# Where the Wealthy Dine



## Lawson (Dec 2, 2007)

I often wonder where members of the upper class eat most of their meals. My middle-class parents frequent fast food joints for lunch, cook meals for dinner, and dine at casual and fine dining restaurants only on special occasions. I, on the other hand, despise eating at fast food restaurants and would rather prepare most of my meals at home or take out fast food. 

For those of you who are rich or have rich friends, where do the wealthy eat their meals? Do most of them eat at fine dining establishments at least once a week? Would many of them ever eat at fast food restaurants or mall food courts? Do they or their personal chefs prepare many of their meals?

If you're not rich, where do you eat most of your meals? Do you or your spouse prepare many of them?


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## Spence (Feb 28, 2006)

We're not rich, but solidly in the upper middle class. I cook a several times a week as my work schedule allows, although about 50% of the time it's done right and either expensive, labor intensive or both. My wife will cook more basic food a few times a week. We usually get take out (pizza, chinese) once or twice a week, and will eat out once on the weekends.

Better dining (>50 a person) happens every other month or so.

-spence


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

From what I can gather, the wealthy aren't much different than the rest of us these days. They tend to eat at fine dining establishments more than the middle class, but not by much. You're just as likely to see a rich person having a Blooming Onion as your next door neighbor.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Lawson said:


> I often wonder where members of the *upper class* eat most of their meals.


Upper class or "the wealthy"? They are not one and the same. Also, how do you define "wealthy"?


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I'm with Wayfarer on this (this being that wealthy does not mean upper class). The wealthy may eat anywhere, but the upper class stick to proper establishments. During the summers when I was living at home but making decent money I would eat like a member of the upper class since I wore a jacket and tie to work and had no expenses. All the best establishments had a core of regulars you'd see time and time again, always older gentlement in suits.

I also somehow fell into a circle of friends from upper class families (i.e. familes with buildings named after them). Their parents eat at the proper establishments, the kids will eat anywhere.


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## Lawson (Dec 2, 2007)

If you would like, I can include the upper middle class in my definition.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Lawson said:


> If you would like, I can include the upper middle class in my definition.


Well you see, that is the problem. We need you to define some terms here. You do not have a "definition" yet. Upper class and the wealthy are not identities and "wealthy" needs defining. I personally define it as net worth of $10 million, excluding main dwelling.


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Spence said:


> We're not rich, but solidly in the upper middle class. I cook a several times a week as my work schedule allows, although about 50% of the time it's done right and either expensive, labor intensive or both. My wife will cook more basic food a few times a week. We usually get take out (pizza, chinese) once or twice a week, and will eat out once on the weekends.
> 
> Better dining (>50 a person) happens every other month or so.
> 
> -spence


That pretty much describes us, though we probably go out a little more than get take out (four or five times a month...maybe a little more if we count breakfast and/or lunch).


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## Lawson (Dec 2, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> Well you see, that is the problem. We need you to define some terms here. You do not have a "definition" yet. Upper class and the wealthy are not identities and "wealthy" needs defining. I personally define it as net worth of $10 million, excluding main dwelling.


I think the term "wealthy" is too subjective for exact figures. My definition is admittedly vague. Anyone who has "substantially" more money than the average person is wealthy. One of my professors would likely prefer using the median income to prevent skewing. Under that definition, perhaps only the highest ranks of the American upper middle class qualify.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Lawson said:


> I think the term "wealthy" is too subjective for exact figures. My definition is admittedly vague. Anyone who has "substantially" more money than the average person is wealthy. One of my professors would likely prefer using the median income to prevent skewing. Under that definition, perhaps only the highest ranks of the American upper middle class qualify.


You just are not quite getting it. Wealth and class are two different things. You used them interchangeably in your first post. And what is "substantially"? And is wealth derived from net yearly income or personal assets? Of course, there are standard answers to this and the standard answer is the one I gave above, $10 million net worth, exclusive of primary dwelling.

To answer your question to the best extent of my knowledge:

I know about two dozen people that are wealthy by the standard definition. To my knowledge, none of them have personal chefs. For my own humble self, I cook (or re-heat) Mon-Thur, my wife cooks Friday, and we eat out on the weekends. Better dining, as Spence describes it, is at least weekly. We rarely do take out however.

As to class, I was raised in a farming/dormitory community, very blue collar. I do not meet the above definition of wealth but we are part of the much hated by Dems part of the income spectrum.


