The Small Hazards of Rarely Going Out To Eat
As I get more and more ridiculously pregnant, I’m wanting to make meals from scratch less and less. So, last night we decided to *gasp* go out for dinner.
It’s been awhile since we’ve gone out for dinner, but we have a couple of favorite places. They tend to have at least a few of the following criteria: cheap, family-friendly, not too busy. Emphasis on the not too busy. See, but therein lies the rub. We like to go to places that don’t have a lot of people in them because then it’s not as stressful if Audrey happens to act up. On the other hand, places that don’t get a lot of business tend to, well, go out of business.
Did we drive well out of our way to go to our favorite tamale house only to find that it was no longer? Of course. "But I loved going there, the food was good, cheap, and it was always empty!" Uh huh. [Is this the first time this has happened to us? Of course not.]
So, we went to Luby’s — less than 20 bucks for all three of us — we ate big and took home leftovers [and it was filled with familes and small kids so the pressure was off].
Meredith said,
April 23, 2006 @ 5:18 pm
OH, I know the feeling. Luby’s was one of “our” places to eat out–my son ate free, the table service was superior, they had even switched to an all-you-can-eat price so my husband could fill up on enough low carb choices. And then they closed : (
Jenn said,
April 24, 2006 @ 6:00 am
As the kids get older it does get easier to eat out. Also, it depends on their personality. Buddy has a lot more patience at 2 1/2 than Princess did at the same age. But right now I can take them out as long as it isn’t one of those places where the food takes an hour to come out. I just have to be well supplied with crayons, paper, and a few toys they haven’t seen in a while (I hide some toys in a box in the coat closet just for long trips and rest. visits. That way they seem new and exciting)
Mom2fur said,
April 24, 2006 @ 8:19 am
It might get easier when they get older–but it also gets more expensive, LOL! We used to do either IHOP or Friendly’s a few times a month with the 4 kids–until we had to switch to the adult menu for almost everyone.
Now it is a great treat just to be together as a family for a meal (with college and work schedules, it’s virtually impossible. We have to set up ‘dates.’) that I don’t care how much it costs. That was one thing I asked for for my birthday–to have the whole gang together at our favorite local restaurant, “Catfish Annie’s.” Which, btw, is very informal and reasonably priced with amazing food.
Didja ever notice how the least fancy restaurants have the best food?
Joey said,
April 25, 2006 @ 1:50 am
“But I loved going there, the food was good, cheap, and it was always empty!” Hysterical! The story of my life with restaurants that I love…