I doubt any official data is available but just wondered what people's opinions were about the percentage of main meals that are eaten out in Chiang Mai as apposed to cooking at home.

I bet this greatly depends on the type of people you ask. For younger people it'll be much higher than old. Downtown will be higher than in the outskirts. Which even depends on what your definition of 'Chiang Mai' is. Limited to the amphur muang city district?

I think a lot of what you say is correct as a lot of the younger people living in the cheapest accommodation would not have a way to cook at home even if they wanted too. Just running through an idea In my head that I would like to launch in Chiang Mai to people that like to cook. I could include all of Chiang Mai as it is not necessarily location specific.

I doubt that 1/3 of the households in the cities (not just chiang mai) cook at home. In our moo ban you do not hear the chop chop of food prepration that you hear out in the smaller villages, where there are very few vendors selling prepared meals.. we try to cook at least 2 meals a day at home and usually someone will go out and buy noodles once,

My family tried to convience me it was chaper to go out and buy than cook at home. After a product cost breakdown they finally relented, plus the leftovers are good snacks, and Thai's need their snacks.Even a single person would be hard pressed to buy from a cart anything cheaper and more healthly than what they can drum up at home in 10 to 15 minutes, especially for breakfast.

Just my experience and sometimes i win and sometimes i lose and concede to the vender noodles, as vile as many are. But a country raise4d on a store brand of noodles that is known in every household, what do you e4xpect?

I doubt that 1/3 of the households in the cities (not just chiang mai) cook at home. In our moo ban you do not hear the chop chop of food prepration that you hear out in the smaller villages, where there are very few vendors selling prepared meals.. we try to cook at least 2 meals a day at home and usually someone will go out and buy noodles once,

My family tried to convience me it was chaper to go out and buy than cook at home. After a product cost breakdown they finally relented, plus the leftovers are good snacks, and Thai's need their snacks.Even a single person would be hard pressed to buy from a cart anything cheaper and more healthly than what they can drum up at home in 10 to 15 minutes, especially for breakfast.

Just my experience and sometimes i win and sometimes i lose and concede to the vender noodles, as vile as many are. But a country raise4d on a store brand of noodles that is known in every household, what do you e4xpect?

It is not just a case of straight cost. There is the idea of eating out to meet other friends and also to collect home country style food to take home. It is just not practicable to get the necessary ingredients in economically viable scales to make at home.

For the OP. Can I ask what is the reason for the question?

Thanks Slapout and Scottish John for your input as well as WinnieTheKhwai. The reason for my post is I have recently moved to Chaing Mai with my Thai girl friend and I simply don't think I have enough money put away to open my own restaurant (didn't expect to be here so soon) which would be my biggest passion. But I am incredibly passionate about food and getting people to enjoy food so am thinking about an idea for a business. But it will only work if people actually cook at home. In my limited experience of Thailand I am not sure that enough people do but if you have any more experience than me of the area (which you must not been here long at all) let me know. Once again thanks.

Thanks Slapout and Scottish John for your input as well as WinnieTheKhwai. The reason for my post is I have recently moved to Chaing Mai with my Thai girl friend and I simply don't think I have enough money put away to open my own restaurant (didn't expect to be here so soon) which would be my biggest passion. But I am incredibly passionate about food and getting people to enjoy food so am thinking about an idea for a business. But it will only work if people actually cook at home. In my limited experience of Thailand I am not sure that enough people do but if you have any more experience than me of the area (which you must not been here long at all) let me know. Once again thanks.

As Slapout said above; home cooking is the most cost affective. I assume he means local dishes/common home country food but my comment re; "It is just not practicable to get the necessary ingredients in economically viable scales to make at home" [speciality dishes] is the problem. What type of 'cooking business' are you considering. Is it providing the ingredients for the home cooking or what?

Home delivery of hot cooked food is already well covered in CM as is collecting/taking home pre-cooked meals from your favourite establishment.

It is more in line with a tuition for cooking and supplying people with the tools and ideas in a cost effective way. There is an ingredients side to it as well. It is a fairly popular concept in the UK and I think it could be done here if people are passionate about food and have some disposable income (I appreciate not everybody has disposable income) My living cost here are pretty low and I would not need a large customer base to make ends meet. Maybe I will throw a small amount of cash at it just to test the water.

It is more in line with a tuition for cooking and supplying people with the tools and ideas in a cost effective way. There is an ingredients side to it as well. It is a fairly popular concept in the UK and I think it could be done here if people are passionate about food and have some disposable income (I appreciate not everybody has disposable income) My living cost here are pretty low and I would not need a large customer base to make ends meet. Maybe I will throw a small amount of cash at it just to test the water.

I assume your Thai wife will be conducting this 'business' as you would require a Work Permit to do it yourself!!

Of course Scottishjohn would not get involved in anything I shouldn't myself

chiang mai gate is where the thais eat and many tourist too.it may be cheap but the food is good.it has fruit meat drink the lot all in a small area.outdoor eating at it,s best

Of course Scottishjohn would not get involved in anything I shouldn't myself

Good, You now have my "permission" to carry on!

I hope it works for you. You can always PM me if you want my "Bawbees worth"

Thanks BristolJohn ill check it out tomorrow. (She is watching UK x factor repeat at the moment so no getting her out :-o) thanks Scottish John very wet behind the ears in this part of the world so may just do that.

Well my TW is convinced that every single restaurant in the country is an unsanitary minefield of infectious disease and poor quality ingredients full of pesticides and preservatives cooked in old oil, so I rarely dine out.

Haha cloud hopper that really made me smile. Now all I need to do is find a Web hosting company that speaks English and does not like to charge English prices. Think I am starting to convince myself the idea is worth a shot. Would not require full time hours so will continue looking for paid work and other ideas at the same time.

Sausage King and Yummy Pizza provide most of my midday meals, one take out the other a sit down in company.

john