In general, the service outside of high end restaurants and hotels is pretty ---- in Europe. That said, the less Americans eat out and continue to get fatter and fatter, the better. It is way healthier to cook at home, and if you have a family, meals together inside the house actually bring the family together. So much of what we do today is outsourcing the raising of kids to 3rd parties. That includes moms that don't cook dinner, kids that don't cut the lawn, and dad's too useless to do normal house repairs. The higher costs go, the more people revert back to doing things themselves - so, Biden's out of control inflation may have that long-term benefit.

"#6 | Posted by ClownShack"

I never mentioned Trump in this discussion. Perhaps your housing would be more affordable if you didn't allow Trump and I to live rent free in your head.

"Trump's dreadful economy will crush Americans buying power, forcing more people into poverty and making do with less.
#8 | Posted by ClownShack"

Under Joe Biden - real wages (wage increase - inflation) were NEGATIVE -------. Biden made your life unaffordable. Thus far under Trump - REAL WAGES ARE INCREASING. Of course, you don't want to talk about the actual data, you want to project out some doom and gloom because the Democrats are incapable of debating with actual facts.

"I was also envious of being able to juke from a cheese shop to a wine shop to a bakery to a bodega to get dinner.
#9 | Posted by Danforth"

I assume by this you mean dumpster diving at 2AM.

"Source, "Trust me, bro!"
#13 | Posted by ClownShack"

Source is the BLS ------- - they publish monthly.

Total inflation under Biden was 20.8%.
Total wage growth was 19.6%

You -------s got poorer by 1.2% under that broken brain pedophile - that is all that he could muster in 4 years.

Meanwhile, under Trump in 5 months, real wages outpaced inflation by 1% - so, you -------s got richer even if you didn't realize it yet.

"Tell me you've never been to Paris or Florence without using those specific words.
#15 | Posted by Danforth"

Both cities are overrated ---------. I will literally take any city in Spain - including Madrid - over either of them. Paris was wonderful 20 years ago. Now? Trash - human and otherwise. Same goes for Florence although to a slightly lesser degree.

"#18 | Posted by Danforth"

Other than the bread, French food is pretty trash. Maybe 100 years ago it was super special because Americans didn't use many spices so the French sauces stood out. Now? Pretty trash level which is why so few French restaurants are actually still in business. Also, their cheese sucks and their wine is a step above the low quality Italian crap.

Italy - and Tuscany in particular - is very similar. 95% of the meals are flavorless steaks and/or cheese and cold cuts. The pizza is decent but they don't actually use toppings so you basically get bland sauce, a bit of cheese, and a lot of dough. Other than nostalgia, pretty much every US city with over 100K people will have an Italian restaurant on par with Italy. Hell, in a truly blind tasting - I suspect Olive Garden would hold its own. Now, American style pizza is different - but for the places trying to copy Italy, it is pretty damn close. I just wouldn't choose to eat that style on a weekly basis because I find it boring.

As I have said - Europe is like a theme park for middle class Americans. If you actually have money and travel, you will go try the food in Japan, Korea, or Turkey. That is on a different level to what they serve in the US.