We live in the era where a bag of skittles costs $1, a trip to the movies forces one to contemplate his or her finances and best of all, a large…I mean a venti, at Starbucks is almost $2.00! Who else remembers, “The best part of wakin’ up is Folgers in your cup.” Making our own coffee…it was a simpler time then.

The point is everyday expenses have skyrocketed well beyond reality. We laugh at our grandparents and parents for speaking nostalgically about getting a $.10 hamburger and an ice cream cone for a nickel…Today, it really gives new meaning to the term “The Greatest Generation.” Fear not, this is not an article about business finances related to the rising costs of food. This is about how White Castle has set the food trend that is here in to stay in America for a long, long, long time.

White Castle is famous for its sliders. Small burgers that alone may not be completely filling at around $.45 apiece, but when ordered in packs of four or more certainly can cure a hungry appetite. This is where we are now. Americans are in the “Slider Era.” I don’t mean that every food item will be a small burger, but the slider concept is alive and well and has taken on all sorts of variations. From burgers to lobster roll sliders, restaurants all over are creatively adapting. Chefs of all kinds have realized more than ever that their bottom line is directly linked to their customers. Eating out together today more closely resembles eating out together as a family going to McDonald’s when the Golden Arches first shined bright in suburban Chicago, Illinois, with the Dollar Menu as one example. To be clear, this is a great thing! We are in this together, and restaurants are stepping up.

From White Castle to a sushi joint to Ed’s Lobster Bar Annex in the lower east side of New York city, people are becoming increasingly aware that sharing a few small plates or appetizers together is more fun (economically and socially) than always ordering a large meal and an expensive drink. Order smaller items, but more of them.

At Yogi Perogi in Grandview, Ohio, each perogi ranges from $1.75-$2.50. With just two or three, that’s easily lunch. That not only could be a new lunch spot, but also an expanded palate, as was the case with me. With all prices relative to its location and quality, a lobster roll slider at Ed’s Lobster Bar Annex in NYC is $5, three lobster tacos are $12 and a lobster burger slider is $5. Again, three of these plus an order of fries ($6, but remember it can be split if you’re eating out with friends or family…and it’s quite a few fries) are sufficient for a meal. This is all especially good when you realize the signature lobster roll alone goes for $27.

Simply put: Less is more.

Has the reality I blogged about five years ago relating to the restaurant industry changed dramatically?

Interestingly, no.

It’s a bit surreal to reflect back to writing my first blog post on this new website I built using WordPress called Jimmy’s Daily Planet, which is a nod to Clark Kent’s human job as a reporter at The Daily Planet. There’s also the simultaneous gentle tip of the cap to Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen and my first name being Jimmy.

I couldn’t even think a couple years into the future, let alone five, to imagine what this personal hobby would or could become. What I do know is that I love writing and communicating in my own style and voice. There’s no point in writing or speaking like other people. And this blog has provided me with the amazing opportunity to engage in reporting and telling stories, as Frank Sinatra would say, my way.

Now, what does the future hold for Jimmy’s Daily Planet?

Much like writing each blog post Monday-Friday, I’ll figure it out as I’m writing and brainstorming new topics and ways to communciate with people with clever twists and, hopefully, a bit of insight.

The gift of the fifth wedding anniversary is wood. Although, steel seems more fitting in this case…but I digress. So, how does wood connect to writing a blog? Well, wood is natural and the instincts for creating and publishing content on this blog are natural and intuitive. In a forest, for example, there are tall trees, short trees, trees with majestic branches and trees with few branches. Some trees may look alike, but every tree has its own unique characteristics. I like to think Jimmy’s Daily Planet is similar to a wooded forest in this regard.

Simply put: Saying yes to a blog has been more rewarding than I could’ve imagined five years later.