For convenience, sociability, and sheer enjoyment, most Americans love eating out. Good food is so plentiful that travelers can be overwhelmed by the choice of dining options. Larger cities offer four-star restaurants, inexpensive diners, neighborhood cafés, and countless fast-food restaurants. Snacks, salads, and quick meals are available at shopping malls and sidewalk stands. Coffee drinks have become popular in certain areas, fresh produce, bread, and pasta are available at nearly every supermarket. While standard American menus of meat, vegetables, salad, and dessert can always be found, the US also offers a wonderful range of regional food. Vegetarian restaurants have become more widespread in larger cities, and many restaurant menus offer at least one vegetarian entrée. Rural areas don’t offer many options for vegetarians, especially if you don’t eat dairy or eggs. Organically grown food is becoming more common in grocery stores and on menus. Service quality varies widely, which is surprising, considering that servers depend on tips for most or all of their earnings. Add a 15—20 percent gratuity to your bill for service. Many restaurants accept credit cards and traveler’s checks. The lawful age for buying and drinking alcohol throughout the U.S. is 21. Be prepared to present your ID, even if you look older. Liquor laws vary by state. Utah has the most restrictive regulations, and many others have laws regarding selling or consuming alcohol at certain times or places. In some“ dry” counties—mostly in the South and Midwest—alcohol is not sold. American wines—particularly from California and, increasingly, Oregon and Washington—are widely available, and have earned praise worldwide. American beer, on the other hand, by international standards, is pretty bad. National home brands are popular. Some good alternatives sold nationally are Samuel Adams, New Amsterdam Bitter, Rolling Rock, the Texan brand Lone Star, California-brewed Anchor Steam and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.