A tale of one family’s evolving casual-dining spending habitsA tale of one family’s evolving casual-dining spending habits

Below are four non-recession reasons why my family now visits casual-dining restaurants about half as often as it did only three years ago.


Our circumstances have changed. The children are getting older, meaning the oldest is off to a good four-year university next month — and that has affected our thinking about discretionary spending for many months now, as have high gasoline prices.


The parents are getting older, with smaller appetites and less affinity for on-premise alcoholic beverages, which somewhat negates the draw of the big portions and in-house bars of some casual-dining chains.


California’s menu disclosure law, adopted in advance of federal menu labeling requirements, opens eyes. Of about 55 items on the take-out menu of a ca...