This is my first financial independence (FI) post. FI is a movement for people who are trying to retire early, some as young as their early 30’s, by earning a middle-to-upper class salary, but making lifestyle choices so they spend less money. I have already surpassed the early-30’s retirement goalpost, but I have adopted some FI habits. Today, I’m going to talk about eating cheaply in restaurants.
I’m not a foodie so I can’t help you there. But I can help you save money. Some folks prefer a “fine dining experience,” but me, I just want good food at a good price. In fact, most of my favorite dining experiences involve a 2-for-1 coupon and a bar stool.
I don’t enjoy “fine dining” or “fancy restaurant” experiences. In these situations, I often feel awkward being catered to by a waitperson. I’m like, “They don’t like me, why should they serve me?” If I’m sitting at the bar and the bartender brings me some food along with my drink, I feel a little less like I’m being “catered to.” The relationship with a bartender is different from that with a waitperson – it’s not so time-constricted, for one. You can stay at a bar for as long as you’d like…
Furthermore, sitting at a bar seems a little more personal… I always feel bad making the server running back and forth when I’m at a table, and I’m always missing something necessary – a fork, hot sauce, etc., that I could easily get myself if I weren’t at a restaurant.
I never know how to treat servers at a restaurant, so I end up thanking them so much that I annoy them. I want to be unremarkable to them. I don’t want to stand out as “that customer.” But I still probably do.
I’m thrifty, and I don’t want a huge meal. I prefer a kid-sized portion. I also like “kid” foods. If I cannot get a kids meal, I’m disappointed. I don’t mind getting charged a little more for it — I know kids meals are a loss leader. But the kid’s portion size usually suits me better. Recently, in Kansas City, we went to a restaurant where I got a kid’s brisket sandwich for $8 and it even came with a side. The adult meal was $17.99– I felt pretty awesome about how much money I saved, plus I got a perfect sized meal!
In fancy restaurants, I often feel like I’m being scammed into paying as much as they can get out of me. “Do you want a drink? How about another drink? How about an appetizer? Dessert? Come on, you have room for dessert… not even some fruit and cheese?”
A $15 meal quickly becomes a $60 meal. What a waste of money!
Don’t waste time making food pretty. I don’t want food that looks good; I want food that tastes good. When my food is arranged “just so,” I feel a little intimidated by it. Give me a dive bar where I’m sitting on a bar stool, with a basket of tasty food, paired with a $2.50 Bud Light. Yes, PBR is more acceptable to most hipsters, but when I get Bud Light with a good chicken strip basket for less than $10, I feel like I’ve scored! Plus, bars that serve mainly Bud Light generally come with interesting local conversations to eavesdrop in on.
Cheers, and Skal!