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## Lawson (Dec 2, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> You just are not quite getting it. Wealth and class are two different things. You used them interchangeably in your first post. And what is "substantially"? And is wealth derived from net yearly income or personal assets? Of course, there are standard answers to this and the standard answer is the one I gave above, $10 million net worth, exclusive of primary dwelling.


I say substantially because I want to keep "wealthy" a vague term. You would have a hard time convincing most people that someone worth $9.9 million is not wealthy. Net worth is a better measurement than income. Someone making $50 million a year could be $500 million in debt.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Lawson said:


> I say substantially because I want to keep "wealthy" a vague term.


Okay then, my gardener is wealthy :icon_smile_big:


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## suitntieguy (Nov 1, 2007)

I have a lot of tremendously wealthy clients. NONE of which have a personal chef, and my wine society and wine geek friends and I seem to dine at better places than they do. I think there are a few luxery items that the ultra wealthy experiance on a different plane than the rest of us. For example, an ultra wealthy persons hotel room at the four seasons might be 5k per night were mine is only 400. that is over 1000% higher. However when it comes to dinning the margin is not that great. For example, if you look at the per person cost of dinning, including very decent wine, at the countries top tier dinning establishments the cost is not that high, and on a special occasion, not that out of reach. 
Trotters, Daniels, per se, and the french laundry will cost you maybe 400 per person and you could get out for as little as 225 all inclusive. 

Just sell a couple Kiton ties and you got it!


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

suitntieguy said:


> I have a lot of tremendously wealthy clients. NONE of which have a personal chef, and my wine society and wine geek friends and I seem to dine at better places than they do. I think there are a few luxery items that the ultra wealthy experiance on a different plane than the rest of us. For example, an ultra wealthy persons hotel room at the four seasons might be 5k per night were mine is only 400. that is over 1000% higher. However when it comes to dinning the margin is not that great. For example, if you look at the per person cost of dinning, including very decent wine, at the countries top tier dinning establishments the cost is not that high, and on a special occasion, not that out of reach.
> Trotters, Daniels, per se, and the french laundry will cost you maybe 400 per person and you could get out for as little as 225 all inclusive.
> 
> Just sell a couple Kiton ties and you got it!


Sounds about right. You get bored by a lot of fine dining after a while anyway.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Rossini said:


> You get bored by a lot of fine dining after a while anyway.


I agree and I think that is why there has been a sharp increase in the number of eateries that specialize in more savory, peasant style cuisine, from a multitude of cultures.


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## samblau (Apr 2, 2005)

Many of the hard-working $$$ lawyers I worked with eat the same take out garbage as everyone else...big money meals are often time consuming and unhealthy hence people with big money may avoid them. Rare ingredients i.e. truffles are nice but I could not imagine eating them all the time, I'd get sick of them. I love red meat but even if I had all the money in the world Peter Lugers would be at most once a month whereas sushi would be once-a-week (and cost considerably more, man I can do some damage at a sushi bar). In places like NYC the big ticket restaurants are often trendy and crowded and the food lacking given the cost. For a truly fine dining experience its best to find an upscale restaurant where you can become somewhat of a regular. Also, with the push toward natural/organic a basic meal prepared from stuff found at the green farmers market can turn out to be $$$. A frickin loaf of bread cost me almost $9 the other day...no wonder they don't post prices. 

Conversely a lot of wealthy people favor the "power lunch", buyers and other honchos would often hit my dad up for $50+ meals at lunch in the 80's. Even pizza turned into a $20pp lunch with these guys. Wealthy people are also often times affiliated with private clubs whether they be golf clubs, social clubs, trade clubs or university clubs i.e. the Harvard Club which usually have private dining rooms and a corresponding minimum to be spent there. Wealthier areas i.e. Upper East Side of Manhattan has a lot of quality restaurants that are more than happy to fly under the radar unlike their downtown/midtown competition. I think that the traditional silver platter/personal service has become antiquated given the social stigma associated with it in America.


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## eyedoc2180 (Nov 19, 2006)

Rossini said:


> Sounds about right. You get bored by a lot of fine dining after a while anyway.


