Restaurant Dining

[Dtail]

Its funny, here in Wyoming where I live, its windy. Nobody really offers outdoor dining in my area. We talked about it at length when I was designing our downtown revitalization project about 10 years ago. None of the restaurants wanted to offer outdoor dining because everyone would have the wind blowing coal dust and sand into your mashed potatoes. I thought it was pretty funny.

Now there's a quote for living in Wyoming.

 

[meleana]

We live in NH and as soon as restaurants opened we went- indoors. Have been going all year- indoors- with no issues- masks or no masks. Most had tables distanced but honestly even if they were closer it wouldn’t have bothered us. Some also have that plexiglass between booths.

We have also sat at the bar with some food or just drinks.

 

[2retireearly]

We live in NH and as soon as restaurants opened we went- indoors. Have been going all year- indoors- with no issues- masks or no masks. Most had tables distanced but honestly even if they were closer it wouldn’t have bothered us. Some also have that plexiglass between booths.

We have also sat at the bar with some food or just drinks.

In Virginia we still have to wear masks inside. Just last week, the bar area of the restaurants opened...BUT, the seats at the bar, between parties, need to be 6 ft apart. I'm not sure how most can do that...but most are happy that they are getting at least a few more seats to use. They need to make more money to survive, and I'm happy to help them!!

 

[Vacation4us]

Call me weird but I hate eating outside. Who wants to swat at flies or have one land on their food? Yuck

While in the Bay Area we ate outside in June for DH birthday. We both decided it wasn’t worth it. It was warm windy and the parking lot freeway view did nothing for the ambience.

We ate at home 99% of the time since Covid started.

Two nights ago we decided to go out to eat. There was the big tent. I looked at DH and said if we can’t eat inside I want to eat the leftovers at home. He agreed. Capacity was at 50% which seemed ridiculous since they have installed glass between all the booths but the table in front of the booth was filled. Only every other table open. I would have rather had others in the booths with glass barriers instead of 3 feet from us. But such is the ridiculousness of the times we live in.

Looking forward to having life go back to normal, Please let it be soon!

 

[W2R]

Much to our surprise, out of the blue, yesterday Louisiana lifted the statewide mask mandate (except for schools, and a few other exceptions) starting today. This is in response to a lessening of the pandemic here. New Orleans proper still has its own mask mandate for now. We live a mile outside the city line, so in our suburb individual restaurants can impose their own rules if they want. And of course individuals are free to mask if they prefer.

Going for lunch at our favorite mom'n'pop Italian restaurant in an hour or two. I assume that they are completely floored by this like we are, and haven't changed any rules.

 

[Reese]

Living in Texas I have been dining out (if places are open) or using drive-thru since the beginning of the pandemic non-stop. If they require a mask I definitely wear one. Traveling thru East Texas some restaurants do not require masks so I have gone with the flow. It's been an interesting experience.

 

[W2R]

Going for lunch at our favorite mom'n'pop Italian restaurant in an hour or two. I assume that they are completely floored by this like we are, and haven't changed any rules.

They were too crowded, probably because we got there earlier than usual. There was not even one space in the parking lot! Plus we avoid crowds during these pandemic days. So, we changed our plans and instead went to our second favorite cheap restaurant. It had a chalkboard at the front door with "MASKS ON" in big letters. So, no changes at the second favorite restaurant thus far.

We split a grilled chicken wrap, which was $9.98, and we had water to drink. So including tax + tip, it came to $6 each, same as always. So glad they haven't been hit by inflation or at least they aren't passing it on to customers via higher prices. There was only one other table with customers, way across the room, and they were masked up except when eating.

 

[Koolau]

Call me weird but I hate eating outside. Who wants to swat at flies or have one land on their food? Yuck

<SNIP>

We ate at home 99% of the time since Covid started.

<SNIP>

Looking forward to having life go back to normal, Please let it be soon!

Yep, we've eaten more at home than any time in my life since I left my family's home in 1970. It has it's own charm though neither DW nor I particularly like to cook or much know how to cook. We're more of the one-dish type cookers with maybe a salad on the side.

