I used to love going out to eat. When I was a kid and we were poor, eating out was a rare event. A few times a year, we’d go to the 5 Points Diner, Leiby’s restaurant out in the country or to a roadside burger shack. My favorite foods were hamburgers, meatball hoagies and French fries. Sometimes on Friday nights, my grandpa or uncle would surprise us with a pizza when they came home from drinking at the bar.
Once I was a teen and able to work steadily, I’d treat myself to McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Duncan Donuts or the local pizza shop. Then when I had girlfriends, I always paid for everything so dining out cost more – but since my girlfriends came from poor families too, they appreciated the same places.
It wasn’t until I started dating my future wife that my taste in restaurants changed. She came from money and introduced me to fine dining. Once I got accustomed to it, I really enjoyed good Italian food, fancy Chinese restaurants, and mid-tier restaurants. I have fond memories of decades of great dates with my wife (and not-so-fond regrets of how much debt I accrued when we really couldn’t afraid those places).
One time, we went to a fancy restaurant with a reputations for the best steaks in Pittsburgh. I always wanted to be go there and finally, after years of hearing about it, made a reservation.
The service was excellent. The atmosphere was too. The prices were high, but not astronomical.
As I ate my steak, I thought, “This is OK, but it is really not any better than a steak I grilled at home.”
I never went back to that restaurant. In fact, I avoided steak restaurants after that experience. When I wanted a good steak, I made it myself at home.
Over the years, as I learned how to be a decent cook, I came adept at making some delicious meals that my wife and I would enjoy with a bottle of wine at home. I liked cooking, we loved being together, and date nights at home – especially on frigid winter nights, were fun.
As the years passed, our dining habits changed. We ate a lot more takeout at home while watching cable, VHS movies and eventually streaming Netflix. We still cooked frequently. Occasionally we’d go out to eat – if we had visitors or it was a special celebration. But eating at home was so comfortable that we preferred it over getting dressed up and sitting in a restaurant.
My eating habits changed again after my wife died.
The first few years, I ate at home. I had no appetite for dining out nor for socializing. Then Covid hit and shut down the world just when I was beginning to build my life as a single man.
In the 5 years since my wife died, I have only eaten out a few times. I had four dinner dates. The food was fine but nothing special. With one exception, my dating experience was too.
I’ve dined out with a friend a few times. The food was, once again, fine, but nothing special.
I got takeout once or twice when I craved Mexican food.
Other than that, I eat at home. Alone with my faithful companion sitting under the table waiting for scraps.
A few weeks ago, I met a friend for lunch at an upscale burger joint that offered “bougie” grass fed beef, ostrich burgers and truffle infused fries.
I got a salad with bacon, eggs, a sliver of cheese and topped with a grass fed, organic burger. It was fine. Nothing special. I thought to myself, “I make a better burger at home.” My friend had Wings and an Ostrich Burger, which he said tasted like a dry hamburger.
The service was pretty lame. Even though she only had us and one other table, our waitress was distracted and inattentive. She didn’t offer to refill our drinks. She forgot to give us silverware and had to be asked for it. When asked about recommendations and her opinion, she told us she hadn’t eaten the food and didn’t know.
To me, there is little point in dining out if the food is mediocre and the service matches.
Fortunately for this restaurant, and many others, most people don’t feel the same way.