Dining

Because the U.S. is an ethnically diverse country, Americans enjoy a variety of international dishes. Unless you do your own cooking, you can eat at a restaurant, cafeteria or fast food shop. Eating at a restaurant can be expensive, if nothing else because you are expected to tip 15-20% of the meal price. Fast food shops are the least expensive way of feeding yourself and, of course, one does not tip at a fast food shop.

Campus Dining 
Campuses generally offer a cafeteria, cafe or expanded vending machine selections.  SPC cafeterias offer cooked meals, fast meal items, desserts, and salads. Prices vary, but most people can get a meal for less than US $4.00.  The Hard Drive Cafe, located in the Language Arts building on the Clearwater Campus, is open for breakfast and lunch. 

Restaurants
In a large city like Tampa you can find almost any kind of restaurant, serving both ethnic dishes and international cuisine. Listings are available in the telephone directory and in local newspapers and magazines. Many post their menus in the window, so you can get an idea of prices before you enter. For some of the more popular restaurants, it is a good idea to call for a reservation. As a rule of thumb, a meal in a medium-priced restaurant in the Tampa Bay area will come to about US $10, with wine or drinks extra, plus 15-20% tip.

Fast Food and Cafeterias
These are quick and inexpensive, and since the food preparation and handling are inspected regularly by government officials, they are quite safe. In the Tampa Bay area such chains as Burger King, McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, etc. are widespread and conveniently located; they are open long hours and usually keep your food budget down. Cafeterias offer a larger variety of dishes than fast food shops. In fact, many offer restaurant-type food except that you serve yourself. There is no tipping at fast food shops. Diners also offer low-cost prepared foods, but most are located on the highways out of town and are patronized mainly by truckers and motorists.

Food Shopping
Preparing your own food is the least expensive way of eating. Americans do not spend as much time shopping for food as do people of other lands. Supermarkets are the least expensive places to shop, offering all kinds of foods including meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, canned, pre-cooked, and frozen foods. They also sell household goods, drug items, toiletries, books and magazines. All supermarkets are open daily, including Sunday. Neighborhood or "convenience" grocery stores are also available, but are smaller and offer a more limited choice than supermarkets. Many are open longer than supermarkets, some even all night. Prices in these "convenience" stores are generally somewhat higher than supermarkets. Here and there you will find specialized grocery stores, where you can find various ethnic foods (Italian, Oriental, Spanish, Scandinavian, and kosher).