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Good luck booking that big birthday dinner

Mar 13, 2024
Alina Dizik wrote in The Wall Street Journal about why some restaurants don't want parties of six or more people.
Bigger tables are harder on kitchens and servers, and they're not always welcomed. You may have better luck at less trendy eateries or at off-hours.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The fees war between retailers and credit card companies is heating up

Feb 26, 2024
Merchants paid $126 billion in credit card fees in 2022, up 20% from the year before. The pushback is playing out in lobbying campaigns and Congress.
Merchants from gas stations to ice cream shops to Amazon have complained about credit card fees and contracts, and many are lobbying for credit card regulation.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Diners aren't going to steakhouses just for the steak anymore

Feb 19, 2024
Some steakhouses are changing their menus and venues to accommodate new consumer preferences.
Some people like going to steakhouses for the vibe or ambiance, not just the steaks, says journalist Alina Dizik.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Harv

What drove the strong growth in GDP at the end of 2023? Consumer spending.

Jan 25, 2024
Nostalgia, cold weather and an uptick in business travel have been good news for three Baltimore businesses.
The bump in GDP reflects increased consumer spending on goods and services.
LumiNola/Getty Images

Expect restaurants to go all in on breakfast this year

Jan 18, 2024
Given inflation, consumers are leaning into eggs Benedict as a way to stick to their budgets and still treat themselves. And restaurants like brunch for its hearty profit margins.
Turns out more Americans are saying "Cheers!" to brunch and breakfast.
Eric Marion Williams/Getty Images

Americans pulled back on restaurant spending in September, report says

Oct 4, 2023
Instead of $50 main courses, they're opting for sandwiches and other lower-priced items, say restaurants around the country.
Restaurant owners are reporting lower customer spending averages and fewer hours of operation.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

How to act as a responsible foodie

Diners have a responsibility to learn about the history of restaurants and the people behind them, says professor and author Pascale Joassart-Marcelli.
"I think that foodies have a responsibility ... to educate themselves and to reflect on the impacts of the consumption," said professor Pascale Joassart-Marcelli.
Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

What does tipping look like in the United Kingdom?

Sep 21, 2023
Free health care and a higher minimum wage in the U.K. means that there's less reliance on tips to make up workers' income.
In the U.K., the standard tip is roughly 10% at restaurants, though people won’t leave any extra if they think the service hasn’t been good enough.
Peter Summers/Getty Images

Restaurants on wheels

Sep 18, 2023
Econ Extra Credit newsletter #166
Roy Choi's Korean fusion truck Kogi helped kick off the food truck trend.
Samantha Trauben/Getty Images for International Rescue Committee

Fish tacos for about $1?

Sep 13, 2023
El Pueblo Mexican Food, a family-owned restaurant chain in San Diego, California, is bucking price trends.
A customer waits to order food at El Pueblo’s roadside taco stand in Cardiff, San Diego.
Jill Replogle/Marketplace