No where to go for the Middle class

[packman]

First, let me state that Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel and all the rest of the restaurants of their type are not my idea of fine dining - but , hell, they served their purpose. Just like Sears, JC Penny and their appeal to the middle class pocket book. You could take the wife or kids out, splurge a bit, order something different than the meat loaf being served at home in their ersatz atmosphere of make believe. Now even those middle of the road places are being displaced by higher income shopping boutiques and more expensive dining experiences. This now makes McDonald's, KFC, Dollar General and the local thrift shop the fine dining and shopping future of the sinking middle class.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/04/1275081/-Red-Lobster-Blues

[daleanime]

1. What 'middle class'?

[LiberalEsto]

2. One problem is that fewer people can afford to eat at those places any more

My daughter worked at a Ruby Tuesday last year. The place was not as busy as it was when she worked there several years ago. Also customers were not tipping as well, if at all.

[2naSalit]

3. And

much of that food is bad quality doctored up to look and taste good with flavorings. Most of the seafood is laden with mercury and heaven knows what else these days... wouldn't be ordering that! And most of the other stuff isn't any more unhealthy than McD's anyway so why pay all that extra for window dressing?

I suspect that it's 3/4 people who can't afford to go there anymore and 1/4 who have figured out that eating out isn't nutritionally safe. It sucks that it means lost jobs but there should be job opportunities redirecting the way we live like alternative energy and local food production and infrastructure. Most food servers would rather be doing something different given the chance!