I'm with you. I never much liked eating outside. Too many bugs. When we first visited the Islands, we thought we didn't have bugs here. What I found out was that we have them but when the trades blow, it's too windy for them to light effectively. So, we did adapt somewhat to outside eating for the past several years (pre-Covid.) But, of course, there was the issue of paper napkins blowing away! NO place is perfect - not even Paradise.

Yes, my daily prayer is that it will "just go back to normal soon." YMMV

 

[gayl]

After a few weeks I seem to dine in the parklets once a week. I have a new favorite Locust St (Brioche du Paris).

 

[mn54]

I've definitely been more willing to splurge on high quality seafood and meat for home. It's going to be tough for area restaurants to beat. We really only had two restaurants that we occasionally visited anyway.

That 3.5 pound whole red snapper cost a bunch! But HEB was happy to scale it for me and did a great job. We roasted it whole with Veracruz sauce. It was so delicious! Red snapper has this amazing silky texture. And we actually got 4 meals off of it! It was good to the very last bite.

And I rarely drank wine at a restaurant because they usually can't touch my cellar at home.

And you knew you were getting red snapper. restaurants have been known to say you are getting red snapper, etc, only to substitute a cheaper variety of fish.

 

[mn54]

They were too crowded, probably because we got there earlier than usual. There was not even one space in the parking lot! Plus we avoid crowds during these pandemic days. So, we changed our plans and instead went to our second favorite cheap restaurant. It had a chalkboard at the front door with "MASKS ON" in big letters. So, no changes at the second favorite restaurant thus far.

We split a grilled chicken wrap, which was $9.98, and we had water to drink. So including tax + tip, it came to $6 each, same as always. So glad they haven't been hit by inflation or at least they aren't passing it on to customers via higher prices. There was only one other table with customers, way across the room, and they were masked up except when eating.

tax and tip came to $2! I know how tough it is for those food service workers to make a living. I couldn't do that unless the service really was terrible. even if the meal came to only $10 your server is still checking to see if everything is all right, re-filling your water glasses, etc.

 

[Gumby]

And you knew you were getting red snapper. restaurants have been known to say you are getting red snapper, etc, only to substitute a cheaper variety of fish.

I like to look my seafood in the eye, to see if it is fresh and to see that it is exactly what I want.

 

[gayl]

.... split a grilled chicken wrap, which was $9.98, and we had water to drink. So including tax + tip, it came to $6 each, ...

20% on a low price point meal sounds rough but it is 20%

 

[W2R]

tax and tip came to $2! I know how tough it is for those food service workers to make a living. I couldn't do that unless the service really was terrible. even if the meal came to only $10 your server is still checking to see if everything is all right, re-filling your water glasses, etc.

Hey, I'd say "everything ok?" when walking by for $2. The water glasses are big so no need to re-fill. There isn't any "etc" since this is the type of place where you order and get your meal at the counter. Nobody has any complaints about this (locally more than standard) 20% tip except for you.

I don't think you'd say what you did if you were here and knew the situation. It's hard to tell on the internet.

20% on a low price point meal sounds rough but it is 20%

Thanks. I deleted my post because even though it was under $10, it was only 2 cents under $10. I'm tired tonight and goofed.

 

[tmm99]

I am also in Ontario, and am hoping that it will only be 16 weeks apart, but considering how many screw ups that we have had in the rollout, I will not be surprised if it is longer. From a glass half-full perspective, I reconcile this by saying that we are adding to the body of scientific knowledge of population wide effectiveness for longer time between doses...LOL!

I had my first AZ shot in early March as part of a trial roll out in pharmacies. We shall see if I get the second one by July.

I seem to recall reading about a study that showed immunity with the AZ shot actually increased after 2 weeks, peaking many weeks later, but like everything else with this virus, we are still on the steep part of the learning curve with the vaccines as well.

One shot is better than nothing, but it hasn't changed anything in our personal behaviours yet.

I hope you can get your 2nd shot in time. Mine is Pfizer and I'm scheduled to get my 2nd shot in August - It looks like we'll have enough Pfizer vaccines coming in, but I'm not sure about AZ (the shipment has been delayed.) The UK is doing a study (or studies) on the effect of mixing vaccines - The news here said we're supposed to have some results published in the next couple of weeks. BTW, our forum Alan is in one of the studies in the UK and he has a thread.

