No wonder dine-in-for-two meals are so popular now

Iwas talking to the manager of a supermarket the other day. He said sales of dine-in-for-two meals are booming. I am not surprised. They offer tremendous value for money, ranging from £7 to £10 for three courses plus a bottle of wine.

But there are other reasons for their popularity.

Eating out is often about saving time rather than the quality of food offered.

It saves us doing the shopping, cooking and clearing up.

Choose the dine-in-for-two option and the hassle is avoided.

There is another reason for their popularity - eating out in restaurants is becoming less enjoyable.

It is not because of the service offered by the staff. They are usually friendly and helpful, although eating out in Canterbury in October is to be avoided since the newlyrecruited students that serve in most places will not have yet grasped the tricks of the trade.

It is also not because of the general ambience.

The real reason is the bad behaviour of other guests. How often is it we book a table for a special occasion only for it to be ruined by noisy, inconsiderate people sitting at the table next door?

It seems to have become acceptable for people to shout to each other across the table. Where is the consideration for others?

No one appears to take responsibility. Restaurant managers and staff are reluctant to exercise any control.

Guests are scared to complain for fear of verbal or even physical abuse.

Last year someone ended up in intensive care at the Kent and Canterbury hospital.

For a change we are not talking about students or unruly kids.

It is restaurant conduct that has spread across all ages with middle-aged men and women the worse culprits.

We are retreating to our homes. We don’t have to put up with excessively noisy or rude behaviour.

In the run-up to Christmas it will get worse. Pity those who have reserved a table to find it is a place booked for an office party.

For a fraction of the cost, with a dine-infor-two meal, we are probably eating exactly the same food as that prepared in the same kitchens and shipped out to restaurants.