It’s been a rocky year for the restaurant industry, with rising costs due to inflation and changing consumer habits driving a slew of chains with household names into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to those who follow the industry, there is no definable silver lining ahead for an industry in deep trouble.

Have to agree with this, because it’s a well-known fact that once food prices go up, they never come down again.

Last Sunday New Wife and I took a little trip to Sherman TX (a.k.a. the last exit off the highway before you get to Oklahoma) for a little antique / bargain shopping. (I know, I know; to most men, “antiquing” is just another term for “strap the rat cage to my face”, but I don’t mind it because New Wife and I have very similar tastes when it comes to shopping, and she is a fanatical scrimper when it comes to this kind of thing.)

Anyway: Sherman is not in the middle of nowhere, but you can certainly see Nowhere from the town square. One would expect a small town to have small-town prices, and indeed, the wares are the antique mall were very reasonable. (Not that we bought anything, but still.)

On the other hand, it was when we went out for lunch that the shock hit home.

You see, I’m in charge of the grocery shopping chez du Toit, so I’m accustomed to the price increases in food — I’ve ranted about it often enough on these pages — and I’ll be honest and say that we haven’t eaten “out” in about four months, other than the occasional takeout order of fries from Sonic and the like.

So we treated ourselves to a small BBQ lunch at the Cackle & Oink [sic], a nice little place just north of town. Modest premises, hometown feel, lots of locals inside… you know the drill.

And two small meals with iced tea came to over $50.

I nearly passed out.

Look, BBQ has always been kinda spendy, I know. But in the past, a small order of ribs and brisket (our normal fare) seldom ran over $30, or maybe a tad over with the tip. But $50???

Somebody told me the other day that two burgers at Five Guys now costs in the region of $40, and I couldn’t believe them. Now, I do.

It just means that we’ll be eating at home in the future, and if my prognosis about food prices is indeed true, we’ll never be eating out again. What a lovely prospect (and just when we were beginning to claw ourselves out of our recent abject poverty, too).

And for restaurants, the prospects will be similarly gloomy, you betcha.

I don’t know what could possibly avert this situation. Maybe a Trump election would help, in that some sanity will be restored and inflation tamed, but somehow I doubt it.

Quote Of The Day

September 3, 2024 Kim du Toit QOTD

“Disappointing to go and not find a single vegan option though.” — some asshole upon visiting Jeremy Clarkson’s pub.

Like Clarkson was ever going to offer vegan slop in his new place.

News Roundup

September 3, 2024 Kim du Toit Bad News

Speaking of fun stuff:

…

And speaking of sick, here’s Crime News:

...”could be executed”? Volunteers to throw the switch, the line forms behind me. And quit that pushing and shoving.

And Crime News (Krautland Department):

...of course, if Germany were to reinstate the death penalty for such crimes, that would solve the problem one way or the other, yes?

...yeah, that’ll work. They’ll just come back as Ukrainian refugees, or something. And then the Krauts wonder why this is happening:

...”hard right”? LOL I know some ol’ boys in Arizona and Louisiana — to mention just two — who’d make these AfD guys look like little girls. But anyway… it looks like that has happened.

In other Furrin News:

...and after the drone strikes are completed and the dust has settled, we need to ask what the hell US servicemen are doing in Turkey in the first place.

...”Husband Of The Year” candidate. Keyword: France.

...I thought this only happened in shitholes like Russia or California.

In further Election News:

...I think that mentioning George Washington and Joe Biden in the same sentence should be a misdemeanor, unless we’re making a “Best” and “Absolute Worst” comparison.

In Sporting News:

...number of people who actually care about this: 0

And it’s time for link-free

…

And while sauntering down

...Nicole honey, methinks that ship sailed a long time ago. I mean, wasn’t this also you?

Just wait till your kids are old enough to watch your movies… now that’s going to be embarrassing.

And so we come to the end of the Redhead Roundup.

Not Even A Perfume

September 3, 2024 Kim du Toit Politics

Ohhh I think I have an old-man crush on Giorgio — I mean Giorgia.

The EyetiePM, not the state next door to Alabama or the similarly-named failed former vassal state of the U.S.S.R., and definitely not the perfume.

I mean, what’s not to like?

Okay, never mind all that. When you get breathless pieces like this one written about you by a Commiesymp asshole like this guy, how bad could you be?

Dangerous far-right demagogue or free-thinking radical?

And all this was written before she became the EyetiePM. Here was her plan:

“The top priority today goes to supporting families and businesses that have been brought to their knees by inflation and the rise of energy bills due to the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

“I think the next Italian government should fight at the EU level for a price cap to be introduced for gas. We are ready to act also at the national level if the EU should delay any longer.”

“Once the emergency has been overcome, the priorities are to cut taxes, to support families and the competitiveness of businesses, to build strategic infrastructures and to invest in a new industrial policy.”

Of course, our boy was outraged.

If all this sounds familiar, she says that “in the conservative world I think about Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher…”

…like that would be a Bad Thing.

But in the meantime:

In Italy illegal immigration by sea has witnessed a sharp decline this year owing to the strict anti-clandestine immigration policies of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing conservative government.

According to newly released official data that appeared in the local daily newspaper, Il Giornale this month, Rome recorded a shockingly sharp 62.4% drop in illegal arrivals in 2024, with 37,000 migrants landing in Italy as of August 12. Last year at the same time there were around 100,000 arrivals.

“Shockingly?” Would it be impertinent to offer La Giorgia a job as, say, U.S. Border Czar? (Also, Javier Milei of Argentina to be the U.S. Czar of Bureaucrat Downsizing & Retrenchment, but let me not get carried away.)

Okay, nobody’s perfect:

The Italian government approved a decree on Wednesday doubling to 200,000 euros ($218,220.00) per year a flat tax applied on income earned abroad by wealthy individuals who transfer their tax residence to the country.

By the way, the original plan to offer tax residence to rich guys was instituted by Italy’s erstwhile Socialist government in the hope that said rich guys would boost the (perennially inadequate) Italian economy. As with so many Socialist dreams, it failed. So Meloni has no doubt figured out that if they aren’t helping, the EytieGov may as well milk them. It’s not like the likes of superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo can’t afford a lousy 200k, is her probable thinking.

Also, the EU hates Meloni and considers her a “fascist”… so when those Socialists hate you, you have to be doing something right. (#HungaryPMViktorOrban)

And she’s as cute as a button.