Polds4OSU
Marshall
can you imagine a parent getting arrested because of this crap or fined by the court for this crap !!??
US continues to go backward...
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Polds4OSU
Marshall
Republican Senator objects to bill banning congressional stock trading:
Anybody want to be poor? I don't. This idea that we're gonna attack people because they make money is wrong. It's disgusting what is going on here. This is an attack against the president, and an attack against the vice president
www.threads.com
Anybody want to be poor? I don't. This idea that we're gonna attack people because they make money is wrong. It's disgusting what is going on here. This is an attack against the president, and an attack against the vice president
FactPost (@factpostnews) on Threads
Republican Senator objects to bill banning congressional stock trading: Anybody want to be poor? I don't. This idea that we're gonna attack people because they make money is wrong. It's disgusting what is going on here. This is an attack against the president, and an attack against the vice...
www.threads.com
Republican Senator objects to bill banning congressional stock trading:
Anybody want to be poor? I don't. This idea that we're gonna attack people because they make money is wrong. It's disgusting what is going on here. This is an attack against the president, and an attack against the vice president
FactPost (@factpostnews) on Threads
Republican Senator objects to bill banning congressional stock trading: Anybody want to be poor? I don't. This idea that we're gonna attack people because they make money is wrong. It's disgusting what is going on here. This is an attack against the president, and an attack against the vice...
A guy worth half a billion doesn't want to be a poor.
This may be the most tone deaf thing a senator has ever said and that's a pretty high bar.
Are independent restraunts floundering in Dallas, OKC and Tulsa too?
It’s been a massacre of indie places that have been around for decades in Los Angeles.
The places you get a $15 meal are evaporating.
Definitely bums me out.
It’s been a massacre of indie places that have been around for decades in Los Angeles.
The places you get a $15 meal are evaporating.
Definitely bums me out.
Is it the state minimum wage or something else that is hurting them?
Polds4OSU
Marshall
This was published 5 months ago....and the White House had a HUGE celebration post yesterday about the $150 BILLION in Tariffs they had collected in the first 1/2 of the year. That's $150 BILLION out of American's pockets they couldn't use any of to spend on eating out. So now a meal out is a Luxury item in household Budgets and money that used to make that a Regular Entertainment line in the budget has been converted to tariffs to the Federal Govt.
Rising Restaurant Prices In 2025—Can You Still Afford To Dine Out?
The 2025 James Beard Independent Restaurant Industry Report, released this week, paints a stark picture. Faced with rising costs, shifting consumer habits, and economic uncertainty, small restaurants are being forced to raise prices, cut corners, or rethink their business models entirely. Some are finding ways to adapt. Others won’t survive.And diners aren’t just noticing—it’s changing how they eat. Just one day before the report dropped, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) hit its lowest level since mid-2024. Historically, when consumer confidence dips, discretionary spending takes a hit—starting with restaurants.
So what happens when dining out starts to feel like a luxury?
For years, eating out at a restaurant was one of life’s simple pleasures. Whether it was a casual midweek dinner or a quick burger that felt like a small indulgence, it wasn’t something most people had to overthink. But now, that’s changed.
A $25 burger isn’t just a meal anymore—it’s a decision. Diners are pausing before ordering, weighing whether the cost feels worth it. Meanwhile, the restaurants that once defined America’s food scene—the independent spots that balanced quality with affordability—are struggling to stay afloat.
The New Playbook for Independent Restaurants
Faced with shrinking profit margins and unpredictable customer spending, independent restaurants are being forced to rethink how they operate.
The JBF report found that over 85% of independent restaurants experimented with non-traditional revenue models in 2024. Some are testing prepaid memberships where regulars pay upfront for exclusive perks. Others are shifting to ticketed dining events, pop-ups, and limited-time tasting menus—offering high-value experiences that diners are more willing to spend on.
A growing number of restaurants are also leaning into experiential dining, creating meals that feel like events—whether through storytelling-driven dishes, chef interactions, or exclusive collaborations.
As one chef in the report noted, “Customers want ‘cheap fancy’—they want high-quality meals but are more hesitant to spend.”
This mirrors what’s happening across food culture. Fast food brands like McDonald’s are launching global exclusives, while limited-edition products—think Squid Game whisky—sell out instantly. People will still spend, but only when the experience feels unique, immersive, or collectible.
But will these adaptations be enough to keep small restaurants afloat?
Can Indie Restaurants Survive Capitalism?
Independent restaurants are a cultural necessity, but capitalism isn’t built to sustain them.
The JBF report makes it clear that restaurants need more than great food to survive. Those who succeed will be the ones who rethink what it means to be independent, whether through innovative business models or deeper customer engagement.
Diners are adjusting too. They’re ordering differently, spending differently, and redefining what restaurant success looks like. This week’s consumer confidence data reinforces one truth: the way we eat is shifting in response to financial uncertainty.
The question isn’t just how much people are willing to pay—it’s whether they feel they can afford to at all.
A Changing Food Culture
The fate of independent restaurants isn’t just about the industry—it’s about us.- Consumers are shifting grocery habits, opting for home-cooked meals over frequent restaurant visits.
- Restaurants are evolving, with fast food thriving, fine dining adapting, and mid-tier restaurants disappearing.
- Diners are looking for value—whether that means affordable indulgence, experiential dining, or price-conscious decision-making.
Link
Rising Restaurant Prices In 2025—Can You Still Afford To Dine Out?
James Beard’s 2025 report reveals the survival challenges facing independent restaurants. With rising costs and shifting dining habits, who can still afford to dine out?
www.forbes.com
I think it's a few things, Some places never recovered from Covid, So much more work from home (less lunch and happy hours), the overall US economy tanking since 2022 and the entertainment production fleeing Los Angeles. Late late night has basically died since Covid.
