I’ve decided after some consideration to not go to restaurants at all in 2023. You can call this a New Year’s Resolution. It’ll require at least some sacrifice, pain, annoyance to myself and perhaps others, but I’m going to stick by it and I think it will have a good effect.
Restaurants are a drastically over-used creature comfort of the consumerist economy… even worse, nowadays they’re not even comfortable…
Especially now that portions are smaller more expensive than ever, it’s hard to go to a restaurant without feeling cheated.
All of this is fortunate, though, since relying on the ease of restaurants is a vice. It is now easier than ever to quit it without missing anything but disappointment.
Here Are the Rules.
- When I travel alone, I will flatly never eat at a restaurant, no matter what. I will pack food, or prepare food bought at a grocery store.
- At time when I might usually offer to go to restaurants out with people, I will serve them at home.
- I’ll get in the habit of preparing and carrying food—not snacks—but food when I will need it. This will include trips.
- If I have not prepared food while out, I will go hungry. Oh well!
I have even already forewarned people in my life about my adherence to this.
I’m not saying I’m going to throw a Richard Stallman-style sperg-out when asked to go to a restaurant, but I will find a novel alternative. If I do go physically to a restaurant with people, obviously I will order nothing and eat nothing, not even free tortilla chips (because it’s not just about the money, either).
Things even worse that restaurants
There are some things even worse than restaurants that I don’t use now and won’t start. (I say this because some might be tempted to comply with the letter, but not the spirit of the law.)
- I will get no take-out.
- I will buy no food from gas stations, convenience stores or delis.
- I will have no junk food.
- I will also count coffee shops and other such things as restaurants and thus subject to exclusion.
What not Going to Restaurants Will Get Me.
The first and obvious advantage is that I will be saving money.
The wider goal is to make sure that I am more comfortable with preparing food for people on short notice, having spontaneous picnics, planning in advance for things and thereby acting less impulsive in food consumption.
It might be weird to unironically suggest in the 21st century that “picnics” can be an alternative to restaurants, but however corny they may sound to our ears, they are infinitely more social, customizable and economical. Doing all of this make a new habit to permanently displace compulsive restauranting.
My goal is not to minimize alimentary social outings—but to improve them by minimizing cost and maximizing the possibilities of what I can end up doing.
How Rigorous Will I be?
People in real life have questioned how rigorous I will be in this resolution. I’ve said I will reserve the right to go to a restaurant on a highly exceptional occassion which is certainly not a part of everyday habit.
For example, earlier this year, I went out to a nice restaurant with some friends and subscribers during Linuxfest—this is the kind of outing/event I might exempt. Even in those circumstances, I want to consider social alternatives to restaurant-going though.
I’ve talked to other people and restaurants have become a continuing disappointment to many in the days of shrinkflation. Since I can barely go to one and be filled for less than $35, I don’t think I’m going to look back from this.