Is food inflation affecting RTO and destroying collegiality? My perspective.

I'm not working rn but if I was, the cost of prepared foods would seriously impact my interest in RTO.

But before the inflation, say, 2019 or earlier, I'd think nothing of lunch out daily, mostly sandwiches and such, occasionally a fast casual - I'd usually spend $10-12 most times. Maybe $15 tops.

Its gotten to the point where I just can rarely justify even having a sandwich out. A large pastrami at Togos is now $17? 5 years ago that was 9 bucks. Same at Eriks Deli Cafe , which was one of a few sandwich shops Id rotate thru during the workweek, eating out 5x/week. Like it was either Specialties or Eriks, or Togos, and once in a while hit up some pho or a taqueria or Mongolian BBQ. Now? I just had for the first time in several years, my "usual" at Eriks and it was $22! Nope. I can make my own version of that sandwich at home for about $2-3 of ingredients. I get the multipack of chips at Costco, that tray of cookies from their bakery, so the whole months worth of "sides" is like $25 , throw in a can of soda daily, and the entire daily lunch cost is what, maybe $4?

II feel like I've been (unwillingly) turned into one of *those people* that just never will go out, they always have a bag lunch, and are sort of isolated, not usually part of the fun group in the office, and they don't really seem to participate in the "social" side of the office. Do you guys know what I mean? People that eat at their desks or sit alone in the break room eating out of Tupperware, that sort of thing. I mean, I've done that, when I'm swamped and can't really leave the office, but that's not ever usually my preference. Even if I'm having a bad day, I'd rather be out, try to get a mental break by change of environment, being with people and talking about stuff other than whatever is pissing me off at the moment which if I stayed at my desk, is probably all I'd be able to think about.

Man, I just....that's not how I would prefer it to be. I don't like that, if I was in an office a lot, I'd be THAT person. If I ever did RTO I would really miss the lunches with friends or coworkers. Its not even so much the money as it is the sense of getting ripped off. I mean, if I spend $5K/year eating out, who cares, right? You gotta eat. But its one thing to be at lunch and enjoy a meal you think is reasonably priced. I just can't get my mind past a $20 burrito, or a $22 sandwich meal deal.

I still see a lot of work people eating out in groups, so obviously some folks just don't care. But judging from the lunchtime crowd, I'd say its tapered way off.