Anyone Else Soured on Dining Out?

[Rummy]

The weekly local farmers market has an Amish owned and staffed take out food operation. Choices include roasted chicken, whole, halves, and quarters. Shrimp, BBQ ribs, roast beef, and many breaded and fried selections. All platters come with two vegetables and a slice of cornbread.
I order a platter of a roasted chicken quarter (leg and thigh) with two baked potatoes. At home I'll divide the quarter in two with one potato each for two separate meals and add a small salad too. Cost is $11.65 tax included.

 

[CaptTom]

The weekly local farmers market has an Amish owned and staffed take out food operation...

Oh, wow, that sounds delicious!

Farmers markets have joined the list of places we never go any more.

Around here, they're no longer a place for farmers to sell above wholesale, and customers to buy below retail. At those rare stalls which do sell actual, local farm products, the prices are way above retail, and the quality is no better than the supermarket. Most of the stalls are overpriced arts and crafts.

 

[Chuckanut]

Oh, wow, that sounds delicious!

Farmers markets have joined the list of places we never go any more.

Around here, they're no longer a place for farmers to sell above wholesale, and customers to buy below retail. At those rare stalls which do sell actual, local farm products, the prices are way above retail, and the quality is no better than the supermarket. Most of the stalls are overpriced arts and crafts.

Occasionally, the farmer's market near me has a few items the local big box grocery stores don't have, such as different types of asparagus. But, overall the variety and prices are nothing to write home about.

There are lots of food trucks selling fried taco rolls,noodle dishes, and other ethnic foods for 8 to 10 dollars each. I took my daughter and grand daughter to one last year - $45 for three plates of some kind of noodles, three canned sodas and we got eat them standing around or sitting on the grass. No thanks.

They are fun to visit and people watch, but nothing special in regards to the what they have.

 

[Koolau]

Unless you work near a Costco.

But not exactly low salt.

 

[audreyh1]

The weekly local farmers market has an Amish owned and staffed take out food operation. Choices include roasted chicken, whole, halves, and quarters. Shrimp, BBQ ribs, roast beef, and many breaded and fried selections. All platters come with two vegetables and a slice of cornbread.
I order a platter of a roasted chicken quarter (leg and thigh) with two baked potatoes. At home I'll divide the quarter in two with one potato each for two separate meals and add a small salad too. Cost is $11.65 tax included.

Awesome!

I once went to an Amish market with a cousin and the quality of the vegetables for sale was superb! Like home grown.

They had an amazing variety of heirloom tomatoes. Was so jealous I didn’t live nearby.

 

[CaptTom]

There are lots of food trucks...

I've noticed that too. Food trucks used to be cheap eats, sometimes quite good, sometimes not. Word got out about the good ones. They became fashionable.

Now it's just a gimmick. Over-hyped, over-rated, over-priced. No thanks.

 

[harllee]

I frequently eat at food trucks and enjoy them. There are 2 wineries near my mountain cabin that we visit that have music in the afternoons and food trucks with excellent food.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Our food trucks are expensive, never anywhere to sit and food just okay.

 

[Badger]

I've noticed that too. Food trucks used to be cheap eats, sometimes quite good, sometimes not. Word got out about the good ones. They became fashionable.

Now it's just a gimmick. Over-hyped, over-rated, over-priced. No thanks.

I have always associated food trucks in the same way. My wife even ran a food truck decades ago when she was young. It was just prepared sandwiches and cold soft drinks. Not exactly the same as today but qualifies just like a hot dog stand. It was something to provide a quick lunch at construction sites. The food trucks today I think of as what you would find at the county fairs and not something I would frequent. Yes, I know there can be a few that are clean and provide a tasty meal but the costs seem to be as much as a restaurant. There are quite a few taco trucks but again the prices are not any better. These small-time entrepreneurs have overhead too so I hope they are successful
People seem to enjoy them around here especially the surfers and sun bathers at the taco trucks so it's nice to have them around for something other than McD.

Cheers!

Cheers!

 

[Rocket Man]

DW and I have cut back our eating out to once or twice a week. We have also noticed the generally lower quality together with much higher prices. Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera are places we went to several years ago, but no more. The food trucks we have tried in our area our fairly high priced with average or worse quality. The food quality at our local golf course has gone downhill while the prices have gone way uphill. There is a good locally owned Mexican restaurant that still has reasonable prices which we eat at about twice a month. Also a pretty good locally owned American food restaurant that has reasonable prices, especially for breakfast. That is about it. Overall, we can eat much higher quality and healthier food at home for much less money, which we choose to do.

