Restaurants have gotten so expensive……also recycling and phone apps (1 Viewer)

[Leroy Hoard]

Opening a cannabis shop in NJ, and we are going to pay the staff higher than anyone else, and not have a tip option on the screen. I expect major consumer goodwill from this.

Hopefully you smoke the competition.

 

[culdeus]

Those kind of laws are to protect the Mom n Pops from getting scammed by the liquor companies,

The law is that the liquor company has to sell their product at the same price, regardless of how much the customer buys? Am I understanding that right?

How might the Mom and Pop store be scammed by the liquor company?

It's the state that scams the bars. The bar pays the tabc and they pay taxes to the tabc by the scratched bottle. People whine about double taxation but the small bars have to sell a lot to get anywhere.

 

[FairWarning]

Those kind of laws are to protect the Mom n Pops from getting scammed by the liquor companies,

The law is that the liquor company has to sell their product at the same price, regardless of how much the customer buys? Am I understanding that right?

How might the Mom and Pop store be scammed by the liquor company?

It’s state by state. In Michigan, everyone pays the same wholesale price, and retail must make a profit (can’t sell under cost, mainly affects bars).

 

[Phil Elliott]

My local Chinese place won’t take a tip. Immediately bypass on card and crosses it off receipt
I seem someone try to give cash once and he refused

Opening a cannabis shop in NJ, and we are going to pay the staff higher than anyone else, and not have a tip option on the screen. I expect major consumer goodwill from this.

I don't think people would expect to pay a tip at Walgreens.

 

[Don Quixote]

After being out on vacation the past couple of weeks, really hit how expensive restaurants are getting. Portion sizes are out of control too. Eventually, my wife and I stopped each getting our own entrees and sharing more because we were spending that much and ending up only eating half (my wife and I both don’t need your $25 All-American Breakfast with 3 eggs, a cup’s worth of fried potatoes, a half dozen strips of bacon, and a couple pieces of toast — half that is more than sufficient for a good breakfast).

Kicker was when I called front desk to see if a microwave for leftovers, and they told me that they could rent me one for $35. Never been told that one before; usually if none in room or available in a public space, they will have someone send one up when request it.

I would order off the kid’s menu more if it was socially acceptable because portion sizes are just stupid. (I do sometimes though anyway, such as McD’s Happy Meal when the kid wants that, because any greater portion size than that makes me sick). Although kid’s portions are out of control too — a lot of my leftovers were times my son would order something like the kid’s pancakes and they would give him a plate of three of them, and he would not even finish one.

 

[Judge Smails]

Plenty of chains die. They may be a slow death. But many eventually die or become irrelevant. One man’s opinion, but Panera just puts out a ****ty, nondescript product. They aren’t good with even the basics. Soups, salads, sandwiches. Got a grilled cheese and tomato soup there. Inedible. They’ll be sold to other private equity in fire sales. But my bet is they will see a very steep decline.

Sold to a private equity firm in a fire sale? Doubtful.

In reality, Panera is preparing an IPO this summer.

Panera Bread parent announces CEO transition as it prepares for 'eventual IPO'

Panera Brands CEO Niren Chaudhary will be succeeded by Einstein Bros. Bagels CEO Jose Duenas, effective July 1.

www.cnbc.com

Buy their stock. I'll be shorting it.

Shorting a stock because didn't like the grilled cheese and tomato soup. Solid investment strategy.

Not Todem approved, eh. I get it.

 

[rockaction]

Panera sucks. My family jokes about how much I hate Panera. Terrible food, terrible prices. It's a terrible chain that will fail miserably in 10-15 years. I don't care if the owner of Hawking's Milky Way is its CEO.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Panera tastes like preservatives. It’s barely a tier above Cafeteria food.

 

[RCon]

I think Subway is a great example of a mediocre product ultimately leading to their demise, even though it is slow. Jared aside Subway was great when $5 footlongs were the norm. It was still fine when it just became am every now and then thing or bogo. Now that those days appear over the market is telling them with their (lack of) buying behavior what that means. I get it- cheap and good generally can't co exist, but if it isn't either of those...

This. My father is a big wine drinker but he's not particularly picky. His motto has always been, "I'm OK with bad wine. I'm OK with expensive wine. I'm not OK with expensive, bad wine."

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Panera sucks. My family jokes about how much I hate Panera. Terrible food, terrible prices. It's a terrible chain that will fail miserably in 10-15 years. I don't care if the owner of Hawking's Milky Way is its CEO.

We hit it all the time on road trips because my wife has pancreatitis, which requires a low-fat diet, and it's one of the few quick-serve places where they have enough options where the fat content isn't off the charts. It's not my preference but my needs are not the important ones here.

