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Post by chaosisapony on Jul 11, 2024 1:19:55 GMT
I never do this but I can't seem to stop myself. A conversation sprang up regarding fast food prices. The original poster mentioned that she chooses to eat at local mom & pop restaurants instead because you can get a much better meal for the price. I agreed with her. 3 days later someone has replied to me about reasons why prices have increased. Ok cool, we all know that corporate greed ahem I mean wages, food costs, etc have gone up. Somehow this person is now telling me that I shouldn't be ok eating at small restaurants that are "barely making ends meet" and "just scraping by" because they are charging less and how that "shows my true character." Like what? Going to eat at a small business and contributing to my local economy instead of sending money to a giant corporation for an inferior product is now a poor reflection on my character? Am I supposed to insist on paying them more than they are asking? I'm so confused by this opinion.  So what say the peas? In your area, is it cheaper (or just a couple dollars more) to go to a small restaurant vs fast food? With the increase of fast food pricing have you been eating fast food less and taking your business elsewhere? |
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 11, 2024 1:23:10 GMT
I can get a steak meal for what my kids spend on their food at a fast food joint.
I'm going mom and pop
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Post by mom on Jul 11, 2024 1:25:55 GMT
Except for Chik Fil A, we almost always go to Mom + Pop places. Mainly because our best friends own several restaurants here and we want to support them. But yeah, it's cheaper as well.
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Post by Lexica on Jul 11, 2024 1:32:03 GMT
I don’t know if this is considered fast food, but the only chain restaurant that I eat at is Chipotle. Other than Chipotle, I only eat at small locally owned restaurants because the food is better. I can’t compare the prices with fast food since I don’t know what the fast food places are charging.
And I think your Facebook pal is wrong. I personally think keeping small, locally owned restaurants in business says more positive about your character.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Jul 11, 2024 1:42:31 GMT
Thinking local is best.
However aren't some of the nation chains franchises owned by locals? I guess that might need to be researched to find out.
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Post by chaosisapony on Jul 11, 2024 1:45:36 GMT
I don’t know if this is considered fast food, but the only chain restaurant that I eat at is Chipotle. Other than Chipotle, I only eat at small locally owned restaurants because the food is better. I can’t compare the prices with fast food since I don’t know what the fast food places are charging. And I think your Facebook pal is wrong. I personally think keeping small, locally owned restaurants in business says more positive about your character. I didn't ever go to Chipotle very often but they were one of the first I cut out. Where I live there are tons of tiny Mexican food joints that can make a taco or burrito bowl bigger and cheaper than Chipotle does. My favorite place does a Taco Tuesday deal. I can get six street tacos with rice (and beans if you want, I hate beans) for $9.75. It's two meals worth of food and so much better than any fast food or fast casual place. I'll be super sad if they ever close. |
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Post by katlady on Jul 11, 2024 1:47:58 GMT
I don’t understand that guys logic about not supporting small businesses just because they are struggling?! What??
I guess in general, fast food is more expensive. I know that Panda Express is cheaper than when we order from the mom and pop Chinese place. But we get leftovers from the mom and pop place. The only other fast food chain place we go to on a regular basis is The Habit and Raising Cane. They are both not too expensive. We can get a good deli sandwich from a mom and pop place and that is cheaper than something from Jersey’s Mike.
Some places have always been expensive, like Panera and Chik-fil-a. But places like McDonalds and Jack in the Box used to be really cheap so their current prices are shocking to us.
ETA - mom and pop Mexican places have really raised their prices. Going to get Mexican food meant a cheap meal, like $3 tacos. Now their prices are almost doubled. We still eat there though because the food is good.
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Post by mollycoddle on Jul 11, 2024 1:53:32 GMT
I find that, while prices have gone up everywhere, locally owned places seem to be cheaper. Her argument doesn’t even make any sense. “Spend more, eat at higher priced restaurants” is not a winning slogan.
ETA-I sometimes go to Panera or Aladdins, both of which are chains, but those are the only franchises that I go to. I seldom go to fast food places because I try to eat healthy and don’t want to be tempted to order something…unhealthy. ☺️
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ellen
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,810 
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Post by ellen on Jul 11, 2024 2:01:35 GMT
We pretty much only eat at locally owned restaurants. We live in a rural area and our sit down restaurants are not chains. If we are on a road trip we might stop at a fast food place, but that is pretty much the only time.