 

[FindingForward]

I've noticed that too. Food trucks used to be cheap eats, sometimes quite good, sometimes not. Word got out about the good ones. They became fashionable.

Now it's just a gimmick. Over-hyped, over-rated, over-priced. No thanks.

They are all over the place in my area - many helmed by top name chefs. It cracks me up, as I'm from the era where food served from a truck was called a "roach coach". I don't think these culinary masters would quite appreciate that.

 

[Dtail]

Some food trucks near us have very good tasty food, but are on the expensive side.

 

[aja8888]

The only food trucks we see around here are run by Hispanic folks and serve Mexican fare, which I hear is pretty good.

 

[old medic]

We have a local Pizza joint that we have frequented for over 35 years, 2-3 times a year. Covid stopped that but met up with a few friends the there other day.
5 of us, 1 Tea, 2 beers and 2 waters, order of fried pickles, and a large meat lovers pizza..
$68... last time I was there, same order, except enough beers that DW drove home $40

 

[Chuckanut]

Fried pickles?? With pizza Well at least they are not on the pizza like p*$^a#&!e is.

The best burritos I ever had came from a lovely Mexican lady who ran a food truck. They were truly wonderful and I have never had them any place else. She made up her version of a thick posole soup (more like a stew than a soup), spooned in generously into the burrito, folded it and there you go. Heaven on Earth.

 

[CaptTom]

... I'm from the era where food served from a truck was called a "roach coach"...

Ditto. Dined from one at many a job site.

The only food trucks we see around here are run by Hispanic folks and serve Mexican fare, which I hear is pretty good.

Now that kind of truck I'd try. I'm always looking for authentic ethnic food. And if it's made by locals, for locals, you're unlikely to see the inflated prices you'd see at the more "fashionable" trucks.

 

[Pellice]

Here in NJ they are "grease trucks." And I think mostly bad. One celebrated one is colloquially known as "the empanada guy," but I have tried his empanadas, and they are greasy with hardened exteriors. Most trucks are offering variations of deep fried dough stuffed with a little something. What are alternatives to deep fried stuffed items?

 

[Music Lover]

Fried pickles?? With pizza Well at least they are not on the pizza like p*$^a#&!e is.

I know of a pizza restaurant that has a cheeseburger pizza with pickles and mustard on it. It's their top seller.

Call me crazy but I like pineapple on pizza.

 

[Scuba]

Here in NJ they are "grease trucks." And I think mostly bad. One celebrated one is colloquially known as "the empanada guy," but I have tried his empanadas, and they are greasy with hardened exteriors. Most trucks are offering variations of deep fried dough stuffed with a little something. What are alternatives to deep fried stuffed items?

I’ve been to some pretty darn tasty food trucks that served things like:
- lobster rolls
- various types of mac & cheese
- tacos

Nothing deep fried that I recall, but there may have been a chicken wings truck. I agree with other posters that the better food trucks can be expensive but it’s kind of fun to go with a group and everyone can get what appeals to them.

 

[Koolau]

I know of a pizza restaurant that has a cheeseburger pizza with pickles and mustard on it. It's their top seller.

Call me crazy but I like pineapple on pizza.

Okay. You're crazy! I'm from Hawaii and I HATE pineapple on pizza (full disclosure: DW LIKEs pineapple on pizza - go figure.)

 

[CardsFan]

Okay. You're crazy! I'm from Hawaii and I HATE pineapple on pizza (full disclosure: DW LIKEs pineapple on pizza - go figure.)

Which means, of course, you always order pineapple on your pizza

 

[old medic]

I know of a pizza restaurant that has a cheeseburger pizza with pickles and mustard on it. It's their top seller.

Call me crazy but I like pineapple on pizza.

They have one called " The Hawaiian Volcano"
Ham Pineapple and Jalapenos.... Its my 2nd choice.

 

[Music Lover]

They have one called " The Hawaiian Volcano"
Ham Pineapple and Jalapenos.... Its my 2nd choice.

We make a lot of homemade pizza. The wife has ham and mushroom, I have ham, pineapple, and bacon.

 

[aja8888]

I'm Old Skool!

Pizza has Italian sauce (homemade), mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and sausage. All that fruit and pork stuff is not happening.

 

[GTFan]

For the cheapskates here like me, Subway is giving away 1 million 6" subs on 7/12, starting at 10am. First 50 people in each store.

We ate at Cracker Barrel for lunch yesterday and I like their meatloaf, wife got the chicken and dumplings. Tab was only $15+tip, can't beat that.