[Leanan]

Hungry for customers

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'G')ot a hankering for an Outback steak but the budget for a Big Mac?

Apparently, many folks feel that way, as the slowing economy dulls the nation's appetite for casual dining. For the first time in years, the $70 billion casual dining industry — sit-down eateries that generally serve alcohol and sell entrees from $10 to $20 — is taking a hit.

[Eli]

The service sector is one of the few bright spots in the US economy and has been adding lots of jobs.

As these new higher oil prices work there way through the economy these casual dining places are going to be hit by a double whammy. One will be less customers the other will be higher food costs.

If they have to start laying off workers the problem will just compound it self.

[ohanian]

Hungry for customers

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'G')ot a hankering for an Outback steak but the budget for a Big Mac?

Apparently, many folks feel that way, as the slowing economy dulls the nation's appetite for casual dining. For the first time in years, the $70 billion casual dining industry — sit-down eateries that generally serve alcohol and sell entrees from $10 to $20 — is taking a hit.

[JustinFrankl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'I')f they have to start laying off workers the problem will just compound it self.

[Jack]

Great article! Along the same line, here's an interesting item at James Kunstler's site: Farmer's Letter

The last paragraph is worthy of emphasis:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ') The thing is, Jim, I believe the great unraveling is not happening from the top down, but from the bottom up. I see a great unraveling taking place in the bottom right now. Most people just don't want to look down. They are too busy whistling in the dark.
Take care,

[FoxV]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'â')€¢Weaker real estate market. As housing prices weaken, some folks "feel" less wealthy, Oakes says.

[JustinFrankl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', 'G')reat article! Along the same line, here's an interesting item at James Kunstler's site: Farmer's Letter

[greenworm]

I often wonder if our heavily subsidized food industry is ever going to get bit in the ass. There is a farm down the road from me which gets subsidized for the production of milk. In my opinion the gov't will just raise subsidy payments over time to hide the "true" inflation. I think foods that don't get these payments for production are going to get murdered. The end result is that food will still be relatively cheap compared to other rising commodities, but very limited in selection. I honestly can't believe what people pay now to feed themselves.

[Pops]

I saw some What are you doing about high gas prices type threads on a couple other no-PO forums and the number one item after combining errands was less eating out.


BTW, there are lots of things around a barnyard that would gross out the uninitiated, of course cattle won’t graze near their own manure but they will knock down a fence to get to a pile of chicken litter, but then chicken scratch through cow flops too. Dogs eat calf manure, cows eat their own placentas and cats sometime eat their young.

It’s all about not starving to death – chicken manure contains lots of protein. To replace that protien you could use urea but you know where that comes from:
Urea is produced commercially from two raw materials, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Large quantities of carbon dioxide are produced during the manufacture of ammonia from coal or from hydrocarbons such as natural gas and petroleum derived raw materials. This allows direct synthesis of urea from these raw materials.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urea

The problem with feeding chicken littler used to be that it also contained spilled feed – which used to contain cattle brains and such. I think that has been outlawed due to BSE.

That story also decries bale wrap as a huge waste. The problem is that it isn’t or people wouldn’t use it. One roll of wrap costs about $400 – or did last year. In one $20 big round bale of hay there is $6-$8 of NPK and another $2-$3 worth of fuel. An unwrapped bale sitting outside will spoil maybe 20% the first year and after 3 years will be mostly useless while the unwrapped bale can sit for at least 3 years with minimal spoilage. In addition to protecting the grass baleage actually conserves more of the N than hay reduceing the need for synthetic protien (read: nat. gas).

So which is the bigger waste?

Sorry to get so far off topic

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'I') saw some What are you doing about high gas prices type threads on a couple other no-PO forums and the number one item after combining errands was less eating out.

[Eli]

The sad thing is that the food service industry has been a great place for those coming out of college to turn to when they have had trouble finding work in their field of specialty.

Outsourcing of high value jobs has put a lot of hurt on many fields like accounting and computer programing. Many people have decided to become bartenders and waiters to pay their bills. Digging ditches may be the next place they turn as we head into this slow down.

We have had such a long hard run of growth since the dot com boom and really did not take that big of hit when it went south. The real estate boom took over were the .com left off.

A hard landing of the economy seems to be a given.

[FireJack]

My family used to own a small hobby farm and raised 2 steers every year. 99% of their life was spent outside grazing, we even feed them apples and pears from the trees off the lawn. I think I need to go back to that, as the quality of food we buy will probably begin to deteriorate as keeping it cost effective and profitable will be the main thing.

The overall impression makes me want to get a large bomb shelter, fill it with non-perishable items, and get ready to ride out the die off. It looks like everything people and the government will do will make the problems worse with the people doing the right thing being the ones who pay.

[Prince]

I'm not sure how to interpret this yet. I don't eat out a whole lot (maybe 1-2 times a week, tops), but living alone can be a pain to cook for oneself. Nonetheless, I love to cook, so for me it's not too much of a hassle. However, most of my friends and colleagues are 20-somethings, most are single, and well over 80% of them don't cook...ever. I think the Gen X/Y crowd has been reliant on restaurants to cook their food for them, and most of the restaurants I visit are typically packed.

Young people just don't cook food anymore, so I don't think restaurants are going under anytime soon.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')e have seen business drop off quite a bit in the past couple of years at the restaurant where I've been working for ten years. Rumors are swirling about all the rest of the resaurants in San Diego taking a hit too. There is a business district nearby where there are many vacant buildings that used to be full. I don't think our establishment will make it to the fall when business traditionally increases with cold weather (people like Italian food when it's cold and rainy). 10 years. I'll miss the place.

[Leanan]

I don't like to cook, either, but there are cheaper options than casual dining. You can get a sandwich or salad at McDonald's. You can pick up something at the grocery store deli. You can buy a frozen dinner and microwave it.

[Leanan]

And here's a sign that perhaps the price of food is starting to pinch. The Today show ran a segment on how to cut your food bill:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13905784/

[Gazzatrone]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'D')o the smart thing and convert to a bar. Bar owners dont go out of business during a recession.

[anthem]

Just a couple of comments about the Kunstler article:

I happen to live in Missouri as well.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '&')lt;T>hey wrapped their big bales of hay in white plastic to ferment the hay. The plastic (petroleum) they use is unbelievable. The waste unimaginable.

[Colorado-Valley]

We have a big garden, can a lot of food for the winter, and eats lots of gourmet-style meals.

We try to buy all our food from our neighbors, as little as possible from the supermarket. Our big drawback is dairy, since we don't have a cow and so far, no neighbors to buy milk from.

I'd say we eat out about 10 times a year, and it rarely lives up to fresh, locally grown food.

[eric_b]

This is true for me. Since about 2000 or so I've stopped going out to eat much. It used to be I'd eat out nearly everyday, at least for lunch.

Now, for budget and other reasons, I don't eat out nearly so often. No big deal, I like to cook. There are also many foods (factory farmed) that I don't want to eat or support.

Cheaper and healthier to cook your own food, though I do miss going out to eat.

My parents were very frugal and when I was growing up the only time we went out to eat was for our birthdays (sometimes) or when we were on the road (vaction) - just a few days out of the year. So after moving out I went though a decade long phase of eating out all the time because I could... but now I find myself drifting back towards my childhood and doing most of my own cooking.