Bore me, please! My guess is that my family and I qualify as upper middle class. I would rather save up and dine at the top restaurants, as opposed to multiple meals at the middle of the road places. Choices are endless, living midway between New York and Philadelphia! It is probably an ego thing, but I just enjoy the great service and true effort to create a unique dining experience. Thursday we head to Vetri in Philly, which will cost a day's pay, but I will value it. Our only other expensive vice is our choice of automobile. Otherwise it is a moderate lifestyle. OK, I forgot the occasional trip to Paul Stuart! I can't speak for the rich folks! Bill:devil:


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## tabasco (Jul 17, 2006)

*OK, I'll weigh in here,*

in a former life, I was a chef at 3 different restaurants in downtown Denver, working with Swiss trained chefs, and serving high end cuisine (for Denver in the '70's). My wife is an excellent cook, better than me.

In short, we're both pretty good with knives, kitchens and food, and we've been doing it long enough so that our experiences in restaurants leads us to this conclusion: our best meals are at home.

We enjoy eating out, but what is served commonly in restaurants is over-priced, over-processed, under-seasoned for the most part.

Oh, that "wealthy/upper class" stuff? : red herring. I don't think good food is not correlated to money or class.


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## Akajack (Jun 15, 2007)

+1 - and not just for trained chefs.

Many cities have local "farmer's markets" these days. I shop for 10 minutes at one on Saturday morning; a trip to the butcher for some aged beef and that night dinner for four (with wine) for what the cost of wine alone would have been if we dined out.

Inconsistent food and service has led me to learn how to do it myself and after some failures you get it right. Like anything, you practice a bit and find what you like. It does help if you enjoy cooking though!



tabasco said:


> in a former life, I was a chef at 3 different restaurants in downtown Denver, working with Swiss trained chefs, and serving high end cuisine (for Denver in the '70's). My wife is an excellent cook, better than me.
> 
> In short, we're both pretty good with knives, kitchens and food, and we've been doing it long enough so that our experiences in restaurants leads us to this conclusion: our best meals are at home.
> 
> ...


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

tabasco said:


> Oh, that "wealthy/upper class" stuff? : red herring. I don't think good food is not correlated to money or class.


Can you get good food that is inexpensive? Sure. Down here, some of the cheapest authentic Mexican joints put out better food than the upscale ones. But are you likely to get a dry aged Grade A Prime steak, fired just perfectly, with a perfectly incorporated hollandaise sauce, without the slightest break, over lump crab meet at the Sizzler? Nope. It may not be a perfect correlation but on many items there is indeed a strong one. And you were talking about Swiss trained chefs? Just like med school, good training takes a long time and incurs a large investment. The best trained people need to work at eateries that can afford their salaries.


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

suitntieguy said:


> Trotters, Daniels, per se, and the french laundry will cost you maybe 400 per person and you could get out for *as little as 225 all inclusive. *


I like all the restaurants you've listed however, it seems to me that $225/person all inclusive would be rare for any one of them listed. It's not hard to leave these establishments with eye-popping bills that surpass $1000 for two people.


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## eyedoc2180 (Nov 19, 2006)

tabasco said:


> in a former life, I was a chef at 3 different restaurants in downtown Denver, working with Swiss trained chefs, and serving high end cuisine (for Denver in the '70's). My wife is an excellent cook, better than me.
> 
> In short, we're both pretty good with knives, kitchens and food, and we've been doing it long enough so that our experiences in restaurants leads us to this conclusion: our best meals are at home.
> 
> ...


Excellent points, one and all. Steak, for example, is seldom better "out" than it is on the grill at home. (OK, Sparks or Peter Lugar's would be exceptions.) There is often poor correlation of meal enjoyment and pricetag at the ridiculously high end. bill


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## tabasco (Jul 17, 2006)

Wayfarer said:


> Can you get good food that is inexpensive? Sure. Down here, some of the cheapest authentic Mexican joints put out better food than the upscale ones. But are you likely to get a dry aged Grade A Prime steak, fired just perfectly, with a perfectly incorporated hollandaise sauce, without the slightest break, over lump crab meet at the Sizzler? Nope. It may not be a perfect correlation but on many items there is indeed a strong one. And you were talking about Swiss trained chefs? Just like med school, good training takes a long time and incurs a large investment. The best trained people need to work at eateries that can afford their salaries.


My fond memories of my chef-work kitchen: Jose or Manuel to wash my favorite pan & return: "andale, andale", knives sharpened weekly, clean, starched uniforms, the occasional beer bought by a grateful guest.

My dining tastes have changed; we believe in eating locally: free-range poultry, freshwater fish, government beef, and entirely self-sufficient vegetables from May to October.

