I’m finding I can go into ‘nice restaurant’ better than a mom / pop style and NOT fast food crap and get a burger for about the same price. And maybe an option for side salad . Served by a nice person at my table . And if you’re near a pub they usually have a lunch special , choice could be limited but you save a fortune .
I’m finding I can go into ‘nice restaurant’ better than a mom / pop style and NOT fast food crap and get a burger for about the same price. And maybe an option for side salad . Served by a nice person at my table
Rarely can I get out of a place like this with anything reasonably decent for lunch for less than $25 (after gratuities). And that’s usually “burger and fries” type thing, which don’t get me wrong, I enjoy burgers and fries, but yeah, not the healthiest option.
I know I say this after complaining about an $18 Arby’s lunch yesterday, but that’s an exception on the high side from my usual lunch costs of $10-$14. Another $10-$15/day for a sit down restaurant adds up very, very fast when you’re doing it every day on the road like me.
I’ve been doing it thirty yrs now. If you don’t want high blood pressure , heart issues , guote or diabetes you figure out what the twelve dollar lunch might actually be costing you .
I dare anyone to try living life on the road for 10-14 hours a day (for a city guy) or for 7-15 days 24/7 (highway guys) and eat perfectly healthy 100% of the time. Keep in mind you’re 70 feet long and are very limited to where you can drive and park accordingly, and if you drive into a parking lot somewhere someone might park in front and behind you blocking you in, and if you dare drive into a residential area and sit for more than 10 minutes someone will call the cops and complain.
The reality is, it’s insanely hard for guys in transportation and even many other trades that work away from home for long hours to eat well.
It’s the reason I chose subway most of the time, it’s the lesser of all the evils. Mom and pop restaurants in little towns (or big towns) and such are basically no bueno 99% of the time as you just can’t park anywhere remotely near enough to get there.
I dare anyone to try living life on the road for 10-14 hours a day (for a city guy) or for 7-15 days 24/7 (highway guys) and eat perfectly healthy 100% of the time. Keep in mind you’re 70 feet long and are very limited to where you can drive and park accordingly, and if you drive into a parking lot somewhere someone might park in front and behind you blocking you in, and if you dare driver into a residential area and sit for more than 10 minutes someone will call the cops and complain.
The reality is, it’s insanely hard for guys in transportation and even many other trades that work away from home for long hours to eat well.
It’s the reason I chose subway most of the time, it’s the lesser of all the evils. Mom and pop restaurants in little towns (or big towns) and such are basically no bueno 99% of the time as you just can’t park anywhere remotely near enough to get there.
My son spends 8-14 hrs on the road.
9 out of 10 days he packs food. He loves raw vegetables, he'll pack some ranch dressing, slices up carrots and peppers, cheese etc and packs triscuits and apples and oranges.
A day of fast junk every couple weeks won't kill him.......Wendy's usually gets his seldom spent lunch money.
My son spends 8-14 hrs on the road.
9 out of 10 days he packs food. He loves raw vegetables, he'll pack some ranch dressing, slices up carrots and peppers, cheese etc and packs triscuits and apples and oranges.
A day of fast junk every couple weeks won't kill him.......Wendy's usually gets his seldom spent lunch money.
I do the same, but veggies and crackers do not a meal make. And after a few years/decades you get tired of eating finger foods for your meals every day, and soggy sandwiches get tired fast too. Like I said earlier in this thread, there as lot to be said for a fresh / hot meal sometimes.
It’s one of those “you need to walk a mile in someone’s shoes” things to truly understand life on the road.
I do the same, but veggies and crackers do not a meal make. And after a few years/decades you get tired of eating finger foods for your meals every day, and soggy sandwiches get tired fast too. Like I said earlier in this thread, there as lot to be said for a fresh / hot meal sometimes.
It’s one of those “you need to walk a mile in someone’s shoes” things to truly understand life on the road.
Can't even afford a decent steak eating in anymore.
Fortunately kangaroo is a wonderful healthy sub. No methane farts and tastes great medium rare which is how I prefer it, View attachment 73025
$9 for 3/4 lb high quality protein. Had half a kabob this morning with one egg - dog got to lick the plate.....happy pooch.
Ended up freezing half the packet.
