Dip in household dining out confirmed

05.16.09
By Timothy Jones

Earlier this year over 90 percent of respondents in a MetLife survey deemed restaurant dining a "perk."

Now, as consumers struggle to get credit card debt under control, one way of forcing debt management seems to be cutting back on restaurant dining.

April estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that retail and food service sales were down 0.4 percent last month from March reports and down 10.1 percent from April 2008 levels.

But for consumers who need a break from their everyday financial burdens and use a delicious meal as their escape, there are some deals that can make dining out more affordable.

A Zagat 2009/2010 survey of Westchester and Hudson Valley residents showed that 37 percent of consumers in the area are eating at less-expensive restaurants, and 42 percent are more "attentive to prices" than in the past.

More restaurants in the area are offering consumer prix fixe lunches and dinners at reasonable prices and more high-end eateries are opening new, casual outposts of their pricier hot spots.

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Some deals available for families willing to spend on meals out