Greetings, AAATravelViews readers! I thought I would post something different for a change. Instead of telling you about a specific experience, I’m going to ask a general question for everyone out there to ponder: Do the prices restaurants charge for food and beverages play a key role in whether your overall dining experience is one to be remembered—or one never to be repeated? My answer is a definite yes. But that yes is influenced by a few personal caveats:

•  For me, what I end up paying is actually the key indicator. The amount of my bill trumps a restaurant’s ambience, its hip factor, the level of service and even the quality of the food.
•  I have a prodigious appetite. A lobster tail the size of my thumb, a few matchstick-cut vegetables and a dollop garnish of whatever just isn’t gonna cut it, no matter how sublime the interplay of tastes or how artfully the ingredients are composed on an oversized plate.
•  I rate quantity over quality—up to a point.
•  Restaurants at the rarefied top end of the dining spectrum, like those that receive the coveted Five Diamond award, are not part of this debate. I don’t go to these restaurants and therefore I’m not qualified to comment on them. Besides, anyone who thinks nothing of spending up to $200 on a single meal won’t be interested in this subject anyway.
•  When I travel on business I’m able to put restaurant charges on an expense report, but I’m still on the lookout for value. Most people—and many restaurant reviews—treat restaurant pricing from a dollar point of view. I know I do. And we all have our own price scale. Take dinner, for instance. Anything less than $10 (not including tax or tip) I would call “inexpensive.” For lunch I’d take that down to $8, and for breakfast further down to about $5. And what’s expensive? Let’s just say that if I’m paying more than $20 for an entree, my expectations are high. Make that very high. And during these current economic times restaurant value is even more important to me.

I really do enjoy eating out, especially because I’m not much of a cook. But eating out also is one of the first things I cut back on when money gets a little tight. So I’m always searching for value in exchange for my hard-earned cash. Following are a few random observations, including restaurant policies that really annoy me and my take on a couple of prevailing assumptions.

Most extra charges are a nickel-and-dime-you-to-death annoyance. I’ve eaten in workplace cafeterias that charged 7 cents for a lemon wedge. Do I think that’s cheap? Yes I do. And I’ve never understood why some places charge you extra if you request egg whites only. Toojay’s is a Florida chain that offers a good, reasonably priced breakfast: two eggs any style, your choice of home fries, grits or oatmeal, and toast or a bagel. But they tack on a dollar for scrambled egg whites or an egg-white omelet. Why are they penalizing me for trying to control my cholesterol level and eat healthy?

Restaurants that skimp on the little things don’t earn my loyalty. I have a friend who really likes Houston’s, an “upscale casual” chain with several Florida locations. You know the upscale casual drill. Stylish interior, comfy leather booths, “mood” lighting and a tinkling piano? Check. Smooth-verging-on-unctuous service (angling for that fat tip)? Check. An a la carte menu where the cheapest entree is a $14 seasonal vegetable plate? Check. And no bread basket serving as a goodwill gesture to help offset the pain Houston’s wreaks on your wallet? Unfortunately, check.

All you can eat doesn’t always mean a drop in quality. I agree that many all-you-can-eat joints are nothing more than food troughs where you shovel it in without stopping to think about whether it’s really good. But I had a delicious dinner at another chain—the Golden Corral—in Branson, a town not necessarily noted for its gourmet culinary offerings. There was excellent prime rib and cooked-to-order steaks at the carving station, the salad bar was plentiful and fresh and the vegetables—so often mushy disappointments at a cafeteria-style setup like this—were surprisingly flavorful. I skipped most of the buffet, but everything I did choose was tasty.

Mexican will rarely break your budget. I’m not talking about nondescript chains that specialize in reliably ho-hum Tex-Mex, even though they’re usually on the (relatively) inexpensive side. I’m talking about neighborhood joints with good authentic food. Family-owned places with family recipes. Taquerias (San Francisco has a great taqueria on practically every corner). Taco trucks that dish up terrific tacos al pastor, tortas, carnitas plates and other savory items for just a few bucks.

Let’s hear your thoughts on this subject. What’s your entree pain threshold? Do you take advantage of the half-portion trend? If you enjoy a drink before, with or after dinner, how do you avoid paying megabucks? Do you notice when a favorite restaurant raises prices? Do you have a dining budget, and do you check out blogs for recommendations on non-chain, non-pricey places to avoid exceeding it? And do you throw budgetary caution to the winds when you’re on vacation? Comment away.

-Greg Weekes