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Post by quietgirl on Jul 11, 2024 2:08:23 GMT
Same thing here. Locally owned restaurants, delis and hoagie shops are always better quality, and most often cheaper then national places. By a mile.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 11, 2024 2:18:30 GMT
I don’t understand that guys logic about not supporting small businesses just because they are struggling?! What?? I guess in general, fast food is more expensive. I know that Panda Express is cheaper than when we order from the mom and pop Chinese place. But we get leftovers from the mom and pop place. The only other fast food chain place we go to on a regular basis is The Habit and Raising Cane. They are both not too expensive. We can get a good deli sandwich from a mom and pop place and that is cheaper than something from Jersey’s Mike. Some places have always been expensive, like Panera and Chik-fil-a. But places like McDonalds and Jack in the Box used to be really cheap so their current prices are shocking to us. ETA - mom and pop Mexican places have really raised their prices. Going to get Mexican food meant a cheap meal, like $3 tacos. Now their prices are almost doubled. We still eat there though because the food is good. We order Chinese during the lunch special and then eat it for dinner. Cheaper and leftovers |
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Post by katlady on Jul 11, 2024 2:43:34 GMT
We order Chinese during the lunch special and then eat it for dinner. Cheaper and leftovers We are usually not planning that far ahead.  . |
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Post by smasonnc on Jul 11, 2024 2:50:01 GMT
Mom and Pop all the way, but bickering on the internet is never a good idea.
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Post by Merge on Jul 11, 2024 9:23:06 GMT
Mom and pop or locally owned are our preferences whenever possible.
The person who commented is simply wrong - higher prices at chain restaurants do not translate to higher wages for their workers. Often the opposite is true. Those higher prices tend to buy the CEO a new yacht instead.
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Post by AussieMeg on Jul 11, 2024 9:58:15 GMT
Privately owned restaurants are way more expensive than fast food outlets, but I will always choose the restaurant. I can get a steak meal for what my kids spend on their food at a fast food joint. I'm going mom and pop Wow, I'm coming to live with you!  A steak meal at a restaurant here would be 3 - 4 times more expensive than fast food. |
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peabay
Prolific Pea
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Jun 25, 2014 19:50:41 GMT
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Post by peabay on Jul 11, 2024 10:25:06 GMT
We pretty much only eat at locally owned restaurants. We live in a rural area and our sit down restaurants are not chains. If we are on a road trips we might stop at a fast food place, but that is pretty much the only time. Same. But I live in the suburbs and have plenty of fast food choices - we just think our local restaurants are significantly better. |
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Post by hop2 on Jul 11, 2024 11:06:11 GMT
I can’t eat at fast food restaurants anymore regardless of price due to dietary issues and cross contact.
I HAVE to choose small mom & pop restaurants because there aren’t any chains that take my dietary issue seriously or pay their employees well enough to take cross contact protocols seriously.
Anyway, irregardless of my dietary issues, my money does more at a local place than it does feeding a corporate conglomerate. In addition I try to use cash because imo it goes further than electronic transactions with their fees. I agree with you on this issue, but your never going to convince a nutcase in the internet
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3boysnme
Full Member
Posts: 405
Aug 1, 2023 13:28:26 GMT
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Post by 3boysnme on Jul 11, 2024 11:08:10 GMT
The fast food franchises around here have gone to shit. Not only are their prices higher, but the quality of the food and service have gone downhill. We tend to eat at home these days. But I do agree that supporting the mom and pop restaurants/stores are better for the local economy.
I love to argue with internet strangers when I have the time, but usually only over political posts. If I had seen their comment to you, I'd probably give them a laughing emoji.
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Post by littlemama on Jul 11, 2024 11:23:01 GMT
Thinking local is best. However aren't some of the nation chains franchises owned by locals? I guess that might need to be researched to find out. Yes, and they employ locals as well. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Jul 11, 2024 11:24:25 GMT
I try to buy local whenever possible and that includes food. I would rather support our community's small businesses and I don't mind paying more to do so. I don't really know if I'm paying more, though. The last time I had fast food was months ago and it was simply a breakfast biscuit from McD's for $4. I don't normally go out to breakfast so I'm unclear on a price comparison. I'm a boring, eat oatmeal everyday, kind of person.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jul 11, 2024 11:28:27 GMT
Mom and Pop all the way, but bickering on the internet is never a good idea. I can’t even respond to the original question because I’m having to stop and laugh. If bickering on the internet was avoided, we’d surely miss a good chunk of the threads here… not to mention some very epic ones. |
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Post by melanell on Jul 11, 2024 11:47:30 GMT
Yes, the Mom & Pop places are definitely offering much better value these days. One local place even posted on Facebook recently pointing out that they had not raised their prices over the past two years and apologizing that they had reached a point where they simply had no choice but to do so now. And they received nothing but support on that post. People understood and certainly would rather spend a small bit more than have the long-standing business fold.
