Is that restaurant food fresh or pre-cooked?

Is that precious restaurant food you frequent freshly made or does it come from frozen sources? In many cases, the food you are served at a typical restaurant is partially cooked before you even order it, then completely cooked as orders come in. Ever wonder why that plate is so hot? That's why.

Do you prefer made to order and cooked to order meals? Be prepared to pay about $20 to $30 (and up) for them. Those $11.99 dinners at the neighborhood diner most likely are from frozen sources, or some of the meal is why other food items on the plate may be made fresh.

The bargain basement hound in many of us wants to believe all restaurant foods we eat are cooked especially for us, but due to the laws of economics, they just can't be. If you're a food service employee, what do you think? Are too many nicer restaurant meals frozen and pre-packaged when they should not be?