Along with car repairs and strippers, my biggest expense that I continue to vow to rein in is eating out. I can't help it; I can't cook for myself, and even when my parents my dinner for me I want to go out and enjoy good food that I don't make. Sometimes I want to watch a sporting event on cable, which I can't get at home. Sometimes I want to have coffee while working on my computer, and I just do not want to do it at home, even though I do precisely the same thing if I'm at home. Sometimes I want to get away from my folks. Whatever my reasons, I do it a lot. And it regularly eats away at my money. But I can't help it, no matter how hard I try.
I kicked going out up a notch over the fall and winter. That was when I was a part of the flu billing project, and also the time of year when my parents were out globetrotting. But what really turned me into (at least at that time) a person who regularly goes out to eat was starting to see a psychiatrist on Wednesdays after work. Since our sessions ended in the teeth of afternoon rush, I thought I might as well wait it out by having a night out.
So I ate out basically at every single restaurant that advertises on TV and to where I have never been, at least not in years. Did the entire rotation, starting with those places that had a coupon so I could save some money. But then the coupons ran out and I said, "Fuck it, I'll just go to this place and then that place." No big dinners. If I didn't have a coupon or if there wasn't a deal, I just went with the sampler. I think it's the best way to, uh, sample what the restaurant has.
Verdict: Uh, they're all the same. I mean, I never spat out the food and said, "Terrible!" and walked out. They were all good. None, however, was memorable. So when I rank the places, my first criterion is price. Specifically, I prefer places that have Happy Hours over ones that don't.
And much to my surprise, most of the chain spots did not have Happy Hours. Huh? Chili's, Applebee's, Red Lobster ... came in at the time you would expect there would be a Happy Hour and there was none. I would think that if any place would have Happy Hours, it'd be the big chain restaurants, but no. In fact, the only chain that did have one was TGI Friday's, and I suspect that they only had a special menu with those prices because it was located in the mall. (Don't know why being in a mall meant you had to have a Happy Hour menu, but that's my theory and I stand by it for now.) Not saying Friday's was outstanding, but because I had to pay full price for samplers to the other places, they're at the bottom.
And speaking of the mall, there were a few places in and around there that I went to because the psychiatrist's office was very close by. I was surprised that Big Bowl (is that the name?) had very cheap food for Happy Hour. I just wish that I liked Chinese more (even the "Chinese" Big Bowl offers), but I am Chinese, and I have it all the time at home. Granite City, in particular their pizzas, is good; I just wish they were a bit cheaper. On the other hand, Romano's Macaroni Grill's Happy Hour was both expensive and not that good. If there were any restaurant I would rank at the bottom based on quality of food alone, it'd be Romano's. And I thought I read on Consumer Reports some years ago that people liked them.
So who's on top? Well, there's TGI Friday's and Buffalo Wild Wings, which is starting to become my go-to place because they show sports everywhere. Old Chicago, too, don't want to forget them. And I want to give a pass to Outback Steakhouse; they don't have a Happy Hour menu, but at least they gave out coupons, one of which I used when I ate there. (Special shout-out to Perkins and Baker's Square. Neither place has a Happy Hour, but their food was cheap and I liked them. I just miss being able to have a beer and watch TV because these places are too family-oriented.) But I want to point out that I have been surprised by the non-chain, local spots, places like Digby's and The Lowry. They don't get much publicity and they certainly can't run commercials on TV. But both places had dirt cheap prices for Happy Hour, the menus were fairly expansive and diverse, and the food I got there was very good.
Therefore, if I do this next time -- and I'm sure that my parents will take another trip and I'll see my shrink again after work is over and I'll just have the itch to be social by myself -- I should remember this. Mental note: Avoid Chili's, Applebee's, Red Lobster, Romano's Macaroni Grill. Go to Outback Steakhouse, Perkins and Baker's Square (or any other restaurant) if they have a coupon. And patronize places such as Big Bowl, Granite City, Digby's and The Lowry because they're cheap and good.
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