The exorbitant costs are a major factor however for my wife and I it’s also the filthy conditions in restaurants and the folks handling the food. Many county’s work release inmates can and do get hired at restaurants. These are people that have a lot of hate. You think they care that the knife they just cut raw chicken is the same knife they used to cut your gyros in half?
Rant, eating out
- Thread starter Bailey28
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Used to eat lunch out 5-6 times a week. Now only one day usually. Cost just not worth it, would rather eat food I’ve cooked (or the wife).
Time it takes to go get lunch cuts well into my down time at midday, so that factors in as well.
Never eat out dinner much,unless vacation. Lunch usually the better deal around these parts.
Time it takes to go get lunch cuts well into my down time at midday, so that factors in as well.
Never eat out dinner much,unless vacation. Lunch usually the better deal around these parts.
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I for whatever reason accept the high prices and have even upped the tip to 20% for average and 25%+ for exceptional.
I can name favorite dishes that were $9 in 2020 that are $17 today. My salary did not increase at that rate. Then again as mentioned look at the price of beef.
Every so often, no clue how, we come across a restaurant that didn’t seem to get the memo that food prices have skyrocketed. We found a place in Bear DE where we order and we take home 60% of our food for another meal. And prices are like 2019. I just hope Gordon Ramsay shows up. He’ll tell them to raise prices and reduce portion size. He has a thing that people should not be taking home enough for another meal….
So to answer the question…we just pay more and accept it. But say $6/lb for butter, won’t do it. NY Strip which I never liked that much (rib eye or porterhouse), I can’t even afford today. I refuse $14/lb for choice. So I can’t flex my way through all price increases…
When I was in college I could eat corned beef, chuck steak, to my hearts content. Today, adjusted for inflation, they would be about $2.04/lb. Interestingly pork chops have been $1.99/lb since 2020. Not my favorite but try to marinate when we can get them with some fat
I can name favorite dishes that were $9 in 2020 that are $17 today. My salary did not increase at that rate. Then again as mentioned look at the price of beef.
Every so often, no clue how, we come across a restaurant that didn’t seem to get the memo that food prices have skyrocketed. We found a place in Bear DE where we order and we take home 60% of our food for another meal. And prices are like 2019. I just hope Gordon Ramsay shows up. He’ll tell them to raise prices and reduce portion size. He has a thing that people should not be taking home enough for another meal….
So to answer the question…we just pay more and accept it. But say $6/lb for butter, won’t do it. NY Strip which I never liked that much (rib eye or porterhouse), I can’t even afford today. I refuse $14/lb for choice. So I can’t flex my way through all price increases…
When I was in college I could eat corned beef, chuck steak, to my hearts content. Today, adjusted for inflation, they would be about $2.04/lb. Interestingly pork chops have been $1.99/lb since 2020. Not my favorite but try to marinate when we can get them with some fat
Absolutely. Burger joints were/are typically staffed by after school teenagers or high schoolers enrolled in the work release programs. They need one adult to supervise. I don't ever remember a time when this was considered a career. I knew three people in college (grad students) who managed McDonald's restaurants. They considered it beer money until they finished their degrees.
There are several restaurants across the country that take "cash only" that has food that has "gone viral" -and food trucks as well. Many food trucks with these being a younger people thing take Venmo. Venmo charges 1.75% if linked directly to a bank account or debit card. It's just worth noting.
We went out to Green port long Island Saturday wife's birthday party of 8 at Claudio's just cocktails overlooking the Atlantic Ocean $780 without tip. Then a winery 8 glasses of wine and a charcuterie board $350 without tip. Back to a restaurant closer to home for dinner $810 I forgot what I paid for car service to haul us there n back paid him a few months ago did give him $80 tip he was with us the whole day. Dinner and drinks are definitely through the roof.. Friday night dinner and drinks bar bill was more than the dinner bill I think it was a little over $300 with tip. I told my wife this morning Wednesday is your birthday we are eating at home the celebration is over.
Paying $40 for two gyros that have quality meat taste decent or the convience in certain places does not bother me. It’s pricey however makes me pause on the decision to eat out which generally is really unhealthy and also likely not best used of your money as a constant in life
Nothing like having a grilled chicken Ceasar salad that you prepared at home and then using the last of your lunch break for a quick siesta or some nice music.
My favorite for price is our work cafeteria which subsidizes lunch that healthy choices at lunch are $5.
They bring in outside vendors a couple days a week in cafe like a food truck would be but inside. They fix cost $8-9 for great Indian food or typically something you’d buy off food stuck for $15-18 for half.
They bring in outside vendors a couple days a week in cafe like a food truck would be but inside. They fix cost $8-9 for great Indian food or typically something you’d buy off food stuck for $15-18 for half.
"99.9%" LOL. It's less than 30% - 40% around here. Everyone is doing surcharges. The rates vary. Some do 3% and some 3.5%. I'm the same. I won't return to the business that does that either.
I keep thinking this but yet here they are. I travel for work and from observations they seem to be doing 3X the carry out business for every person eating in, so maybe that is keeping them afloat. I have even stopped at some of these commercial kitchen places that somehow show up with good reviews on Google, but I get there and its clear they have very little intent to serve sitting customers. Your basically just another pick up order, order at a tablet, pick up at a counter, etc.
Man I miss that. My first job was a Fortune 500 that did the same thing. Food was decent, and ultra cheap. As a single guy at the time it was perfect.
Owen Lucas
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These fees were most certainly baked into the price of the food. They could have increased the cost of a sandwich or drink or across the board to make it less noticeable. Use the excuse "the cost of everything is going up" or "Coca Cola / Sysco just raised their prices" etc if someone asks, but itemizing this onto the receipt is a huge turn off, bad business practice (IMHO), and almost feels like a penalty.
Reminds me the time I was in San Francisco and went to a bakery / coffee place. Besides the already overpriced menu, the final receipt had all kinds of add-ons like "inflation surcharge", "employee health benefits", tips etc. I'm not here to finance your business operation, figure that out yourself.
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I'm the opposite. I find food so much better when it's right out of the oven/fryer/grill. Plus, if there's a problem with my order, it's found/fixed immediately.
I've had a couple of gas stations *cough BP cough* charge the credit price when I've used a BP gift card. I could understand if it was one of those Visa gift cards, but this is their own card. Needless to say they're off my list. There are other BP stations in the area that don't charge that way and their prices are a bit better.
As for the original question, yes, I've cut back. I have a Panera gift card to use up so I've been going there when I've been able. Between the salads I get or the Pick-2 combos, the prices seem to have increased around $5 and the 1/2 sandwich seems smaller than it used to be.
When I was still working in-office and in downtown Chicago, I got a receipt from the Subway in the building's pedway that rivaled a CVS receipt. And they misspelled "municipal" to boot...
You need to go to dune dog for a cheaper fair though I think they aren't too cheap anymore
I've cut back on the size of my steaks for sure. Used to be I'd get a 16-20oz steak. Now 12 is normal and 8 if funds are running low. Do a lot of lunch specials now or set menu items that are cheaper than ordering a-la-carte.
My wife and I just got back from a 7 day vacation in the US and we ate out every day. Usually the continental breakfast that comes with the room at the hotel is better than when you order something. A couple of the places were good but most of them were quite disappointing. It's just difficult to serve food hot when you have a cook, waitress, and have to serve drinks and other tables too. Most of the issues I had a problem with was the food was lukewarm and I like my food piping hot. I would rather cook at home and save the extra money. My wife and I do not mind cooking and that makes a difference.
