Going back to the original topic, I honestly gotta say....Leveling SMN only food I used was teh occasional Maron Glace and Wizard Cookies. But for DD and tanks to not use food???
If they don't wanna buy food, then they shouldn't party. We all work for our levels, you don't wanna buy food for xp pt's then think about it this way.
You don't eat food (whether it be tank, mage, DD, w/e) you slow the pt down, meaning people who are buying and using food are getting less for their hard earned gil. It's a waste of time, especially other peoples time. If you're honestly ok w/ chain 2, that's fine. But I know I speak for more than myself when I say chain 5 is nice, and most people expectg at least ability to make a chain 4. stop wasting peoples time and buy food or farm, or solo.