[lp4v4n]

People have commutes and work shifts that don't always allow them to buy food in bulk and cook their own food.

Not everybody is like you.

Restaurants have never been a necessity for life, but I guess that for a lot of people you should be upper class to eat out once a week.

[prepend]

What about commutes stops you from bringing lunch?

You don’t need to buy food in bulk. Just buy regular food, cook it, and take it to work.

Either take stuff that doesn’t need refridge (pb&j, hummus, etc), or insulated lunchbox, or thermos.

This is not a complicated problem to solve. Ride the bus sometime and look at the lunches people bring long distances.

Eating out isn’t a necessity. But at $12/day food budget you definitely have money left over to eat out every once in a while. And that if you cook only for yourself. If you’re part of a household who can share food, it’s even easier.

[bumby]

It has changed a lot over time though, especially when you also count fast food and delivery. Maybe it’s good, maybe it’s bad, but the norm has changed and many people’s expectations.