Category Archives: An Economist Gets Lunch

The economics of why Noma is closing

Here is the take of yours truly: Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and a devoted restaurant-goer, says that people are misinterpreting Redzepi’s intentions with the closure. Cowen doesn’t think the chef is … Continue reading

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Dining out as cultural trade

By Joel Waldfogel, here is the abstract: Perceptions of Anglo-American dominance in movie and music trade motivate restrictions on cultural trade. Yet, the market for another cultural good, food at restaurants, is roughly ten times larger than the markets for … Continue reading

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Do land use restrictions increase restaurant quality and diversity?

Daniel Shoag and Stan Veuger say yes, but I am not so convinced. It turns out that metrics of land use restrictions are correlated with restaurant quality, across cities. To cut to the chase, Los Angeles ranks number one on … Continue reading

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Lines are overrated, and totally empty restaurants are underrated

Some readers (or journalists) ask me if I have further principles for finding good food which are not outlined in my ethnic dining guide or in An Economist Gets Lunch. Of course I do, though many of them are not … Continue reading

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My talk at Arlington Public Library, April 3, 2013

The talk is available on YouTube: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013 6:00 pm – Food Trucks Open for Business 7:00 pm – Lecture, Q&A with the Author Arlington Public Library, 1015 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22201 (Metro Trip Planner) RSVP … Continue reading

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I answer food questions over at Freakonomics

I liked the whole interview, here is the concluding segment: Q. What restaurant or food type would Tyler Cowen, Murray Rothbard and Ludwig von Mises enjoy for lunch? Why? -Bill N. A. Rothbard was quite a conservative eater, but he … Continue reading

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How to find good food in American bars

Jacob Grier has an excellent post on this topic (which I do not cover), here is just one part of a longer discussion: Reading An Economist Gets Lunch inspired me to think explicitly about how to find good food in … Continue reading

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Food Rules!

So how did American food fall to the depths of 1960? In Cowen’s view, it wasn’t the doing of greedy agribusiness in league with the Mad Men. Three great tsunamis wrecked the American palate: Prohibition, the Emergency Quota Act of … Continue reading

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Scaling the Great Wall

Great Wall Supermarket, web site, 2982 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA, 703-208-3320 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Patch | Yahoo Local | Yelp] Here is my essay from Washingtonian magazine, adapted from An Economist Gets Lunch, about … Continue reading

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The Independent on “An Economist Gets Lunch”

The review is here, by Will Dean, the summary is here: If you’re interested in how the food and restaurant industries work – and how to exploit those factors for your own good – then Cowen’s work is indispensable. And: … Continue reading

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