Me buying food from restaurant would make the owner richer, but would also employ more people at the restaurant.

The scarcity issue is valid when the resource is limited. In case of US, I was not aware of food scarcity. Even housing is more due to policies than actual land scarcity.

Economic activity does have positive feeback. Yes, some people get unfairly rich - but the solution is not to stop the activity, instead try to get the rich pay their fair share of contribution to the country.

> Me buying food from restaurant would make the owner richer, but would also employ more people at the restaurant

What of one of the employees at the restaurant had your job, and they bought food there? Or are you declaring only you can do your job?

Why are we relegating locals to menial restaurant jobs? Why not have programs to get them trained and into higher earning jobs?

A local working a restaurant will often need to take advantage of welfare. If instead we funneled the locals to higher paying jobs, we would be better off. We're supposed to look after our own citizens, afterall --that's the whole point of electing a government.