Do you frequently eat out? Growing up, going to a restaurant was a treat. My parents weren't poor but they did have a budget and eating out wasn't on it. Now that I'm an adult I still eat most of my dinners at home, chiefly because eating out is expensive. I can afford to eat out, but the more I spend on food the less I can spend on wine, women, and song.

In San Francisco, the city wants to extend the joy of eating out to those that cannot afford it. So, they've authorized restaurants to begin accepting food stamps.

Normally, food stamps can be spent only on groceries, but the homeless or seniors may have no way to cook them.

Doesn't that sound pleasant? Imagine sitting in a posh restaurant and having an urban outdoorsman seated at the next table. Perhaps thats way so far most of the first takers have fast food restaurants.

Of course they've also replaced the traditional food coupons with a food stamp "credit card". That way people on government assistance aren't as embarrassed. Of course all the changes are being made to increase the use of the government program. George Manalo-LeClair, legislative director at California Food Policy Advocates said, "I do think having an easy outlet will increase food-stamp participation. Why get food stamps if I can't use them?"