It's the Economy, Stupid! AP Helpfully Explains Why Americans Are Cooking More Meals at Home

Ask any person on the street, and they'll be able to tell you why more Americans are skipping the restaurant and eating at home.

It's because the Biden-Harris economy sucks and everything is very expensive.

Really that simple.

And yet, here's the AP, acting like they've cracked the unsolvable case:

Why diners are skipping restaurants and making more meals at home https://t.co/i5I1ZGIAiT

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 29, 2024

They write:

Eating in is in and eating out is out.

That’s the message that inflation-squeezed consumer s have been sending to fast-food companies and other restaurants. Meanwhile food producers are benefitting from more palatable prices in grocery store aisles.

Inflation has been easing broadly for more than a year now, and it’s been cooling faster for grocery items since the middle of the year. The current trend marks a reversal from previous years when grocery inflation outpaced restaurants as food producers raised prices, often fattening their profit margins.

The shift has been weighing on McDonald’s, Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants, and similar chains.

Orlando-based Darden reported a 1.1% sales drop at restaurants open for at least a year. The decline was a more severe 2.9% at the Olive Garden chain. July was especially weak.

Let's be clear: the rate of inflation may be slowing, but it's still going up and is up significantly from when Biden took office in January 2021.

This is like saying you're not speeding anymore because you locked the cruise control on 90 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Grocery stores are expensive but a meal prepared at home is dirt cheap compared to a restaurant. Just picked up a whole chicken for $8 that accompanied by about $3 worth of cooked rice will feed two people for two dinners.

— Crazy Fenak (@CrazyFenaker) September 29, 2024

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Warren Squire

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Exactly.

Both options are very costly thanks to Kamala’s economic disaster, but eating out is way more costly and people have to also pay for high gas and utilities and rent.

— Conservative Dude (@swterry911) September 29, 2024

And some people are being forced to choose between eating and energy bills.

This is why. pic.twitter.com/qfpc7rlltd

— Texas Aeronaut (@TxAeronaut) September 29, 2024

Nailed it.

I come from a generation where we are at home all the time. If we weren't out for dinner it was an occasion like a birthday or graduation, it was not even a weekly or monthly thing.

— The Gal (@giveu2tictacs) September 29, 2024

This is how it used to be.

It’s because of the joy.

— Paul Blanchard (@blanchardpaul) September 29, 2024

So much joy.

Yes, since democrats have taken control, food and energy cost have been up.

Wages have stagnated, but the prices have increased.

This is essentially bidenomics. Americans have to cut back and make tough choices.

This will continue and get even worse if democrats are allowed…

— Arnie (@ArnulfoCarden17) September 29, 2024

Yes, it will.

And if Kamala installs price controls, we won't be eating at home, either.

Let me guess—$$$$$ https://t.co/F0q5tYtFqr

— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) September 29, 2024

Yep.

We're broke, Brenda. https://t.co/uRZWWxhoWm

— L (@SomeBitchIIKnow) September 29, 2024

We're flat broke.

https://t.co/rhEQGtrVl9 pic.twitter.com/ovhBDXAzDY

— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) September 29, 2024

The woman who wears a $62,000 necklace to the border doesn't worry about how much eating dinner at a restaurant costs.

But the AP also assures you that the economy is going great...🙄 https://t.co/rtXH7tdOPH

— Oscar Von Reuenthal (@OscarVReuenthal) September 29, 2024

Yep. The gaslight is strong.

Because of how great the economy is under Biden/Harris https://t.co/DJvOwLASoj

— Efron76 (@Efron761) September 29, 2024

So great!

This is what you do when you grew up in a middle class family. https://t.co/78lweb91RV

— The Hoffman Lenses (@2bconsistent) September 29, 2024

And Kamala really wants us to know about her middle class upbringing.

It's cuz of Kamala & Biden’s inflation cuz the Inflation Reduction Act had nothing to do with reducing inflation, it was taxpayer handouts to wealthy climate change groups & failing unreliable Renewable Energy Co as Biden admitted and it's abt to get worse on Tues if ports strike https://t.co/5gwRPc8K8P

— Robyn Rodriguez (@RRodriguez87985) September 29, 2024

If the ports do strike, expect shortages and prices to skyrocket.