Eating out seems exceptional to me; I'm doing a ton of it specifically because I'm traveling. Of course, I grew up poor; co-workers and even other IU people seem to rely on it as a major food source, vs. a social or occasional thing... 'course, these days even I might eat out a few times a week, especially if people are involved, or inconvenient schedules. (I was very exceptional for bringing a lunch to work... really cut me out of the office social life, though eating at 2 instead of 12 would do that too.)

But if it's more *special* in Europe, plus the assumption that everyone has wine or beer with a meal, I could see that happening... I basically don't drink alcohol or soft drinks ever, and I'm not a fan of tea or coffee with most of my meals, so I don't really have much choice.

Lots of US restaurants make much of their money on drinks, too, especially soft drinks where 2 cents of gloppy syrup can be sold for a dollar. To which I gesture o|o

Ah, Japan, where half the restaurants had free green tea. Even fast food places. Low-end tea from a bulk dispenser maybe, but still free decent (not too bitter) tea.