 

[SoBeDad]

While on vacation last year with 10 family members driving from SF to Yosemite, I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

On the way back to SF, we stopped at the 1850s vintage Iron Door Saloon for breakfast. A really cool tavern, too early for drinks! I don't recall it being very expensive, although I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for a place with atmosphere or view such as of the city or the ocean.

 

[Steve Tasker]

My local Chinese place won’t take a tip. Immediately bypass on card and crosses it off receipt

My usual pizza place does this if you pick-up the pizza. They scan the credit card, cross-off the tip line with a $0, and then hand it to you to sign the receipt.

 

[MAC_32]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

 

[General Malaise]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

If you ever fly into Maui, they have a Costco right be the main airport. Load up there on breakfast and lunch foods. And booze. Then profit.

 

[SWC]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

If you ever fly into Maui, they have a Costco right be the main airport. Load up there on breakfast and lunch foods. And booze. Then profit.

you will be sad to learn that parnera does not have a location in hawaii but you can buy some of their products at other larger less selective and less delicious retailers take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

If you ever fly into Maui, they have a Costco right be the main airport. Load up there on breakfast and lunch foods. And booze. Then profit.

That's our family tradition.
In fact, we have seen fellow passengers from our flight there doing the same thing.

 

[Terminalxylem]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

 

[Joe Bryant]

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

That's probably a good poll question.

I think a ton of people, me included, aren't terribly concerned if the person I buy something from properly pays taxes on the transaction.

You should be of course in the general sense, of "I'd like for everyone to do the right thing". I do the right thing. But I don't spend a ton of time worrying about if everyone around me is properly recording all transactions to the IRS.

 

[Joe Bryant]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

 

[General Malaise]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

And how do you do that exactly? Ask for tax returns before you do business with them? My only concern as a consumer is if I got the goods and/or services I bargained for.

 

[guru_007]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Pretty sure there are no taxes on groceries. At least in my state.

 

[Snoopy]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Pretty sure there are no taxes on groceries. At least in my state.

Depends on the state. Plenty of states have a full or partial sales tax on groceries.

 

[Doug B]

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

Because in the specific case discussed (@General Malaise 's garage-door guy), the customer is at best agnostic as to the vendor's intentions concerning taxes. I disagree that it's incumbent upon the customer to simply assume fraud. The customer -- in the specific situation that GM described -- has a legitimate level of remove from the relationship between the vendor and the relevant tax authorities.

 

[The Gator]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

Do you report your taxes 100% truthfully or do you look for small loopholes to gain an advantage?

 

[guru_007]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Pretty sure there are no taxes on groceries. At least in my state.

Depends on the state. Plenty of states have a full or partial sales tax on groceries.

Looks like 8 states total. I've never lived in any of those states, so I was not aware. I've never paid taxes on groceries in my life, surprised any state does impose those taxes.

 

[The Z Machine]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

And how do you do that exactly? Ask for tax returns before you do business with them? My only concern as a consumer is if I got the goods and/or services I bargained for.

What about buying suspected stolen goods? Same thing?

 

[General Malaise]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

And how do you do that exactly? Ask for tax returns before you do business with them? My only concern as a consumer is if I got the goods and/or services I bargained for.

What about buying suspected stolen goods? Same thing?

Can you give me an example of a stolen good I might be purchasing? Because the two examples we've thrown around in here - garage doors and now produce from a farmers' market - were not stolen.

 

[Navin Johnson]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

If you ever fly into Maui, they have a Costco right be the main airport. Load up there on breakfast and lunch foods. And booze. Then profit.

Flying into Lihue next Friday. We'll hit up costco before checking into our condo

 

[The Gator]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

If you ever fly into Maui, they have a Costco right be the main airport. Load up there on breakfast and lunch foods. And booze. Then profit.

Went through a bottle of vodka, rum and gin. Don't want to think what that would have cost at the hotel bar.

 

[HomerSimpson]

I think Subway is a great example of a mediocre product ultimately leading to their demise, even though it is slow. Jared aside Subway was great when $5 footlongs were the norm. It was still fine when it just became am every now and then thing or bogo. Now that those days appear over the market is telling them with their (lack of) buying behavior what that means. I get it- cheap and good generally can't co exist, but if it isn't either of those...

This. My father is a big wine drinker but he's not particularly picky. His motto has always been, "I'm OK with bad wine. I'm OK with expensive wine. I'm not OK with expensive, bad wine."

