My biggest issue with BBQ over here is that it is just so expensive. We have a pretty decent place in town, but it's close to $100 when my wife and I go out to eat there. Yes, I can usually stretch the food out to cover my dinner that night and lunch the next day, but it still is annoying having to pay so much. I'd rather spend the time to do it at home. If my wife ate pork I would be doing pork shoulder like once a month or more.
yeah that's one of the huge benefits of living where I do. They really do take you to the cleaners at restaurants in the States. This is likely a combination of taxes, regulations, and other such added fees that have to be passed down the line dozens of times before it ends up on your plate. Thankfully, other than tariffs we don't really have a lot of that here.
Very lucky! Even fast food is ridiculous here now. I'm sure you remember the two cheeseburger meal you could get a McDonald's for $2.99 back in the day. That meal is $10 now. Or the $.59, $.79, $.99 menu at Taco Bell... My wife went the other day and got a bean burrito and a chicken chalupa supreme and it was $9.50 for two items!