Recessionary Reactions To Cocktails, Dining and Pizza

That giant sucking sound that erstwhile presidential candidate Ross Perot mentioned back, oh, about 8,000 Dow Jones points ago? That's actually the sound of everything sucking right now.

Some eateries and some drinkeries are identifying the problem and addressing it: they need customers and we need booze and cheaper food.

Unfortunately, this list will probably grow as the economic 'downturn/slide/free-fall/non-transparent mad cash grab by banks' progresses. If you see or hear of specials like these, and wish to share your new fave spot, please add them in the Comments box at the bottom of the article. When there are more than a few, we'll rearrange the display.

To celebrate President Lincoln's 200th birthday anniversary, the venerable Pizza Hut is offering a medium pizza for just a penny with the purchase of a large pizza at the regular -- yet still recession friendly -- price.

The first pizzeria registered in the US was New York's Lombardi's in 1905. So Abe probably had the White House chef making other fare, but we reap the benefits of pizzeria progress.

No expiration date has been set on this offer, so you can visit here to suss out the nearest Hut to you.

The cool cats at these restaurants have introduced their Recession Cocktail. Using a basis of $14 (the cost of this cocktail in February 2008), they are re-setting the price based on the drop in the Dow since then. At the closing bell on Wall Street, the libation's price will be set by how the market closed.

So that makes depression busting drink $8.72, as of Feb 10.

At Il Sole the drink is a bubbly Prosecco mixture, with orgeat, pineapple and a sprig of rosemary. At Luau it's a rum drink, along the lines of a Sunrise: rum, OJ, lemon juice, Curacao, simple and orgeat syrups all over crushed ice.

Tasty ways to chase the 401(k) blues.

Daily Grill

Nationally speaking, this one could add up: Daily Grill spots is offering up a 20% discount on your subsequent visit, whether it's lunch or dinner. In addition to that, on Mondays, there is a free dessert to patrons (except for Universal Studios City Walk).

Philip Gay, president and CEO of Daily Grill, put it in a tidy, nice-speak nutshell: "Due to uncertain economic times, the dining public is scrutinizing their options like no time before." Amen.