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f55/mix-and-match-vaccine-trial-108890-2.html#post2603147

 

[RetireeRobert]

Ate inside at an Applebee's last weekend. Nice. Got one of their 2 for $22 entree deals, so I had a steak at the restaurant, then took home a grilled oriental chicken salad entree, and my choice of appetizer which was two side salads. Had a side salad each day for lunch two days in a row. And since the grilled oriental chicken salad is enough to make two dinners for me, I effectively got five meals for the $22!

 

[Koolau]

Ate inside at an Applebee's last weekend. Nice. Got one of their 2 for $22 entree deals, so I had a steak at the restaurant, then took home a grilled oriental chicken salad entree, and my choice of appetizer which was two side salads. Had a side salad each day for lunch two days in a row. And since the grilled oriental chicken salad is enough to make two dinners for me, I effectively got five meals for the $22!

I really miss their "Brownie Bite" - about half a brownie with about half a scoop of vanilla ice cream (last time on the mainland) it was $1. The perfect ender to any of their meals. I believe they are still closed here but YMMV.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow, met friends at a restaurant today! They had nice covered outdoor seating in a deck over the river. Not crowded at all. Very comfortable with the fans going. Wish the food were better but it was our friends’ favorite place and was certainly a comfortable place to visit with them.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Applebee's oriental chicken salad is good. So are their Margaritas [emoji484].

 

[NW-Bound]

We have not been to a restaurant in ages.

I had been craving for a chimichanga, and proposed to take the whole family, meaning my wife, daughter, son-in-law, and son, to a Mexican restaurant. We were all fully vaccinated, but my son-in-law was still very afraid of Covid.

We ended with ordering takeouts, and ate at home. I made a pitcher of Margarita using French orange liqueur, and we had a good time.

 

[W2R]

Our favorite restaurant was so full today that we couldn't even find parking there today! Traffic was thick, moving fast, and beyond insane but somehow we managed to go to our #2 restaurant and had a nice lunch. Seriously the traffic on the way home was so bad that we ended up essentially pushed onto I-10 and couldn't get off for several exits. We hadn't even planned to get on I-10 in the first place! I told F, half joking, that maybe we'd end up in Mississippi before we could exit the interstate and get back to surface streets. He did some daring maneuvers and managed to get off before we went that far.

Seems like the entire city has decided all at once that with the mask rules and other restrictions regarding restaurants (recently) rescinded, it's time to go out for lunch. I read somewhere (maybe in a post here?) that restaurants in many regions within the US are suddenly seeing similar crowds, and that they are having a hard time keeping food stocked.

 

[audreyh1]

We have not been to a restaurant in ages.

I had been craving for a chimichanga, and proposed to take the whole family, meaning my wife, daughter, son-in-law, and son, to a Mexican restaurant. We were all fully vaccinated, but my son-in-law was still very afraid of Covid.

We ended with ordering takeouts, and ate at home. I made a pitcher of Margarita using French orange liqueur, and we had a good time.

Is your son-in-law vaccinated? OK I see your post says he is.

I’m still not comfortable eating inside a loud crowded busy restaurant. Too many people, too much noise! Local cases still too high.

When our local average new reported daily cases drop to about 3/100,000, I’ll consider it. Otherwise outside dining if plenty of space, or maybe mostly empty indoor dining.

I bet your ambiance at home was superior anyway.

 

[CardsFan]

Just got back from 3 weeks in Cape Coral. Ate out at least 5 times/week. I am sure we spent more on dining out on this trip than the past 2 years combined.

Mostly (75%?) outside, but that was more by choice of the weather. It was wonderful.

FYI, we are both vaccinated (Pfizer).

Wasn't this the reason to get a vaccine? To get back to normal?

 

[audreyh1]

It’s not 100% normal yet. The vaccine doesn’t give you that “normal” until most folks are vaccinated.

Unfortunately normal isn’t conferred on an individual basis.

 

[Alan]

Restaurants opened up here 5 days ago. We have been in a restaurant or cafe 6 times. Meeting our son for breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants tomorrow.

It’s great.