I have always said, after the second glass all wine tastes the same. haha

 

[Drunken knight]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

If you ever fly into Maui, they have a Costco right be the main airport. Load up there on breakfast and lunch foods. And booze. Then profit.

Standard practice when we stay at a condo or house. Daughter is thinking about UoH. going to visit Oahu in feb

 

[Doug B]

What about buying suspected stolen goods? Same thing?

This is not analogous. Cash is legal tender. Paying for a service in cash is not prima facie shady or illegitimate.

There are permutations that could change the calculus, but it doesn't sound like GM was faced with them. An example I can think of that would change it all for me is if a contractor insisting on using cash so that he could screw the mother of his children out of child support -- and bragging about it to me (the potential customer). That guy, doing that specific thing, doesn't get my business.

But if a contractor is totally fine with a CC transaction, but will quote lower for cash? Since legitimate reasons exist for a vendor to prefer cash (e.g. avoiding certain kinds of customer-side scams like calling a CC company to reject a charge after the fact), it's not incumbent on me (the customer) to assume tax fraud is the impetus.

 

[wlwiles]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Pretty sure there are no taxes on groceries. At least in my state.

Depends on the state. Plenty of states have a full or partial sales tax on groceries.

Looks like 8 states total. I've never lived in any of those states, so I was not aware. I've never paid taxes on groceries in my life, surprised any state does impose those taxes.

My state (MS) has the highest tax rate on groceries of any state in the US. Our state sales tax is 7% on basically everything, groceries included. It never occurred to me that groceries were treated any differently (non taxed in numerous states), I just always assumed they were subject to whatever the state sales tax was in that state.

 

[wlwiles]

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a lot like Mitch Hedburg on this. I give you money, you give me the item. End of transaction as far as I'm concerned. We don't need to bring pen and paper into this.

 

[Navin Johnson]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Just as concerned as I was reporting my tutoring income back in college

 

[humpback]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

Do you report your taxes 100% truthfully or do you look for small loopholes to gain an advantage?

I'm not particularly concerned with what other people do, but not reporting income isn't exactly a "small loophole" lol.

 

[General Malaise]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

Do you report your taxes 100% truthfully or do you look for small loopholes to gain an advantage?

I'm not particularly concerned with what other people do, but not reporting income isn't exactly a "small loophole" lol.

I'm terrified of running afoul of the IRS, the SEC and any sort of mafia. Treat all like the Soup Nazi.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

My local mom and pop diner charges less for cash orders than credit cards. If I pay cash am I aiding and abetting Bonnie & Clyde?

 

[BeTheMatch]

I think Subway is a great example of a mediocre product ultimately leading to their demise, even though it is slow. Jared aside Subway was great when $5 footlongs were the norm. It was still fine when it just became am every now and then thing or bogo. Now that those days appear over the market is telling them with their (lack of) buying behavior what that means. I get it- cheap and good generally can't co exist, but if it isn't either of those...

This. My father is a big wine drinker but he's not particularly picky. His motto has always been, "I'm OK with bad wine. I'm OK with expensive wine. I'm not OK with expensive, bad wine."

I have always said, after the second glass all wine tastes the same. haha

We drink the good stuff first, then switch to lesser quality. That's not a perfect system, but it works after the first few sips of Boons Farm.

 

[-OZ-]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

Do you report your taxes 100% truthfully or do you look for small loopholes to gain an advantage?

It’s a trap. Of course I’m 100% honest.

 

[-OZ-]

I suggested that we bring fruit and snacks along to save time. I got overruled by others who insisted on a full breakfast and said they would be hangry if we didn't stop. It's OK to skip meals once in a while.

Doing this helped allow us to splurge when we went out. Why allocate $50-75+ on a mediocre breakfast/lunch while en route then feel like you need to cut corners at dinner when you can bridge your way through travel for the day and have all that available for 'meal' once arriving to your destination. Skipping breakfast/lunch gets us to the destination faster too.

I’ve been trying to convince my wife to pack lunch when we travel. So far I’ve been unable to convince her that it’s worthwhile. And she’ll argue that we almost never go out with the kids so It’sa special occasion. She is right that doing so tends to make the kids more compliant in the car. They get a vote if they haven’t been fighting. If they fight, driver chooses (with co pilot’s input of course).

 

[nirad3]

Was quite pleased with the $12 quesadilla at the Denver airport today. It would have been that much just about anywhere; expected there to be an inflated cost since it's the airport. Plus the server gave me the iced tea for free (and even got me a refill!). I was this close to giving in and getting McDonalds but would have probably spent about the same, but instead I got a nice spot to charge my phone and watch some ESPN while I ate.