As for the person arguing with you---they sound like the type who will say anything just to be able to argue.
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Post by lucyg on Jul 11, 2024 13:30:04 GMT
Mom and Pop all the way, but bickering on the internet is never a good idea. But sometimes it’s my only entertainment for the day. |
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Jul 11, 2024 14:02:41 GMT
I just eat where I want to eat. I'm sure it says alot about my character!
We tend to eat local for breakfast- but that's more because that's what we have available. They think nothing of charging $35 plus tip for 2 for (a nice) breakfast. The food and service can be very spotty.
I was out of my area and looking to eat at 2am about a month ago... I went to IHOP. My food was AWESOME! And it wasn't any more expensive. I feel no guilt lol
As far as lunches- I like Chipotle, Sweetgreen, and a few other chains, fast, easy. For lunch I don't like anything that takes a long time- so I do tend to avoid actual sit downs and menus that take thought.
Dinners, I live in an area where there are alot of local restaurants (I laugh about Mom and Pop... most of these places are owned by hospitality groups.) I rarely rarely eat fast food for dinner (and if I did, it would be one of my "lunch" places because I'm in a hurry.) I like what I like and I am able to choose based on mood and taste, so I do.
If tipping culture and the shock of quickly rising prices (but never ever falling--- eggs drove breakfast pricing through the roof!!) and the whole - get out and buy gift certificates and take out support local places during the pandemic-- showed me that even then the "mom and pop" places were happy to capitalize on a good crisis. It's a business. I support them if I'm in the mood for their guac or their style of pickles on my sandwich- not who owns the place.
I'm not going to feel bad about spending my money where I choose. If your food quality doesn't draw me in the door, your prices and ownership don't even figure into the equation. I mean- isn't the food the point?
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 11, 2024 14:17:56 GMT
We do a mix of fast food and local, just depends on the circumstances surrounding the meal. We mostly eat at home. If we’re on the run we’re likely in a hurry so fast food it is. The mom and pop places we go to are definitely slower service sit down places and sometimes that’s just not an option. I don’t know that they’re any cheaper than the chains because food costs have gone up so much across the board, but the quality tends to be somewhat better. Sometimes I wish we had better options (especially for pizza delivery) but you take what you get where we live because there aren’t multiple choices.
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scrappinmama
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,127
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Post by scrappinmama on Jul 11, 2024 14:21:20 GMT
Small business if you can do it. I even prefer small business for home repairs. The price and service is always better. We do eat out on the weekends. Sometimes it's a small business, sometimes not. It just depends on what we want to eat.
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Tearisci
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Nov 6, 2018 16:34:30 GMT
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Post by Tearisci on Jul 11, 2024 14:22:57 GMT
I do mom and pop places for breakfast because we have a lot of options in our town. It's definitely not cheaper than fast food for breakfast as I think that's one of the meals that FF does cheaper.
If I go out for dinner or get take out, it's likely local too since I tend to get Indian or Thai. My parents like to go to Olive Garden but I don't really do a lot of chain restaurants. I'm not opposed to it, I just have better local options.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 11, 2024 14:58:44 GMT
Privately owned restaurants are way more expensive than fast food outlets, but I will always choose the restaurant. I can get a steak meal for what my kids spend on their food at a fast food joint. I'm going mom and pop Wow, I'm coming to live with you! A steak meal at a restaurant here would be 3 - 4 times more expensive than fast food. Well, my kids have to get a meal plus...so at Chick fil A, they get a sandwich meal and an order of chicken nuggets... |
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Post by Merge on Jul 11, 2024 15:26:11 GMT
I do mom and pop places for breakfast because we have a lot of options in our town. It's definitely not cheaper than fast food for breakfast as I think that's one of the meals that FF does cheaper. Nah. Breakfast tacos from the local hole in the wall place, or bagels from the mom and pop place, both cheaper and better than chain fast food IMO. But not available everywhere. |
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 11, 2024 15:33:19 GMT
I would say mom and pop is the correct answer, but do what you like.
If time and convenience work for you better some days, go fast food. If you want better food and have the time, do mom and pop. People on the internet all have such different experiences, education, and biases. Don't let someone get into your head.
Last night we went out to a sit down restaurant. We watched the entire first half of the soccer game before our food came out (50+ minutes) and we waited a good 15 minutes to order. Our waiter was super attentive, and the place was maybe 50% capacity. We both wanted to get out of there fast, but I was craving a steak. Don't think we'll be going back there for a good while.
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. 
A steak meal at a restaurant here would be 3 - 4 times more expensive than fast food. 