But....I do love warm foie gras and a nice glass of Sauterne at Bofinger in Paris. Them frenchies know how to eat!


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## Roikins (Mar 22, 2007)

JayJay said:


> I like all the restaurants you've listed however, it seems to me that $225/person all inclusive would be rare for any one of them listed. It's not hard to leave these establishments with eye-popping bills that surpass $1000 for two people.


If you don't get wine at Per Se or French Laundry, it's going to be about $250/person since service is included. I had a small birthday gathering at The Laundry for myself and 3 of my friends and we were at $1600 with wine. Then I took my friend to Per Se for her birthday and it was $650 with wine. As a foodie, I love going to eat out, but the key to keeping costs down is to not order wine with the meal.


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## globetrotter (Dec 30, 2004)

I know 2 "wealthy" people, from the definition given above - net worth > $10mil excluding primary dwelling. 

1. my boss, the guy who owns my company. extremly down to earth, honda, simple suburban car, very very modest. I think he eats at a lot of mid range chains like olive garden and Fridays. 

2. an aunt, inherited money, family from a well known consumer brand name. she lives like a "wealthy" person. she eats out, most nights of the week, at one or another of the type of places I would go for a moderatly nice meal, maybe $20-25 bucks a head without drinks type of place. but here is the interesting part - she usually has 4-12 guests with her, many of them students and young people. so she, essentially, buys meals for a few hundred people a month (or multiple meals for the same 20-30 people) at a nice place and enjoys the conversation and interation. the places she eats are right by her house and know her well, and give her a nice table in a good spot, adn give her good service.


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

okay...if we're going by the net worth >$10 Mil-primary dwelling rule...I know no less than 5 people really well...one of them is my best friend...and I'll be perfectly honest with you probably 3 of those 5 have never set foot in a restaurant where the cost of a meal was more than let's say $60 per person...the other two do that very rarely...

I know for a fact that I regularly eat at more expensive restaurants than these wealthy guys...I dunno...maybe that's part of the reason why they're wealthy...


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## jbmcb (Sep 7, 2005)

The "wealthiest" guy I know - made a fortune designing shipping containers and playing the stock market - mostly cooks himself. He gets everything from Costco. He'll go there and buy a thousand dollars worth of food (he has eight kids) and eats dinner in the cafeteria ($1.50 hot dog and pop) He keeps everything in a huge pantry in his huge garage. He has one of those small, battery operated forklifts to carry the stuff in from his truck.


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## 44XT (Aug 2, 2005)

Gabba, for a complete explanation of this phenomena, read "The Millionaire Next Door" It's difficult to accumulate wealth by spending all your money.


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

jbmcb said:


> The "wealthiest" guy I know - made a fortune designing shipping containers and playing the stock market - mostly cooks himself. He gets everything from Costco. He'll go there and buy a thousand dollars worth of food (he has eight kids) and eats dinner in the cafeteria ($1.50 hot dog and pop) He keeps everything in a huge pantry in his huge garage. He has one of those small, battery operated forklifts to carry the stuff in from his truck.


Sounds kind of like my best friend...he and I have ahd some very candid talks about money (he gives me investing advice)...there are months where he loses more than I've made in the past 5 years (there are also moths where he makes more than that)...but he's really one of the more frugal (almost borderline cheap) people you've ever met...I mean he lives in a beautiful house, drives nice cars, etc...but he wouldnt spend more than $500 on a suit to save his life, he buys his groceries in 3 differents stores just to save money, washes his own cars, does alot of his own yardwork, and usually cooks for himself...but when he does decide to go out, it's usually just this cheap little coffee shop by his house...I'm not knocking it...I wish I could have that kind of discipline...because this guy started out with very little, so there must be something to the way he does things...


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## VC2000 (Feb 10, 2006)

I'm going to avoid the definition of wealth - I'll let it fall where it falls. I'd guess that $10 million is a fairly low threshold but I digress.

I've been lucky to reach a level where I can dine anywhere and most of my friends fall in that level. Time is the biggest issue for us. Perhaps we could afford to eat at the French Laundry every night but it just takes too much time...plus my clothing habit would be impacted by an expanding waistline. I get food when I can get it. For example last Memorial Day weekend I had dinner with the founder of this forum, Andy, his lovely wife and nephew and some other members - I had something to eat because I had been running in meetings all day - it was the first time I had that day that I could sit down - so I ate. It was a very enjoyable meal - the food was good and the company was great but the place wouldn't be described using the word luxury. It was just good food. Most of the time this is how I eat. Many self made people understand value and I have found that they frequent value places more then the luxury experiences. I think those high end experiences are still reserved for special experiences more due to time limitations then cost.

