I’m starting to notice a theme in my blog. First I talk about how a grilled cheese sandwich can grant wishes. Then I post about my unnatural love affair with provel cheese. And here I am, talking about food again! I love food, but I love my Mom too and I haven’t even posted about her once. (sorry Mom, love you) I really need to get this food thing in check. Tomorrow!
Because today I want to tell you a story about me and a little thing I like to call “overpriced food that’s not even very good and usually has disgusting vegetables in it but my friends like it because it’s from another country.”
On Monday, I still had some friends in town from the wedding I wrote about on Monday, and I wanted to meet up with them for lunch. My friends are weird because they like vegetables. Who does that? Anyway, they wanted to meet for lunch at a place called Blue Ginger. I don’t even know what country the food is from, but I do know it’s not American burgers and fries or pizza so I’m not really interested. I also know that a meal there is going to cost around $10-15 when I’ll certainly enjoy a $4 value meal better. I was in a pickle. Not literally inside a pickle; but I had a problem that needed to be fixed.
I wanted to have lunch with my friends, but I didn’t want to spend $15 on food that I don’t even really like.
My solution: I left about 20 minutes early for lunch, went to Wendy’s and smashed a Chicken Deluxe Value Meal (the one for $2.99) and then sped off to Blue Ginger to sit with my friends and socialize, but not actually partake in the eating or paying of the vegetable laced lunches.
I sat there at the restaurant and politely declined a water or a menu from the waiter and she happily ignored me for the rest of the afternoon. I had a great time with my friends, and when lunch was over we all went on our merry way. As I was leaving, I saw a bowl of candy and mints at the front of the restaurant and I almost grabbed one, but then I remembered I hadn’t given them any money, so I was a good boy and didn’t take a piece.
Then I started thinking: Was I wrong to go sit in that restaurant and not buy anything? The restaurant was pretty crowded, but I didn’t notice any people waiting for seats when I walked in. There is, however, a chance that I was taking up a seat that could have otherwise been occupied by a paying customer. (All the tables are two-seaters, so our group had four of them pushed together. I was the 7th person , and thus the reason for the fourth table).
What do you think? I’m really interested in your opinion because this is certain to come up again based on my elementary school child-like tastebuds. Should I either suck it up and buy a $12 lunch I won’t enjoy or pass on lunch entirely, or is it alright to show up as long as my presence isn’t getting in the way of other paying customers?
P.S. I was the seventh wheel at this lunch (3 couples and then me). Check out my HILARIOUS submission to the Stick Figure Blog about extra “wheels”.
*This post was featured in the Carnival of Money Stories #76
Kevin McKee is an entrepreneur, IT guru, and personal finance leader. In addition to his writing, Kevin is the head of IT atย Buildingstars, Co-Founder of Padmission, and organizer ofย Laravel STL. He is also the creator of www.contributetoopensource.com. When heโs not working, Kevin enjoys podcasting about movies and spending time with his wife and four children.
I don’t see anything wrong with doing this. There have been many occasions where I wasn’t hungry or didn’t like the food, but still wanted to hang out with friends. I usually overcome the associated moral dilemma by ordering a drink or an appetizer. This way you can avoid spending $12 for lunch, but also won’t look like the guy that brings a sandwich to a restaurant.
BTW, a small correction to the blog………”My solution: I left about 20 minutes early for lunch, went to Wendyโs”………You were 20 minutes late to Blue Ginger (which is a Thai restaurant)
I was 20 minutes late because I went to one of the other vegetable restaurants I don’t like. They’re all the same to me.
Sounds fine to me. Then again, I am not picky at all and I’ll try anything once.
I once went to TWO lunches back to back (there are 2 bloggers in TO who fondly remember this), and I ate a huge sashimi lunch with dessert and appetizer, then I went to another lunch and ate 4 burritos.
That was an expensive day. In hindsight, I should have eaten less at the first place. And the second.
As you can probably tell, I love food. That definitely sounds expensive, but also sounds worth it! Plus you didn’t have to feel weird sitting there and not buying anything, so even better!
Sad news! Well…first off – coming from a dietitian fan of yours, I’m sad you don’t like vegetables! Second, when I searched for “thousandaire” this morning your page didn’t show up! What the what?!?! I always search in Swagbucks and your link it always about 2/3 down the screen. Today…nothing. I double checked google and still no joy! Horrible! We need to get “thousandaire” searches keyed into your blog. ๐
I know I should be better and eat more vegetables. I just recently started eating broccoli. ๐
For the searches, Google hasn’t even indexed my site yet so you definitely wont find it there. If anyone out there is a SEO expert and wants to help, I’m willing to listen. ๐
I love you too, Kev! It’s ok that you haven’t written about me. I know you still blame me for your poor eating habits! Sorry!
You gave me great eating habits! Everything I eat is delicious!
This might help. I ran across it earlier today actually…
http://thinktraffic.net/simple-seo-strategy
Thanks. That definitely helps. I need to put more thought into SEO when I’m writing my posts. BTW, Google finally indexed my site ๐
Sounds totally legit to me. I would’ve done it…
I’m glad I’m getting a positive response her. I was kinda feeling bad about it, but now I feel much better.
This is totally fine. The same thing sometimes happens with vegetarians going to meet friends at a steak restaurant. No reason it can’t happen vice versa. What you did was fine and also smart from a budget perspective. Lunches out kill savings.
I’d say it depends on whether the restaurant was busy or not. In a quiet place, you’re not really replacing a customer. In a busier one, you are. (Then again there are plenty of “paying” customers who are such a pain in the butt that that they drive other customers away, ha ha…)
Maybe encourage your pals to meet up for something cheaper and more sociable, like pizza. Or meet up someplace for a beer or coffee and dessert after they eat lunch.
And speaking of vegetables… they’re cheap and nutritious. Convince yourself to like ’em and you’ll save money on food and health care costs! ๐