Photo by ZagatBuzz/Flickr CC
That's not to say, of course, that these aren't hard times for many restaurants. People are eating at less expensive places and cutting back on the extras -- that $100 bottle of wine is a thing of the past. And those extravagant parties given by large banks? Verboten.
So why do we predict continuing growth in the industry? Because the demographics that produced a long-term restaurant revolution and shaped today's dining-out habits haven't changed.
The economy may cause you to put off buying a new car, or take a fancy holiday trip, but let's get real. We always have to eat.Layoffs notwithstanding, two-career couples are still the norm, and neither partner has the time to regularly shop, cook, and clean up afterwards (not to mention that restaurant chefs mostly cook better, too). And the explosion in ethnic restaurants and casual neighborhood places means that dining out can often be as cheap as eating at home. In fact, long-term inflation in restaurant prices is less than half of the Consumer Price Index, or CPI.
On the business front, extravagant parties may still be on hold, but companies are still subsidizing plenty of restaurant meals -- whether for purposes of wooing clients or fueling staffers who work long hours. The fact that tax laws favor eating out doesn't hurt, either.
And finally, dining out has become a part of our cultural fabric, with the Internet, TV shows, films, magazines, and blogs all fueling consumer interest. Chefs are the new media stars, and restaurants are their arena.
The economy may cause you to put off buying a new car or take a fancy holiday trip, but let's get real. We always have to eat.
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I'd rather give up a vacation then cut back on our amazing restaurants (in L.A.).
My husband and I just enjoy it too much!
Assuming that "we always have to eat," which I can't argue with, why can't people find their way back into the kitchen?
Can't cook?
Lots of people figure out how to do things they haven't done before. Just consider what is happening in gardening right now. Based on my first-hand experience in the dirt, it is far more difficult to grow great produce than to cook it.
Don't have time?
What if we could eliminate half of the steps currently confronting people when they consider cooking a meal, e.g., finding recipes, making lists, wondering aisles, etc.? Would that make enough of a difference for at least some restaurant eaters to cook at home more often?
With all the challenges our food system faces, it seems to me that most everything improves if people start cooking more at home using real and lightly processed foods. We are healthier. The system pollutes less. We build stronger relationships. We become more sustainable.
Food for thought...
Cheers,
Rob Smart
Hey, I'm as fond of restaurant dining as any NYC denizen, but can't let the "not enough time" excuse go by--if you figure 2 hours for getting there, ordering, eating, waiting for the check, and getting home, it's easy to put together a quick home-cooked meal in the same time or less. And you can do it in your pajamas!