A couple of places The Pantry and Cole's had been in downtown LA for 100 years.
I'm also just spitballing, but I think delivery services are a horrendous deal for restaurants. I've read they take a huge cut, especially for independent places.
My (very brief) take as a restaurant owner:
People just don't think the value is there anymore. Whether it's the quality of food, service, portion sizes, etc.
Nothing has changed, in this respect, in my shop. We still use high quality ingredients, have had the same employees for 5+ years, and portions are the same. We're still doing well, but definitely not growing this year.
We had to raise prices for a few reasons: Our prices for goods went way up, across the board. We pay our employees very well and give them bonuses every month. In order for my partner and I to make any money we have to raise prices, fire an employee (and do the work ourselves), or cut costs on food.
Prices for goods have gone up, but peoples wages are generally staying the same. So I think folks are being more judicious about where they spend money.
I HATE the tipping culture argument (I've gone on a few rants here about it), but I do think it plays a part. People are burnt out on it, and the media has created an "us vs. them" mentality between customers and service workers.
To be honest, I think the restaurant market is oversaturated. My hope is that all the Applebees and Subways close, leaving room for independent restaurants. But if somebody is looking for a footlong sando for $7 (and doesn't mind eating what equates to dog food), I can't compete with that.
I have other thoughts, but my coffee hasn't totally kicked in yet. Always happy to answer questions, though.
On a side note - I have an opportunity to buy an established business near me. They've been around for almost 20 years and service almost 100 restaurants in the area. Financially, it would potentially set my family up for a few generations. But, it relies on restaurants thriving, which is a HUGE question mark right now. Also, all but 2 employees are (legal) hispanic. If ICE decided to come in and grab them, the business would fail in a week. Pretty sucky that because of president taco tits I may have to say no.
One of the more liberal shows out there thinks the Sydney Sweeney controversy is stupid.
I like Ana, She’s gone a lot more mainstream and has more normal and less weird takes.
I got to argue with a lot of people on this post.
The Brook Shields ad hasn't aged well-I will give the guy that. But yeah, this is exactly what they are talking about. If you call this a nazi dog whistle when every rational person sees that it clearly isn't, who's going to believe you when something that crosses the line happens? You know, like when an administration official literally does a nazi salute at a rally. If half the country doesn't see that as a problem because of politics then trying to convince people that a mainstream ad is doing something wrong makes you look like an idiot and does more harm than good.
I wonder how many of these people are in such a liberal echo chamber that they can't even see things for themselves anymore? You see that plain as day with the right but it goes both ways.
Cognitive dissonance and head in the sand aren’t the same thing.
The Sydney Sweeney outrage is stupid
Carlo M. Cipolla, an Italian economic historian, outlined the Basic Laws of Human Stupidity in a humorous yet thought-provoking 1976 essay. He argued that stupidity is a powerful, underestimated force in human affairs. Here are his Five Fundamental Laws of Stupidity:
1. Always and inevitably everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.
No matter how many stupid people you think exist, there are always more. They show up in all demographics—regardless of education, income, profession, or background.
2. The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
Stupidity is a randomly distributed trait. A person can be educated, powerful, or charming—and still stupid. Conversely, an uneducated person may be intelligent. There’s no correlation.
3. A stupid person is one who causes losses to another person or group of people while deriving no gain and possibly even incurring losses themselves.
This is Cipolla’s most important law. A stupid person harms others and themselves with their actions. Unlike a bandit (who gains at your expense), the stupid person creates a net loss for everyone—often senselessly.
4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals.
Rational people often forget or ignore the destructive potential of stupid people, and as a result, they often suffer. Stupid people are irrational, unpredictable, and often more dangerous than malicious people.
5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.
More dangerous than a criminal, a stupid person harms without reason, pattern, or logic. Since they can’t be reasoned with or predicted, they disrupt systems, relationships, and organizations in disproportionate and chaotic ways.
Cipolla used this framework to classify human behavior into four types based on how actions affect the person and others:
Would you like this broken down with real-life examples or a diagram?
Carlo M. Cipolla, an Italian economic historian, outlined the Basic Laws of Human Stupidity in a humorous yet thought-provoking 1976 essay. He argued that stupidity is a powerful, underestimated force in human affairs. Here are his Five Fundamental Laws of Stupidity:
1. Always and inevitably everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.
No matter how many stupid people you think exist, there are always more. They show up in all demographics—regardless of education, income, profession, or background.
2. The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
Stupidity is a randomly distributed trait. A person can be educated, powerful, or charming—and still stupid. Conversely, an uneducated person may be intelligent. There’s no correlation.
3. A stupid person is one who causes losses to another person or group of people while deriving no gain and possibly even incurring losses themselves.
This is Cipolla’s most important law. A stupid person harms others and themselves with their actions. Unlike a bandit (who gains at your expense), the stupid person creates a net loss for everyone—often senselessly.
4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals.
Rational people often forget or ignore the destructive potential of stupid people, and as a result, they often suffer. Stupid people are irrational, unpredictable, and often more dangerous than malicious people.
5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.
More dangerous than a criminal, a stupid person harms without reason, pattern, or logic. Since they can’t be reasoned with or predicted, they disrupt systems, relationships, and organizations in disproportionate and chaotic ways.
Cipolla used this framework to classify human behavior into four types based on how actions affect the person and others:
| Helps Others | Harms Others |
| Helps Self | Intelligent | Bandit |
Harms Self | Helpless | Stupid |
Would you like this broken down with real-life examples or a diagram?
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