When I am at home for an extended period of time I use a personal chef services that comes in and preps food for me once a week or so - the cost isn't anything that the average middle class family couldn't afford if they offset it with take out meals. I cook or warm up the food if I have time if not a housekeeper does it for me. I'm single so it is fairly easily. I like eating at home - it is more relaxing rather then eating out where I have to be aware of running into somebody where it becomes another business meeting. I use the personal chef because I know what goes in the food. When dining out you can't know the fats or sugars that they add to make the food taste good. I had a few years of eating the free meals at the tech startups and my waist started to expand. The joke about new employees of Google experiencing the freshman 15 pound gain is so true.


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

it seems to me that for whatever reason the pseudo noveau riche Gordon Gekko wannabes and their just barely above average former cheerleader/good time gal wives seem to love to pretend to flaunt their "wealth" at places like PF Changs and the Cheesecake factory...don't ask me why, but whenever I go into either one of those places, they are just crawling with the dorkiest of yuppies...who are very impressed with the fact that they pull 6 figures and drive an entry level Mercedes ...

now...that's not to say that they dont have a damn fine cheesecake at the Cheesecake Facotry...


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## 16128 (Feb 8, 2005)

eyedoc2180 said:


> Bore me, please! My guess is that my family and I qualify as upper middle class. I would rather save up and dine at the top restaurants, as opposed to multiple meals at the middle of the road places. Choices are endless, living midway between New York and Philadelphia! It is probably an ego thing, but I just enjoy the great service and true effort to create a unique dining experience. Thursday we head to Vetri in Philly, which will cost a day's pay, but I will value it. Our only other expensive vice is our choice of automobile. Otherwise it is a moderate lifestyle. OK, I forgot the occasional trip to Paul Stuart! I can't speak for the rich folks! Bill:devil:


We cook all the time, because we enjoy it, but some things are just better out - notably Japanese food.

My brother-in-law is a bachelor and is constantly getting takeout or going out for random meals, and when we were in New Orleans together last we had some amazing dinners he really enjoyed. He needs to learn to cook well and only go out for something excellent he can't get at home, instead of blowing his money at Outback and Applebees all the time. Most "casual dining" restaurants are disappointing if you are even a middling cook.

I suppose really rich people can have chefs, but cooking well is not that hard and is fun if you combine it with the end-of-workday couple conversation and some wine.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

The Gabba Goul said:


> it seems to me that for whatever reason the pseudo noveau riche Gordon Gekko wannabes and their just barely above average former cheerleader/good time gal wives seem to love to pretend to flaunt their "wealth" at places like PF Changs and the Cheesecake factory...don't ask me why, but whenever I go into either one of those places, they are just crawling with the dorkiest of yuppies...who are very impressed with the fact that they pull 6 figures and drive an entry level Mercedes ...
> 
> now...that's not to say that they dont have a damn fine cheesecake at the Cheesecake Facotry...


If anyone is at P.F. Chang's and thinks they are experiencing "fine dining", I have more pity than scorn for them. Ditto the Cheese Cake Factory. I always figured those places were where people went when the pizza and wings joint across from the trailer park was not fancy enough for a special occasion. Not that you cannot get some tasty chow there...but fine dining?


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

Some cities don't offer much more - - -

We don't have any 5-star restaurants in Lansing, but there are a couple locally owned places that are pretty nice.


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

Wayfarer said:


> If anyone is at P.F. Chang's and thinks they are experiencing "fine dining", I have more pity than scorn for them. Ditto the Cheese Cake Factory. I always figured those places were where people went when the pizza and wings joint across from the trailer park was not fancy enough for a special occasion. Not that you cannot get some tasty chow there...but fine dining?


Oh, I aggree 100%...but you'd be surprized how little alot of people know about "fine dining"...

...then again, all of my favorite restaurants are Michael Mina restaurants...so what the heck do I know???


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## stainless (Aug 27, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> If anyone is at P.F. Chang's and thinks they are experiencing "fine dining", I have more pity than scorn for them. Ditto the Cheese Cake Factory. I always figured those places were where people went when the pizza and wings joint across from the trailer park was not fancy enough for a special occasion. Not that you cannot get some tasty chow there...but fine dining?


