,800 annually, or $150 each month. By comparison, the U.S Department of Agriculture estimates that a moderate grocery bill for a couple in the U.S. would average just under $600 per month. Where else are you going to make a burger fries and a large drink for $2.00.

2. Luxury

From my childhood there was always this luxury my family adopted where on the weekend we would go out to eat. From the basic fried chicken and fries to a gourmet Asian inspired meal; we would be big foodies and try new places and dishes. Luxury would always be a factor in deciding if someone would eat out or not. In today�s society more young single and recently married people choose to eat out than to stay home and cook. To me, I would prefer cooking because it�s in my blood to cook and create, but to another average person coming home from a hard day at work they would rather pick up some fast food.

I guess for the prices now for dining out we won�t feel that squeeze on our wallets and can afford to exercise some luxury.

3. Diversity

As humans, we are built for adventure and risk taking, so it is only fit that we implement those same skills into the food we eat. I grew up eating Indian food, so I learned Indian and some popular Guyanese dishes from my country. But what if I want to try some crepes from France or dim sum from Taiwan. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on the necessary ingredients; you can just simply grab a friend or the family and go sit down and enjoy different cultures together.

New York is one of the many melting pots of the United States. Everyone from all walks of life finds their home in the concrete jungle, and with them, they bring their culture, experiences and most important food. Just by walking around your nearest food center you�ve been around the world Italian, Chinese, French, Japanese, Trinidadian and many more diverse dishes bringing their own styles.

4. Accessibility

In today�s society, we strive for convenience anything that would make a situation easier we work towards that objective. so it�s no shock to me when people seek that same one step convenience in our meals. Currently, Subway has 44,852 franchises which are the LARGEST fast food restaurant in the world.

Fast food restaurants even offer delivery and modern day technology even got rid of the need to call or drive to your favorite spot. There is a new app called Postmates where you can get someone to do the calling, receiving and delivery of your specific item. It might just be a luxury to seek the easy way out of a situation.

5. Flexibility

Growing up in a family of four, it was always hard to come to an agreed dish to cook. For starters my father and I are allergic to shellfish, I downright hate vegetables (sometimes) and my sister cannot stand anything to do with fish with the exception of fried. Anybody can contest to the struggles of pleasing their family. Take for instance a couple where one is a vegetarian and the other isn�t; separate dishes would be made and double the groceries.

But at any restaurant from fine dining straight down to your favorite food truck stop they cater for everyone. People wth specific food allergies, pescatarians, vegans even children designed meals. This is a major reason why I believe people rather eat out; the variability. I for one love that diversity who would want to be stuck with the same old; plus when I try a new dish that I enjoy, I try to recreate it and put my own twists on things.

What do you think, and would you eat out or stay home and cook? Comment below.

�Once you have to start counting calories, it takes away from the joy of eating� � Mireille Guiliano