Why do people eat at fast food restaurants when they can't afford to?

Question

I've been a supervisor at a fast food chain (I currently don't work there anymore) and have seen people that complain they don't have enough money to buy their children good food, clothes, and their income level is low enough that they qualify for food stamps, but they are loyal customers. They eat out every night dropping $20-30 each night? I know why...because they are ignorant on how to manage their money. I'm just asking this question, and perhaps someone who does do this and has very little money will have a good answer for themselves and this question.

AJLsfo: sorry you can't replace convience with sloppy and poor parenting styles. Not providing for your family and children first is just plain selfishness. $60-$90 a week can buy you plenty of good food and good clothes and if you eat out more often then it could possibly get you off the tax payers payroll. And the clean up can be done by the whole family and the kids will develop responsibility and skills that you are teaching them....wow what a concept!!

Answer 1

I agree with you so way! I was a single parent with little hlep for a long time. I worked a good job but lived very meagerly becuase life is expensive. I budgeted my grocery money. We had no cable, no internet, no cell phone, not silly things that do not relaly matter. My daughters "treet" on Payday was to be able to do a Video night....we rented a movie from the chepie rental store, bought take out and had a picnic on the floor. That is still her favorite thing to do and we are no longer in the need for that kind of frugalty. She is 18 and still manages money well from the example. It can be done. We ate simple and healthy things. I used a crock pot religiously, sometimes two, and saved leftovers by freezing or in the fridge for later in the week. Fruits and vegetables are amazingly cheap compared to the other stuff people buy!

Answer 2

I know what your talking about... it should be that all fast food for anyone not just low income be a "treat" instead of every other night... too bad things in this world have changed so much... as for an answer... idk maybe they have kids and well when you have kids you cant just not get them a happy meal once in a while... so maybe they feel the pressure there... otherwise maybe they eat all other meals at home and they eat out a few nights b/c of their work schedules (not all people receiving assistance..{which is what it is..it doesn't cover for all meals just to help with the cost of a portion/majority} are low lifes w/o a job, the economy sucks, maybe they do work even 2jobs and cant make ends meet) perhaps after working all day they are too tried to cook, I know Ive felt like that many nights... so there are many reasons for it... ignorant or not

Answer 3

The sad thing is that the healthy foods are so over-priced that some low-income people cannot get them at a regular store. My husband recently was laid off from his job and I am working two jobs and still not making what he did. We rarely go out. Even if it is mac & cheese, it can be healthy with a can of tuna and some peas added to it. Takes 10 minutes...which is faster than loading everyone in the car and going to the drive-thru. There are discount grocery stores also where you can get off brands, and some name brand items at sometimes more than half the price, and they have meat, fresh/frozen veggies, cereal, dairy, etc. It can be done. I still have enough money to buy my son clothes, shoes, etc.

Answer 4

Dropping $20-30 cash on high-fat, quickly served food versus spending the same amount on buying items in the grocery store then preparing it... these folks may be best served by eating fast food. There's the hidden cost of the electricity burned by cooking and cleaning up (water to wash, prep, clean up). And knowing that if one meal is served at home, not all the kids would like it (finicky eaters). So, unforturnately, because of the familiarity of the menu, and having the kids eat what they know, plus throwing away trash (zero clean up at home) the fast food restaurant wins this round.

edit: Huskergo, I totally see your point... I was under the assumption that these folks were buying off the dollar menu or cheaper... 20-30 a night per week? Outrageous. And ordering "value meals" and happy meals all around the table? Yeesh. I agree on the poor parenting skills and probable lack of basic home economic skills. I don't defend the use of fast-fooding as the way to keep a family fed, just that giving credit to a parent or parents to get their kids fed, albeit with some kind of nutrition.

Answer 5

I'm always amazed by the statistics of how often people eat out in general! How do they do it? I could never get out of McD or a similar place for less than $20 for the 4 of us. That money would stretch through a lot more, and more nutritious, meals. I never bought coffee and doughnuts on the road like so many people do. I brought my lunch to work. I can count on one hand how many times we ordered pizza delivered.

Answer 6

I blame this on our society. You have teenage parents who have never been taught to budget and/or cook. They don't know how to budget their money. They don't know how to keep house, how to cook food, and they are overwhelmed. They don't know what else to do. This is not an excuse by any means, but I have seen it happen to so many young families. This did happen with my sister. She was a very young teenager who got married, had a child, and our mother had shown us NOTHING about how to run a household. Finally she came to me in tears. We sat down, made a budget, made out menus, grocery list, and even a sort of schedule for house work. It worked for her...she just had to be shown that there was a way.

Answer 7

I agree with you, I have seen people who cannot even afford their rent eat out w/a bunch of kids at fast food restaurants. You would think they would get more for their money by buying food at the grocery store.

Answer 8

It is a total lack of knowledge.
People don't understand moderation, they can't control themselves and feel that they deserve the treat after they work so hard, they are also in survival mode...focusing on right now and unable to see past right now.
This survival mode puts them in a position where they are just unable to do the wise thing for the future because they need to survive the moment.

Answer 9

Your SO right!
I work in a bookshop and have customers complain they have no money for food or clothes but but three or four books to read (fiction)..use your money more wisly..buy food not something to entertain yourself.

Answer 10

i agree, they cannot manage their money. And they are probabley to lazy to shop right and cook.