 

[Osaurus]

Was quite pleased with the $12 quesadilla at the Denver airport today. It would have been that much just about anywhere; expected there to be an inflated cost since it's the airport. Plus the server gave me the iced tea for free (and even got me a refill!). I was this close to giving in and getting McDonalds but would have probably spent about the same, but instead I got a nice spot to charge my phone and watch some ESPN while I ate.

If DIA could manage to get more flights out on time, it would make it a lot better.

 

[nirad3]

Was quite pleased with the $12 quesadilla at the Denver airport today. It would have been that much just about anywhere; expected there to be an inflated cost since it's the airport. Plus the server gave me the iced tea for free (and even got me a refill!). I was this close to giving in and getting McDonalds but would have probably spent about the same, but instead I got a nice spot to charge my phone and watch some ESPN while I ate.

If DIA could manage to get more flights out on time, it would make it a lot better.

I fly in-out of Denver quite a bit given where I go for work travel and I must say I've been pretty lucky. I did have one flight get outright canceled but that was just cuz I picked a crappy-azz airline (Frontier... never making that mistake again).

 

[Capella]

$22 avocado toast was on the brunch menu today

I swear I think some restaurants throw crazy numbers out there just to see if it sticks.

@Capella is ordering $12 deviled eggs and $7 banana pudding. It’s sticking.

I’m definitely a moron. They were overly salty too. The $18 fried chicken was good though.

 

[Don Quixote]

I think Subway is a great example of a mediocre product ultimately leading to their demise, even though it is slow. Jared aside Subway was great when $5 footlongs were the norm. It was still fine when it just became am every now and then thing or bogo. Now that those days appear over the market is telling them with their (lack of) buying behavior what that means. I get it- cheap and good generally can't co exist, but if it isn't either of those...

This. My father is a big wine drinker but he's not particularly picky. His motto has always been, "I'm OK with bad wine. I'm OK with expensive wine. I'm not OK with expensive, bad wine."

I have always said, after the second glass all wine tastes the same. haha

We drink the good stuff first, then switch to lesser quality. That's not a perfect system, but it works after the first few sips of Boons Farm.

That advice is in the Bible after all: "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine."

 

[Drunken knight]

Was quite pleased with the $12 quesadilla at the Denver airport today. It would have been that much just about anywhere; expected there to be an inflated cost since it's the airport. Plus the server gave me the iced tea for free (and even got me a refill!). I was this close to giving in and getting McDonalds but would have probably spent about the same, but instead I got a nice spot to charge my phone and watch some ESPN while I ate.

about 15 years ago, frontier was pretty good. i have heard terrible things for a while now

Wish they had New Belgium at DIA when I lived out there

 

[FairWarning]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Pretty sure there are no taxes on groceries. At least in my state.

Indiana does tax all groceries, Michigan doesn’t tax food, unless it’s prepared (ex. chicken from the deli)

 

[Dezbelief]

It is possible for vendors to do business in cash AND also pay taxes on those cash transactions. Maybe this guy didn't want to deal with the hassle of a credit card transaction?

And either way ... it's not your concern as the paying customer.

Why not?

As a consumer, aren’t you concerned if a business is behaving ethically?

And how do you do that exactly? Ask for tax returns before you do business with them? My only concern as a consumer is if I got the goods and/or services I bargained for.

What about buying suspected stolen goods? Same thing?

Can you give me an example of a stolen good I might be purchasing? Because the two examples we've thrown around in here - garage doors and now produce from a farmers' market - were not stolen.

Facebook marketplace and Craigslist is filled with stolen goods.

 

[Dezbelief]

That is an interesting question @Terminalxylem on others paying taxes.

Let's put it in context.

If you buy vegetables at the local farmers market and pay $20 cash for them, on a scale of 1 (not at all concerned) to 10 (extremely concerned) how concerned are you that the farmer properly reports that sale to the IRS and pays his taxes on it?

I'm a 1 there.

Pretty sure there are no taxes on groceries. At least in my state.

Joe is talking about federal income taxes.

If your cash purchase at a farmers market isn't going through a POS I would bet cash that the transaction isn't getting claimed to the IRS.

How many of us claim winnings from our local FF leagues on our taxes?

I don't golf, how many claim gambling winnings won on the course?

Friendly bets for $20? FFA lotto pools?

Do you claim everything on your taxes when someone slips you some cash/goods for whatever reason? Even as a child doing chores at the neighbors house, mowing lawns, walking dogs or running a lemonade stand. If you ever earned more than $400 during a year on side jobs without claiming it to the IRS you were dodging taxes on the black market.

I would be surprised if there was anyone here with clean hands, including myself.