Trailer park? Seriously?? If you're going to be a snob at least realize who you are putting down with your snobbery. The PF Chang's/Cheesecake Factory crowd is much more the suburban, soccer mom, bland, boring middle class than trailer park trash.

That being said, I have eaten at both places. Chang's was ok, but much better options are available very close to the one I ate at (not at all far from Boston's chinatown). Cheesecake Factory I liked better, but more in the "you get a lot of decent food for your money" sense than anything else. It's definately not worth the 2-3 hour wait I've heard about that CF can build up.

Not that I can speak with any authority about what the wealthy do nor have I experienced all that many "fine dining" establishments.


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## Thecountofcount (Feb 22, 2008)

Hopefully all the wealthy scum from foreign countries such as the USSR and Persia dine in any of those fine-dining-french-bloody-menu kind of venues in SW1 and W1. Foamed this and molecular that, bill comes up to hundreds of guineas. Damn.

Best way to avoid that pond life is to dine in a club. The City clubs are famous for simple things like Welsh Rarebit, the SW1 clubs are better when it comes to filet steak and dover sole.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

stainless said:


> Trailer park? Seriously?? If you're going to be a snob at least realize who you are putting down with your snobbery. The PF Chang's/Cheesecake Factory crowd is much more the suburban, soccer mom, bland, boring middle class than trailer park trash.


I bow to your superior knowledge concerning trailer trash vs. soccer moms. :icon_smile_big:


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## haruki (Dec 28, 2007)

The few wealthy people I know live in Manhattan, and they get basically the same food delivered as my not-so-wealthy friends.


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## stainless (Aug 27, 2007)

Wayfarer said:


> I bow to your superior knowledge concerning trailer trash vs. soccer moms. :icon_smile_big:


Finally I'm considered an expert at something! :teacha:


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

stainless said:


> Finally I'm considered an expert at something! :teacha:


LOL! :icon_smile_big:


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## damon54 (Dec 12, 2007)

Have an acquaintance with both power & wealth in abundance. I would estimate that he dines out 60% of all meals.

I primarily see him on swings thru Dallas where he chooses among our many steak house options. Never have seen him pay for a meal & am not even sure he carries a wallet. I assume one of his minions or a subordinate employee puts the bill on a corporate credit card.

I have seen him load up In & Out Burgers on the company jet.


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## Thecountofcount (Feb 22, 2008)

https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/giles_coren/article3430409.ece

Interesting to read re wealthy foreigners behaving badly in London restaurants.


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

How do the wealthy put on their pants?


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> How do the wealthy put on their pants?


They pay people to do it for them. And then they make gold records.


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## Des Esseintes (Aug 16, 2005)

Thecountofcount said:


> Hopefully all the wealthy scum from foreign countries such as the USSR and Persia dine in any of those fine-dining-french-bloody-menu kind of venues in SW1 and W1. Foamed this and molecular that, bill comes up to hundreds of guineas. Damn.
> 
> Best way to avoid that pond life is to dine in a club. The City clubs are famous for simple things like Welsh Rarebit, the SW1 clubs are better when it comes to filet steak and dover sole.


Ah, Herr Graf is doing the "I am a foreigner but more clubbable than Bertie Wooster" thing... a rather pitiable attitude in the view of most "true Brits", I have to warn you.

dE


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## SuitUP (Feb 8, 2008)

Both my grandfather (mothers side) and my father are wealthy. Grandpa eats out probably 5 days a week. He use to have a personal chef til the fellow was caught stealing silverware. His motto has always been get what you like no matter what the cost. But from what I have seen he eats at good upscale restaurants but not outrageously expensive places.

My dad eats at mid level restaurants probably 2 days a week, 2 days a week eats at charity/networking functions, 2 days a week eats a party sized bag of Doritos for dinner and 1 day a week gets my sister or his gf to cook for him. Mom, is upper middle class, makes most of her meals because she is a fantastic cook, enjoys cooking and see no reason to spend money on meals she could prepare better.

I am middle class but I get some family perks. I cook 4 days a week, 1 day a week a group of us eat at the church deacons house and 2 days a week I eat out. 1 of the times its usually a mid level restaurant, the other time its usually the 1/3 priced bar food at an upscale restaurant. I am trying to get together a group to eat at more upscale restaurants but no one has the money except 3 of us.


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