Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Happy days for U.S. diners, survey finds
Reuters ^ | 11/01/2006 | Reuters

Posted on 11/02/2006 8:38:56 AM PST by Responsibility2nd

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- When it comes to eating out in the United States, Texans do it the most, New Yorkers pay the most, and Italian is the country's favorite cuisine, a study showed Wednesday.

Zagat Survey released its "America's Top Restaurants," a guide covering 1,389 eateries in 42 cities, which is based on 21 million meals worth of experience by more than 123,000 people.

It found that during 2006 restaurant openings have been far outpacing closings and that the cost of a meal increased 2.8 percent, less than the 4 percent rise in the country's Consumer Price Index.

"These are happy days for food lovers -- this marks another year where restaurant quality, diversity and value have improved across America," Tim Zagat, chief executive officer of the survey, said in a statement.

The survey showed that 83 percent of people eat out as often or more than they did two years ago and that people in Houston, Texas, eat out the most at 4.2 times a week, followed by the Texas cities Austin and Dallas-Ft. Worth, where residents dine out four times a week.

Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami come next, with people eating out 3.8 times a week.

In New York people eat out 3.3 times a week, which the survey said could be due to the high cost of dining there -- the city is the most expensive in the United States with an average meal costing $39.43.

"Sadly its the same old story across the country when it comes to service," the Zagat Survey found. "72 percent of diners say service is the greatest irritant when it comes to eating out."

Nearly a third of diners said Italian food was their favorite, with American food coming in second at 16 percent and French third at 12 percent. But when Japanese, Chinese and Thai were combined they ran a close second with 25 percent.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: diningout; eatingout; restaurants
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-83 next last
To: youthgonewild

There is a great sandwich chain called Potbelly's I ate at after a tour of the Pentagon....it was great!


61 posted on 11/02/2006 1:03:15 PM PST by rwfromkansas (http://xanga.com/rwfromkansas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Hildy; G Larry

Like G Larry has said... Pizza counts as Italian food.


62 posted on 11/02/2006 1:03:39 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Abortion is to family planning what bankruptcy is to financial planning)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd
They're talking about FRENCH fries...
63 posted on 11/02/2006 1:04:10 PM PST by azhenfud (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

You know...I haven't even had pizza in a long time...Hmm...I'm getting a hankering right now!


64 posted on 11/02/2006 1:04:31 PM PST by Hildy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: rwfromkansas

I agree. Just placing French food as # 3 told me all I need to know about this survey......


65 posted on 11/02/2006 1:04:43 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Abortion is to family planning what bankruptcy is to financial planning)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I lived in the Italian section of Williamsburg, Brooklyn for about seven years....I know good Italian food. There was a restaurant we'd go to. It was literally in someone's house....they had a B/W tv with rabbit ears on a table while you were eating. The waitress weighed at least 400 lbs. It was the best Italian food I'd ever had...then to now.


66 posted on 11/02/2006 1:07:15 PM PST by Hildy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: lormand
Oh, crap, I forgot about San Antonio, and I lived there for 3 years of my life.

Mi Terra's in San Antonio's El Mercado used to be good, but the last few times I ate there, it was grissle city.

Taco Cabana is now better than Mi Terra.

Taco Cabana is better than Mi Tierra's? Back in the 80's when I lived in San Antonio I really liked Mi Tierra's except for the occasional off day they'd have.

I remember when Taco Cabana opened up close to where we were living in Houston. I was so excited because I had missed TC. Alas, something was lost in the transition from San Pedro, San Antonio to Houston. However, the Houston location did get better after they'd been opened for about 6 months.

I wonder if they still serve menudo on Saturday and Sunday mornings at the San Pedro, San Antonio location. Come to think of it, I wonder if the San Pedro location is still open now.

67 posted on 11/02/2006 1:07:29 PM PST by Sally'sConcerns
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: azhenfud
Well of Course!

Where were you four hours ago. No way could French food be number 3 on the list - unless French Fries are included as French food!

68 posted on 11/02/2006 1:07:59 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Abortion is to family planning what bankruptcy is to financial planning)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Hildy

I don't know why, but restaurants of any type, Greek, Italian, Cajun, what have you, always seem to have the best foods when their chef is fat...............


69 posted on 11/02/2006 1:09:54 PM PST by Red Badger (ECCLESIASTES 10 The heart of the wise inclines to the RIGHT, but the heart of the fool to the LEFT.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

The only way the French ranked 3rd is the Redhead at McDonald's helped them.


70 posted on 11/02/2006 1:14:18 PM PST by azhenfud (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Kimmers

That lady was the greatest. I've read some articles about her, one when her husband was still alive, and another after he passed. I think she has now passed, too, but she was a brilliant woman, very artistic and educated. She graduated with honors from Smith.

They were very much in love and she very much loved to cook. I recall her talking of bruising the butter. I had her cookbook but it was all too difficult for me at that time and my mom gave it away! Wish I had it back again!


71 posted on 11/02/2006 1:18:27 PM PST by Froufrou
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

"Nearly a third of diners said Italian food was their favorite, with American food coming in second at 16 percent and French third at 12 percent. But when Japanese, Chinese and Thai were combined they ran a close second with 25 percent."

This freeper and his sweet bride of 38 years both favor Mexican food.

We are also both SoCal natives, and out here it is pretty close to being American food. At least it is California food.


72 posted on 11/02/2006 1:25:43 PM PST by truth_seeker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: truth_seeker
Can't believe that Mexican food didn't come in before French food. What real people eat French food? Have you ever heard of "Taceaux Belle"?

Seriously, not that Taco Bell is real Mexican food, and I dearly miss my favorite Mexican restaurant in California, but Mexican food is very popular here in the Pacific Northwest too.

73 posted on 11/02/2006 1:36:15 PM PST by Inspectorette (having lived during those times myself)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Inspectorette

It is hard to believe, since salsa starting outselling ketchup many years ago.


74 posted on 11/02/2006 1:44:56 PM PST by Rte66
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Kimmers

Julia Childs's cooking *tastes* tasty, too!


75 posted on 11/02/2006 1:47:38 PM PST by Rte66
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: lormand

Mexican and Asian foods are hugely popular where I live (Western Washington State). But then, if push comes to shove, I think anyone around here would say their hands-down favorite food is pizza.


76 posted on 11/02/2006 2:42:54 PM PST by GretchenM (What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Please meet my friend, Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: GretchenM

Oh yes, Pizza!


77 posted on 11/02/2006 2:44:42 PM PST by lormand (0 to 10,000,000 people read my posts everyday)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: lormand; Responsibility2nd; Hildy; G Larry

78 posted on 11/02/2006 2:47:12 PM PST by GretchenM (What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Please meet my friend, Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: lormand
It's funny that this article caught my eye today because last night I started wanting to have pizza for dinner tonight, even though I have a nice dish of leftover pot roast and gravy in the refrigerator.

A person can only go so long without pizza.

79 posted on 11/02/2006 2:49:00 PM PST by GretchenM (What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Please meet my friend, Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: lormand
still looking for a great Mexican resteraunt here.

San Antonio is just down the road from you.

80 posted on 11/03/2006 11:48:51 PM PST by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-83 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson