I don't mean to promote Costco...but... .
Kathy and I have just finished all of our chores. So we are headed out to Costco to get gas...probably both kinds. For once we fill up the truck, we always head in and get our : "Costco Date!". Yep. A Hot Dog for Kathy (and she puts everything on it they have out) and a slice of Pepperoni for me. One drink which we share. Total cost is less than a fiver.
it is, by far, the Cheapest Date nowadays. I am surprised I don't see more Teens taking their dates out for a hot dog and a slice of pizza with drink, and all for less than five bucks.
Not only do we enjoy watching the constant stream of people going by with their carts full of things, we loved to speculate over why they bought those things, and what they are going to do with them. Sometimes we concoct whole scenarios about the people using nothing other than they way they are dressed and our imaginations. To many episodes of "Snapped" under our belt, so if we see a good looking guy flirt with the help...we get worried. LOL
For me, there is the added bonus of meeting another Vet, or two. Lots of good conversations start after seeing a patch on a hat. I will chat about that later, but tell just one.

I saw a guy with a WW II hat on. Went over to talk to him, and doggone if he didn't have some stories. Such as: He was at Omaha Beach - second wave. He got a Battle Field promotion to Lieutenant by none other than Eisenhower himself. And he stole a German Command Car from a French Village.
So after I found out he was there on D-Day, I stood up and said:
"Hey, if any of you are Veterans, this guy was at D- day and he feels like talking!"
Darned if over a dozen of us, and a few wives, gathered around. Including two Recruiters who sat down and said: "We are at your Service."
For an hour we listened. He answered all our questions (and there were many) with grace and honesty. Finally his wife made us all laugh when she called a halt with this statement:
"Gentlemen it has been nice, but my husband did not survive World War Two, only to die of exhaustion in Costco."

We saluted him and went out separate ways. And that is why I love our Costco dates. Well, that and Kathy and the hot dogs.