"Dining Out" at the grocery store
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
October 18, 2010 11:02am CST
Have you ever "dined out" at the grocery store?
Well, after spending most of the day yesterday cleaning my FIL's house, we came home not wanting to cook dinner. We'd already had pizza and chinese recently, so we couldn't think of anything we wanted delivered. We also couldn't think of any restaurants to go to that were affordable and good. We kept throwing around different ideas, none of them sounding good enough.. and the ones that did sound good were way out of our price range. I'd gotten my heart set on some expensive seafood place that I knew we couldn't afford!
Then I remembered that one of our grocery stores which had a pizza shop in it sold a gourmet seafood pizza which I loved, and to me it was almost like eating at the expensive seafood place.
Along with the pizza shop this grocery store also has a sub shop, an asian buffet, and a salad bar. The food is all really good at this particular store too!
So we went there. I got my gourmet seafood pizza, my youngest 2 also got pizza. My daughter had the asian buffet, and everyone else got subs. We sat in the little seating area the store offered.. and when we were done we walked around the store picking up items we needed for home. Before last night we'd never gone to a grocery store with the intentions of eating there. Would you have ever thought of that? Have you ever done it?
4 people like this
17 responses
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
19 Oct 10
Actually, no I haven't. Our store used to have a salad bar a few years ago but I guess they weren't getting enough business so the store stopped it. But the type of place you describe sounds awesome! Only store we have that you can sit down and eat is our SuperCenter Walmart and that is only because it has a McDonalds in the store but nothing like your talking about. I think alot of teens would love that idea though. Especially on date night. What is the name of your store?
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
19 Oct 10
The name of the store is Wegman's.. it's only in the northeast. Some of our other stores have similar cafe areas, but their food isn't as good. Wegman's is pricey, but they have the best food and best customer service in our area.
1 person likes this
@tjburcham (690)
• United States
19 Oct 10
Our grocery stores don't have such a good selection of prepared food, but we eat at the store quite a bit. It's as good as home made and I think better for you if only because the quality of the food is better. We get more food for our money also. One meal complete with dessert for the same price as a burgar, fries and a drink. Don't have that rushed feeling when you sit down to eat either, no crowds to deal with. Even get the sixth meal free. That's like two trips for my daughter and myself, with a grandkid or two.
1 person likes this
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
19 Oct 10
Yes, I’ve done it but it was the other way round i.e. we had gone for the usual shopping and ended up having lunch. Actually, it was a lazy Saturday afternoon and as usual I didn’t want to cook anything so as it is my son and me were planning to just go out, do some window shopping and have lunch at some affordable place. However, this new super grocery store had just opened its doors and we went for a look and it was so huge inside that we had no idea of the time we spent…it was only our stomachs rumbling that made us want to look for food and someone guided us to another section where there were rows of food stalls selling everything from Indian food to Chinese, burgers, ice-cream…we really had our fill and enjoyed it too.
1 person likes this
@4mymak (1793)
• Malaysia
19 Oct 10
hi kats..
to be honest - i live in a society where we luv to eat... we live to eat (not eat to live 
)
and you'd see a lot of these 'eating corners' in our shopping stores..
it started out as a counter or corner for 'take-outs' or 'take home meals' in the grocery sections... but, later.. stools were placed so shoppers could sit and have a quick bite before they leave,.. and after - proper chairs and tables were put up.. and you'd see families sitting down eating before or after finished their shopping.. we've done that - eating at the grocery section - quite a lot of times.. and it really saves time...
)
and you'd see a lot of these 'eating corners' in our shopping stores..
it started out as a counter or corner for 'take-outs' or 'take home meals' in the grocery sections... but, later.. stools were placed so shoppers could sit and have a quick bite before they leave,.. and after - proper chairs and tables were put up.. and you'd see families sitting down eating before or after finished their shopping.. we've done that - eating at the grocery section - quite a lot of times.. and it really saves time... 1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
19 Oct 10
There is a grocery store down where the kids and I used to live that sold pizza, burgers, fried chicken, and all sorts of other things. A few times when we went grocery shopping we stopped in there and got some food first. There were a few other times when we got stuff to go too. I would place my order before we went shopping and pick it up at the counter when we were leaving.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
19 Oct 10
At first I thought that you were referrin to a shopping Mall but then got the idea.
style..