Server in a good resteraunt is a make a nice living job. Server in the Keg is a decent job. Dealing with drunks in a pub or crap tips at a mom/pop diner is the short way out of the industry. But not everyone gets to be a nice place server, somebody has to work in those dumps. The challenge for servers / sous/ even the chefs at Michelin resteraunts , your working wierd hours so all your circle become industry folks, and you drink and do coke. Its almost part of the 'dirty' business. The ones that sober up ( Matty Matheson) become very successful . The ones that never figure it out off them selves ( Anthony Bourdain)
I had a tip discussion with an older diner waitress last weekend in Burlington. She said before the pandemic, she got tips of $3-4 per table, a 5 hour shift earned her $120 to a day. Most tips were coins left on the table. These days her tips are $7-8. And she makes $250 in a 5 hour shift - but has to report tips as income because there is almost no cash.
My niece works the late shift at a well known downtown pub-eatery. She pulls $60/hr in tips but works 6pm-2am.
$250 taxed should be pretty close to $120 cash , I think. I carry some cash these days as I'm learning some servers have other life challenges and money into the bank often goes a different direction than the server had hoped . If a few bucks makes things easier , thats easy for me . My personal problem , I expense lunches so to reclaim tips ect. it goes on a card, dinners and post work drinks are often on my dime . I wonder how bars and such will do going forward, once summer hits my friends and i will often meet at someones home patio or where ever and drink $3 not $6 beers, and so far I have not had to tip my buddies. Could change ...
$250 taxed should be pretty close to $120 cash , I think. I carry some cash these days as I'm learning some servers have other life challenges and money into the bank often goes a different direction than the server had hoped . If a few bucks makes things easier , thats easy for me . My personal problem , I expense lunches so to reclaim tips ect. it goes on a card, dinners and post work drinks are often on my dime . I wonder how bars and such will do going forward, once summer hits my friends and i will often meet at someones home patio or where ever and drink $3 not $6 beers, and so far I have not had to tip my buddies. Could change ...
I was listening to a guy talking on the weekend. He went to a sporting event. Large beer was $32, small was $18. He took it but only one and does not plan on returning. He is turned off not only the beer but tickets as well.
Wife’s best friend has four seats , seasons ticket for the Jays , third row back from batters box next to Eugene Levy . They are expensive seats , we pay for snacks and beers ect when guesting, it’s an easy $two hundred .
$250 taxed should be pretty close to $120 cash , I think. I carry some cash these days as I'm learning some servers have other life challenges and money into the bank often goes a different direction than the server had hoped . If a few bucks makes things easier , thats easy for me . My personal problem , I expense lunches so to reclaim tips ect. it goes on a card, dinners and post work drinks are often on my dime . I wonder how bars and such will do going forward, once summer hits my friends and i will often meet at someones home patio or where ever and drink $3 not $6 beers, and so far I have not had to tip my buddies. Could change ...
Funny you say that. Years ago it was popular to have a bar in ones basement, a place for friends to belly up to when it was too cold outside.
I've seen a few pop up again. One of my kids is building a basement bar inspired by the old Chicago speakeasies. I just sourced the tin work for the ceiling.
Speakeasies are making a huge comeback, fancy restaurants are putting a “secret room “ in the back where you can overspend on nice cocktails. Couple have turned up in Kitchener basements ( fully licensed and professional) but warehouse districts with sketch decor . It’s fun .
I did ok through COVID so I was tipping fairly generous when it was easing , but I’m pushing back a bit when they hand my the pay terminal, it’s been an average experience, and the minimum option is eighteen percent .
Speakeasies are making a huge comeback, fancy restaurants are putting a “secret room “ in the back where you can overspend on nice cocktails. Couple have turned up in Kitchener basements ( fully licensed and professional) but warehouse districts with sketch decor . It’s fun .
I did ok through COVID so I was tipping fairly generous when it was easing , but I’m pushing back a bit when they hand my the pay terminal, it’s been an average experience, and the minimum option is eighteen percent .
I have one in my hood. It’s been here for 50+ years. Neighbours dad owned the place, a lot of famous people discreetly dine here then use the basement speakeasy. You can still smoke a fat Cuban and have bottles left on the table.
Ive met some seriously famous people in that basement.
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