Hey, my dad took us to the city on the train too. From much of the suburbs going to Center City it’s clearly the easiest way. I even made an exception in my post for Regional Rail because it’s not a totally unpleasant shitshow like the MFL.

However, that’s not something we ever did if we wanted a quick dinner after school like the thread starter was talking about, rather a special occasion, all day downtown kind of thing (I suspect it would be the same for your family).

OP is saying he’d like to spend $$$ at a local business in the short time available after school and before bedtime but that increased density in that area has turned an easy 15 minute drive into a 10 minute walk+10 minutes on a train platform+20 minutes on the zombie train+10 walk and then do the same thing on the way home. Frankly, if you had kids you’d realize how daunting that is.

That’s business a place like Standard Tap could use midweek but could lose out on because of a lack of comprehensive city planning.