No we do not have anything like this in a store but having just written that I am thinking of a Mega Store in Montego Bay. This is a huge store there and they they have an eating area - buffet. But I think that you are talking about a much smaller store. So no, I like but I ike the idea
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
18 Oct 10
That sounds pretty cool! I don't think any of our grocery stores offer anything like that. At least not any close to us. The one has a little cafe area but I don't think they have a lot as far as food options go. I don't think I've ever seen anyone sitting and eating there. I wish we had a place like that, we'd definitely do it. The closest thing we have is the mcdonalds in our supercenter walmart. lol. we've done that a few times. We hit the dollar menu and eat before we shop so that our stomachs don't control the amount of groceries we buy! lol
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
18 Oct 10
I have eaten in a grocery store. We have sister days and once went to the cities and my sister in law had us go eat at one......they had a buffet type deal that had just about everything you could imagine on it. We sat outside the store at little tables and it was very good food. Our local store also has the asian food and then their own little restaurant area. I guess they do a very good business. I haven't eaten there but have picked up food on my way out so I didn't have to cook when I got home.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (72240)
• United States
19 Oct 10
Wow thats neat that this store you go to has so many different food options. Most of the stores I go to has a fast food resturant in them of some sort. Some k-marts have a little ceasers in them. Some wal-marts have a subway and some have mcdonalds. Its great that you can go there and get groceries and stop and get some food to eat. I usually just grab a bag of chips or something while I'm shopping rather then sit down and eat a hot meal.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
19 Oct 10
I will sometimes grab a premade wrap from the deli area.. my kids usually want me to open a box of cereal bars so they can have one of those while we shop so sometimes I'll have one of those also. I used to buy a box of donuts and have one while shopping. Rarely do I take the time to sit in the restaurant on shopping day.. I usually just want to get it over and done with and get home.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (72240)
• United States
19 Oct 10
I used to always go to wal-mart and while I was shopping I would eat one of their packaged macaroni salads or potato salad but I got food poising from it one time so I never will touch that stuff again. I usually just grab something like you do because I dont want to take the time to sit and eat. My ex always thought I was a pig for doing that. I guess in a way I see his point but oh well I'm hungry and in a hurry so I dont care how I look.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
16 Nov 10
Sounds like a good idea. And everyone got something they wanted. I don't think any of the stores around here have that big of a selection.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
2 Oct 11
Your funny. I do know a few people that go to grocery stores, especially at lunch time, to eat samples and that is what I thought this discussion was going to be about so you fooled me. I am serious though, I do know some people that go to grocery stores and eat the samples at the deli and the samples they have set up at little desks all over the store and such.
The best place to go for free samples when you are really hungry is Costco. I rarely go there but when I do, the last time was last summer, they have so many samples it's a bit crazy really. A person could go there really hungry and leave there really full and not spend a penny. Every aisle and empty space in the store has a table set up with free samples.
A lot of times they even have a frying pan and they even cook the food to give you to try. Like I said, I know people from work that would go there for lunch almost every day.
Cheers my friend and happy mylotting,
Chris
Cheers my friend and happy mylotting,
Chris 
@snowy22315 (182187)
• United States
22 Oct 10
wegmans has alot of good take home food. I will sometimes get food from there to take home. It is the best, if not the least expensive way to dine out. It is really pretty good.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
22 Oct 10
You must be close to me because Wegman's is only a local chain in the North East. That is where we went to eat that day.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
18 Oct 10
That sounds like alot fun! We don't have any grocery stores like
that here or I would definitely do that! I never get tired of
Chinese or Pizza though. They're both two of my favorites. I
would have liked to have tried the Asian buffet with your daughter.
1 person likes this
@teenymarie (107)
• United States
18 Oct 10
There is a grocery store less than 1/4 mile from our house that has an awesome salad bar, chinese food, pizza, fried chicken and I'm sure other things that I am forgetting. I have only gotten a salad from there to bring home, but my husband goes there once or twice a week for lunch with the crew from work. They have specials on certain days so its really cheap, good food, for example I know today they had 99 cent pizza slices and I'm sure that's what he had for lunch!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160950)
• United States
19 Oct 10
None of our stores has a seating place, I have gone and bought foods that I intended to eat at the park or at home. We do not have as many choices in the deli that you described. The seafood pizza sounds yummy.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
27 Oct 10
WE haven't actually eaten at the grocery story, but I've gotten takeout from there. They have a pretty decent Asian place as well as deli items.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Oct 10
I actually wish that we had a grocery store around here that had something like that. But, alas, there is nothing like that at all around here. There are a couple of Krogers that are starting to have more of the food that is prepared for you to take home and eat, but they don't have dining areas inside of the store. I really like that they have sushi because I'm a sucker for California rolls and can't always afford to go to a chinese or Japanese restaurant to have my fill of those. Actually, I'm craving them right now.
