SC man eats out every day. His food posts have gained a following. How much does he spend?
David McGaha is often asked how he doesn’t weigh more considering how often he eats out.
But calorie counting is not something McGaha, who has an average frame, worries about. He figures he’s just fortunate when it comes to his eating habits, adding that his family all eat a good amount.
“It’s really hard to keep track,” he said of dieting. “I really just want to eat.”
And eat he does.
The Conway resident has gained a following on Facebook for his eating adventures at local restaurants. He posts every time he dines at a new location, which some days is more than once.
At lunchtime on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, McGaha and his 23-year-old son Brent, are eating at Surf Dawgs in Surfside Beach.
McGaha has ordered the daily special, which is a smashburger loaded with cheese and bacon, a side of fries and the Snoop Dawg, topped with house-made chili, cheese, crispy fried onions and a pinch of oregano.
The sandwich was huge and McGaha had no plans to take home leftovers.
In fact, he hates leftovers, he said.
On a recent night, his girlfriend, who he refers to as #chefratchet on his page, had planned to serve leftovers for dinner. McGaha said he “busted a u-turn” and went to pick up fish, shrimp and hush puppies from Sam’s Southern Eatery.
McGaha has always posted what he ate, but he began doing more around the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
As a result, his following has grown so much over the years that he is often recognized when he is out and about. People also use his dining posts as suggestions for where they will go for lunch or dinner.
And there are hundreds of posts, including everything from sandwiches, to seafood, to pizza, to ice cream.
“I’m always asking for recommendations,” he said. “I really like to try different places.”
The 44-year-old self-employed woodworker makes it a point to eat at locally-owned restaurants, which includes all places in Horry County and even down to Murrells Inlet. He was born and raised in Garden City so he wants to support local businesses. The fact that he owns his own business, JDM Woodcrafts, allows him more time to eat out.
But the biggest question McGaha gets is how much does he spend on eating out. While he doesn’t really keep track, he estimates he spends about $100 a week.
He did recently try to stick to a $50 weekly budget, but it doesn’t appear that he had success in sticking with it.
“It’s just exciting,” McGaha said of the social media response. “When I don’t (post), people are asking me if I’m OK.”
McGaha doesn’t just leave his postings to fate. He makes dining plans based on where he may be that day.
And after that meal, he’s already thinking about where he will eat next.
