Outback tragedy

---
Damnit...

Yesterday, Dec 28th, was my birthday. That's cool, I'm ok with that... I mean it either is or it isn't...

We managed, during the holiday season, to come across 35.00 worth of Outback Steak House gift certificates. Which is cool too, they have really well prepared food of good quality. So we, the 3 of us including my son, planned to go to Outback Steak House to 'celebrate'... whatever...

I decided to check out their menu before we went, so I did...

You know... I often tweet and post about cash, thrift and frugality being things we should all strive for. That we should look for 'value'. That we should try to get back to where America was 50 or 60 years ago... About the 1950's. That we, the people, need to stop supporting this illusion of an economy we have. And that we, the people, need to keep our money in our pocket to help bring down our kleptocratic government by starving them of money.

After looking at that menu and giving it a bit of thought, I decided that, in good conscience, I could not bring myself to go...

You see Outback Steak House wants 26.00 a pound for sirloin steak... They have a 'cheap' menu too... "Explore lighter fare that's light on your wallet." From it you can pay 30.00 a pound for chicken, if you like (5 oz chicken breast with a little bacon and cheese = 9.95)...

Or... maybe Outback chopped steak? Just over 22.00 a pound (7 oz = 9.95) for some, prime I'm sure, or I mean prime I hope, "ground aged steak". I wonder how much 'better' it is than the ground chuck I have... Maybe if I left my ground chuck lying around on the counter for a few days it would be ground 'aged' steak too...

Or baby backs... I love those little things... But talk about 'little'... 1/3 of a slab?! I think that might be the first time I have ever seen less than 1/2 a slab offered anywhere... (9.95 x 3 = 30.00 a slab for baby backs...)

I believe 'we', Americans, suffer under the strain of too much capacity, of, actually, being too pampered, with too many choices, too many niches, too many specialties... Also too much 'bling', too much emphasis (and added cost) for things like 'atmosphere' and branding... And... too much inflation. Since about 1913...

I also, personally, feel like American consumers are 'taken advantage of' by many/most corporations at every conceivable opportunity...

So you see, here's the thing... There could be one of two things going on here/there/at Outback, in *my* opinion anyway...

Maybe Outback Steak House is merely, intentionally, overcharging consumers... That would be there perogative in the American capitalist system. There is no 'law' against it... And, I suppose, if they can get enough people to pay 22.00 a pound for hamburger and 30.00 a pound for chicken they should do well... (I like $YUM better myself...)

Or, I suppose, their costs could be out of control...

I mean if you MUST, from a business standpoint, charge 22.00 a pound for hamburger and 30.00 a pound for chicken to cover your business expenses and still be able to turn a 'profit' then maybe your business/operating costs are too high??? Maybe you need to downsize and reduce costs...

I mean I understand that a business has to pay for utilities and labor and inventory and all... but come on... At *my* house chicken runs what? Maybe 1.50 a pound... I am perfectly capable of throwing a little bacon and cheese on top of a chicken breast myself... We're pretty good 'cooks' at my house... I guess maybe that helps a lot...

As far as 'atmosphere' goes... Have an extra glass of wine or two... Come on...

I just couldn't bring myself to go based solely on principle... Of course the part that sucks is that Outback Steak House already HAS the 35.00... lol

But we still ate! lol But, I decided I'd rather spend 32.00 out of my own pocket than give Outback Steak House the satisfaction of serving me...

We ate somewhere else, with 'poor' people, 'old' people and 'round' people... Such is life...

The food was STILL really well prepared... I had some nice chicken breast, and pork, wrapped with applewood smoked bacon. It was good stuff...

I guess I will just give away the gift certificates...

Maybe it's just me... But 'sometimes', to me, some 'things' just seem strangely 'tragic'...tragic (traj′ik)

adjective

1. of, or having the nature of, tragedy
2. like or characteristic of tragedy; bringing great harm, suffering, etc.; calamitous, disastrous, fatal, etc.

Greg