Picnics Revisited. Possibly something positive?

[Hovannes]

It's a different world now.
Locally, with $20/hr wages for fast food workers in a few days, the combo meal priced its self off the dashboard diner menu.
Heck it's already too expensive.
$20 for McDonalds? No way Jose!

I seldom get fast food anyway, so this wouldn't be an issue for me (and maybe you) except that the only times I'll get fast food is on a road trip because it's easy (until AI replaced cashiers) cheap (until the last hourly wage increase to $18) convenient (some burger joint is at nearly every freeway off ramp) and satisfying (because hot grease is kind of tasty, although portion sizes have been shrinking, I've noticed,)
Of course, road trips are in perilous danger as well with expensive gas and more expensive electric cars that use expensive electricity, but assuming road trips are still do-able in the future, there is the current and future fast-food kerfuffle to navigate.

I think this will lead to a return to the practice of picnicking. Not ersatz picnicking where you grab a bag of chips and soda at a gas station and chow down in the car, but rather honest, old school picnicking with home made vittles and the accoutrements to keep coffee hot, and what is appropriate to keep the vittles properly hot or cold, as well as something to contain it all, like a....picnic basket!

What do you think? Is this where society is headed or not? And if not, why?

[sweetandsour]

It's a different world now.
Locally, with $20/hr wages for fast food workers in a few days, the combo meal priced its self off the dashboard diner menu.
Heck it's already too expensive.
$20 for McDonalds? No way Jose!

I seldom get fast food anyway, so this wouldn't be an issue for me (and maybe you) except that the only times I'll get fast food is on a road trip because it's easy (until AI replaced cashiers) cheap (until the last hourly wage increase to $18) convenient (some burger joint is at nearly every freeway off ramp) and satisfying (because hot grease is kind of tasty, although portion sizes have been shrinking, I've noticed,)
Of course, road trips are in perilous danger as well with expensive gas and more expensive electric cars that use expensive electricity, but assuming road trips are still do-able in the future, there is the current and future fast-food kerfuffle to navigate.

I think this will lead to a return to the practice of picnicking. Not ersatz picnicking where you grab a bag of chips and soda at a gas station and chow down in the car, but rather honest, old school picnicking with home made vittles and the accoutrements to keep coffee hot, and what is appropriate to keep the vittles properly hot or cold, as well as something to contain it all, like a....picnic basket!

What do you think? Is this where society is headed or not? And if not, why?

I like the idea. Re fast food, I try not to. But I hear that significant discounts can be had with the use of apps.

[Hovannes]

It's a different world now.
Locally, with $20/hr wages for fast food workers in a few days, the combo meal priced its self off the dashboard diner menu.
Heck it's already too expensive.
$20 for McDonalds? No way Jose!

I seldom get fast food anyway, so this wouldn't be an issue for me (and maybe you) except that the only times I'll get fast food is on a road trip because it's easy (until AI replaced cashiers) cheap (until the last hourly wage increase to $18) convenient (some burger joint is at nearly every freeway off ramp) and satisfying (because hot grease is kind of tasty, although portion sizes have been shrinking, I've noticed,)
Of course, road trips are in perilous danger as well with expensive gas and more expensive electric cars that use expensive electricity, but assuming road trips are still do-able in the future, there is the current and future fast-food kerfuffle to navigate.

I think this will lead to a return to the practice of picnicking. Not ersatz picnicking where you grab a bag of chips and soda at a gas station and chow down in the car, but rather honest, old school picnicking with home made vittles and the accoutrements to keep coffee hot, and what is appropriate to keep the vittles properly hot or cold, as well as something to contain it all, like a....picnic basket!

What do you think? Is this where society is headed or not? And if not, why?

I like the idea. Re fast food, I try not to. But I hear that significant discounts can be had with the use of apps.

I like fast food, too.
My Cardiologist, not so much

[JimVH]

Picnic goers will become targets. Scarcity and affordability will drive the have nots to the streets to steal from the haves. Make sure your basket has a weapon and extra magazines.





I really need to ease up on the twitter.

[Del]

Picnics are an awesome custom that deserves to be brought back to life.

It doesn't have to be extravagant to be fun. I remember growing up, Dad would declare a weenie roast night. We went to the local park and Dad built a fire. Slipped hot dogs onto wire coat hangars, and we kids burned ourselves some dinner. Then we ran around the playground while Mom and Dad did whatever it was that grown-ups do.
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$20 for a fast-food meal is outrageous.

Our Chesterton Society meets every week at a neighborhood pub/bowling alley. Their food is great! I can get a fancy burger (I love the chipotle/bleu cheese sauce burger) with a generous portion of fries -- and a craft beer -- for $20.

[sweetandsour]

Picnics are an awesome custom that deserves to be brought back to life.



Our Chesterton Society meets every week at a neighborhood pub/bowling alley. Their food is great! I can get a fancy burger (I love the chipotle/bleu cheese sauce burger) with a generous portion of fries -- and a craft beer -- for $20.

Sounds great! We will picnic today, and let Tony's BBQ do all of the cooking.

[Bloodhound]

Many times during the summer on trips to the cabin...A small cooler with sandwiches and chips and a couple bottles of water, a thermos of coffee. The whole package is cheaper than a fast food stop on the way.

The last part of the season 2023, I started getting sandwich rolls and deli meat and cheese and condements and throw it all in the cooler and make the sandwich fresh...no soggy bread...it worked well.

With a Jimmy John's sandwich and chips going for $12 (and the sandwich got smaller this past Summer...well its cheaper and better to build it myself.

[JimVH]

... I started getting sandwich rolls and deli meat and cheese and condements and throw it all in the cooler and make the sandwich fresh...no soggy bread...it worked well.

With a Jimmy John's sandwich and chips going for $12 (and the sandwich got smaller this past Summer...well its cheaper and better to build it myself.

I wouldn't call it picnicking, but I'm doing this at the hospital. I keep a cooler in the truck. In the shaded parking garage it stays cold enough for lunch meat for 2-3 days. I can swipe baggies of ice from the family room and reinforce the cooler indefinitely. I keep a jar of peanut butter in case I'm unable to get to the store right off the bat for lunch meat. Hospital food was costing $20+/day.

[Bloodhound]

... I started getting sandwich rolls and deli meat and cheese and condements and throw it all in the cooler and make the sandwich fresh...no soggy bread...it worked well.

With a Jimmy John's sandwich and chips going for $12 (and the sandwich got smaller this past Summer...well its cheaper and better to build it myself.

I wouldn't call it picnicking, but I'm doing this at the hospital. I keep a cooler in the truck. In the shaded parking garage it stays cold enough for lunch meat for 2-3 days. I can swipe baggies of ice from the family room and reinforce the cooler indefinitely. I keep a jar of peanut butter in case I'm unable to get to the store right off the bat for lunch meat. Hospital food was costing $20+/day.

And it likely not even good food...

[FredS]

Who gave up on picnics? Or homemade sandwiches for picnics? There's few things better than PBJ sammich or a tunafish (my mother said it that way so I say it that way) sammich outdoors. On a blanket at the beach, on a rock at the river, a tailgate in the field, or just on the patio, I picnic almost every week when the temp is over 50ish degrees.

I will admit though, that I over-order from my favorite fried chicken place just so I'll have cold chicken for tomorrows picnic. Even if three pieces and a bag of chips is almost $20.