WSJ No one is going out on weeknights any more

Gaius · 2024-01-17T12:26:59.440Z

Well, publishing this in the middle of a giant cold snap seems a little ill-timed.

Anyway, for ~ 3 years travel and dining-out have been pretty popular among the 60%.
Now that trend seems to be ending.

I’ll post this in trivial pursuits because it seems to be more like a “latest social trend” thing and not really an economic thing.

Be cool. Stay home and stream videos.

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Would all-you-can-eat wings tempt you out on a school night again?

Bowling alleys, golf simulators and other family-entertainment centers are testing a flurry of new promotions and discounts in a bid to lure back consumers who have cut down on outings during the Monday-to-Thursday stretch.

Dave & Buster’s in the fall brought back its all-you-can-eat wings offer on Mondays and Thursdays. Topgolf is experimenting with additional midweek discounts beyond its half-off golf deal on Tuesdays. Bowlero now offers unlimited late-night bowling during the middle of the week and half-priced arcade games on Wednesdays.

The changes aim to protect what has become a booming business for entertainment chains and restaurants in recent years: the midweek outing. Americans, armed with more free time and flexible schedules in the remote-work era, ventured out for dinner and entertainment more often to get through the week. Higher prices also helped propel double-digit growth across the “eatertainment” space for much of the past three years.

Now consumers’ appetite for going out on weeknights is slowing. Higher prices have consumers scrutinizing their discretionary spending. The return of after-school activities such as sports and music lessons are keeping families busy. In-person work obligations and trips are filling up schedules. . . .

. . . Weekends are still busy for many dinner-and-entertainment chains. . . .

https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/americans-are-ditching-weeknight-fun-can-they-be-tempted-back-43911ea0?mod=e2tw

Nemesis · 2024-01-17T13:13:47.907Z

Stay home and game. Mid week I can get online with a couple of mates and have just a good time as I can in a bar.

Have a few beers, no driving to worry about. Plus the wife knows where I am so thats a win in itself. .

Though in the summer me and the wife tend to hang outside whether at home or at a local park, riverside walk etc.

I have never really been one to go out midweek but that might just be me.

Though to be honest I will avoid anywhere that offers all you can eat anything.

biggestal99 · 2024-01-17T13:19:13.542Z

i am in bed at 830p at the latest on weeknights as i have to get up at 430a, for the long commute to work.

Allan (a true party pooper)

Impenitent · 2024-01-17T15:19:00.835Z

nahh… go out any night … get mugged, car jacked or killed and the police will stay away so you can vote democrat forever

armed with freetime (don’t need a second amendment for that one!)

utopia

DMK · 2024-01-17T16:00:42.841Z

Life has become too much of a rat race just to keep your head above water.

I understand why people are moving to other countries with a lower cost of living and higher quality of life.

Liberty323 · 2024-01-17T16:32:14.218Z

Now that my sons are grown up and not playing sports during the week, the only times I go out on weeknights are for first date meetups at bars. If they don’t work out I have the perfect excuse to cut out (“well, 5:30 will be here before you know it…”).

TheRedComet · 2024-01-17T16:49:31.260Z

No joke if I had the money I’d probably move to Vietnam. It’s cheap as hell. I’m certainly going to do a vacation there one day.

DMK · 2024-01-17T19:14:21.882Z

TheRedComet:

No joke if I had the money I’d probably move to Vietnam. It’s cheap as hell. I’m certainly going to do a vacation there one day.

Apparently, the key to sucess is to have a US income.

When the dollar is no longer the standard, who knows what will happen.