People who still do eat out favor the neighborhood bistro or trattoria. The present frugality comes at a time when tastes in food consumption are undergoing significant changes because of economic, cultural, and generational reasons. It may be added that the taste of many food items itself seems changed (usually for the worse) owning to modern mass production methods.

A hundred years ago the menus at state dinners would feature six or more high-calorie courses, and private partying often meant stuffing oneself with heavy dishes. Official banquets today are much leaner, and diners at deluxe restaurant rarely go beyond appetizer, entree and dessert.

After either of the two world wars of the twentieth century with their deprivations people indulged in what the Germans called the Fresswelle (feeding wave). Then came the cholesterol scare and nouvelle cuisine, stressing natural flavors, low-calorie dishes and dainty presentation to the point of decorative mannerism that left you hungry. Eventually, low-fat Asian cooking invaded the West. (It worked also the other way: Japanese youngsters today dote on hamburgers.)

Many millions of young people all over the world crave pizza and sushi instead of the traditional fare of their elders. If they want alcohol instead of soft drinks, they opt for beer, not wine. The enemies of globalization denounce the inroad that American style fast food chains have made in Asia and Africa. (Incidentally, McDonald's has acquainted many people in the East not only with burgers but also with the virtues of standing in line and clean restrooms.) The "No Global!" protestors keep in touch with one another by Internet and cell phones made in Japan or Finland, and take time out of demonstration for a snack at the nearest sushi bar. Food globalization is as old as exploration of distant lands and human migrations. Europeans got the potato and the tomato from South America in the sixteenth century and tasted their first peach and drank their first coffee when the Turks brought them from Persia and Arabia.

We may hate it or love it, the current trend is eating is toward fusion c cuisine and "world food" -- tapas and hot dogs, tempura and tandoori chicken, curry and French mustard, Tex-Mex and Thai, wonton soup and ravioli.

There will always be a few trophy restaurants where fresh flowers are on every table, haute-cuisine sauces tickle the palate, and wine snobs can stare down the haughty sommelier and tell him that the pricey Sancerre tastes of cork. Meanwhile, the struggling airlines will further debase the grub that cabin assistants put before passengers.

We may get our best meals from foodies who love to cook at home.