Restaurant prices...

[bwframe]

Went out to eat with a buddy last week. Great time, conversation, catching up, etc. Nice waitress that my buddy knew from frequent visits to the place. She did complain about how slow the business had been recently though.

I didn't get it, until I picked up the tab. Holy crap! The bill was literally double my highest expectation. After tipping, the check took most of a hundred dollar bill, for two guys, no sides, no deserts, drinking water.

I recounted the story to my daughter, currently a local waitress. She sent me back info about visiting her last local gig prior to her current job and asked an old friend to see a menu there...

"It's about $16-22 for a sandwich there. $14 for a plate of microwaved nachos, $25 burgers."

As one who spent the first 13 years of my working life in the restaurant business, this new crazy high pricing ("bidenomics"?), doesn't seem like much of a sustainable business model?

 

[DustEm]

Yup... I go to a local mom and pop restaurant often. and their prices went up around 25%. Between the difficultly getting help and increased prices of goods nothing surprises me. Big chains are even worse. The last time I went to Buffalo Wild Wings, i about died.

 

[stocknup]

Me and my wife Rarely eat out anywhere ....just for this reason and our home cooked meals are way better .
We know several couples and families that eat out 4-5 times a week . I`m not a cheapskate , but don`t know how some put this in their weekly budget . We ordered an XL , 3 topping Pizza from our local shop about a week ago ( w/ a tip for delivery - $46 ! )
Crazy times ................

 

[Mgderf]

"Let's go Brandon"

 

[d.kaufman]

Wife, me and 2 kids at Red Robin. 3 burgers with fries, 1 chicken strip with fries, 3 milkshakes, and 1 beer = $112 after tip. This was almost a year ago. I'm sure it's more now.

It's insane to go out to eat anymore, with the exception of a few local places.

 

[Hoosierdood]

I went to McDonalds the other day and a Quarter Pounder meal was $9.99 before tax. For a burger, fries and drink.

 

[kawtech87]

Being in the restaurant business I can tell you it's crazy. Prices have never been higher on our end. A good example is lettuce. A case of head lettuce used to cost $14. During the height of covid it went up to over $100. It's come down but still averages around $40-$50 for a 50# case of lettuce. Prices on beef are insane, this week our chicken was substituted for a different product because what we normally ordered was unavailable. This list goes on. We ate the increase as long as we could but unfortunately had to raise menu prices to compensate. I don't see it coming back down to pre-covid levels of pricing or availability anytime soon.

 

[Ark]

As bad as grocery inflation is, services and restaurant inflation is easily 50% worse. There's a reason I basically don't eat out anymore.

Hell you can't even get a pint in Indy for less than $6.50 now. Enjoying your Bidenomics?

 

[stocknup]

I went to McDonalds the other day and a Quarter Pounder meal was $9.99 before tax. For a burger, fries and drink.

Must have been a quarter pounder w/o cheese ............add another buck fifty for a slice of cheese .

 

[jsharmon7]

Even fast food prices have gone crazy. $10+ for a basic combo meal is standard. What’s worse is the tip requests. Fazolis, Subway, etc. now hitting you up for a tip just for preparing the food. I’m getting very selective about eating out these days.

 

[tim87tr]

When you're buying half beef or whole hog from a local butcher for $3.35/lb and have a garden...we quit eating out locally earlier this year because of the costs mentioned and lack of help. Can cook better than most all places and spend the extra on something more reasonable and beneficial to us. Search Ed Dowd videos on lack of employees.

Traveling we'll eat on on occasion for the entertainment, ie rural winery, brewery or distillery with live music as a bonus. Harvest Hosts have been enjoyable.

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[Ballstater98]

If you want to feel good about a choice of eating at McDonald's, you're helping my kid's stock portfolio.

(Side note: He was gifted some money when my MIL & FIL passed. I handed it to my financial guy and said let's put this in some smart stocks that he'll also take an interest in so he can hopefully be smarter than me.)

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yeah. Two stories.

I was traveling in OH this week. On my way home I saw a LJS along the route and fish sounded good. (even though its a literal crap shoot because at least around here, LJS makes me feel bloated and lethargic about 3 hours later. But it tastes SOOOOO damn good I sometimes take a chance. )

I looked on the menu and I got excited. I havent seen a 1 fish 1 chicken with fries and puppies meal in years anywhere in IN. They just stopped selling them. You either got 2 fish or 2 chix. If you wanted both you had to skip the $5 baskets and go to a meal with like 2 fish 2 chicken and shrimp, and 2 sides. This restaurant had the option. So I ordered it. $8. Not bad, but still $3 more than a few years ago. (Thanks Joe. And Trump)

THEN I opened the box. Cue the sad trombone. It was a half piece of each using the old portion sizes. The old fish fillet was literally the size and shape of my hand. Now its only palm sized.

Last week I stopped at the Hardees in Edinburgh trying to find one that still cooks the char grilled burgers the old way. Pre pandemic, a Hardees thickburger always had a nice crispy bitter char around the edges and was every bit as good as a sit down burger. More charring than a BK Flame broiled burger. Since then? Meh. All cooked on a griddle that isnt hot enough, so its just grey and greasy. But hoping I might find one that still does it right. But I digress.

I'm sitting looking at the menu board and I see the big burger meal with all the fixins in the pic for $9. (#1) At the bottom I see the "Big Cheeseburger" meal for $5.99. But its picture doesnt have the tomato, lettuce, etc. so I chalked it up to the difference between a Whopper and a cheeseburger at BK. I dont need the fixins so I ordered the #5. The only thing I like on my burgers is cheese and onion. So of course they struggle to get it right. "Thats a #1, no cheese, no onion..." I correct her and she seems to have it right.

I get to the window and she tells me its $10 something. "No, I ordered a #5, not a #1" She fumbles around on the register and repeats the $10. "No, the menu says the #5 is $5.99. The #1 is $9. " So she gets the manager. The manager goes to their inside menu and stares at it for a min with her hands on her hips.

Manager comes back and says "they must have forgotten to update that price. I'll make it right. "
So its not a ridiculous fixins upcharge. The menu has literally increased like 40% What used to be a dollar difference is now a $3 difference.

I was still disappointed with a non charred, greasy, salty grey burger. At least I didnt get raped for the mediocreness. *sigh*

 

[Max Volume]

I rarely go out anymore and won't eat fast food since retiring. Ate enough of that garbage on the fly when in my work truck.
Made a good California spaghetti last night with noodles, zucchini, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, etc. Nice light meal for the heat.

 

[Ballstater98]

I rarely go out anymore and won't eat fast food since retiring. Ate enough of that garbage on the fly when in my work truck.
Made a good California spaghetti last night with noodles, zucchini, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, etc. Nice light meal for the heat.

@2A_Tom Where's that recipie thread?

 

[Super Bee]

We go out maybe 3 times a week and we usually ***** how pricey it has gotten.

Last weekend we were out of town. I ran to McDonalds and grabbed breakfast for myself and the two girls. . . $33.00 for two coffees and breakfast sandwiches.

I have seen prices rise at least 50% easy, someplaces I think have actually doubled.

 

[rosejm]

Easily double.

$20s are the new $10
$50s are the new $20

Welcome to two decades of inflation all in two years. Thanks Joe. (now where'd I leave those "I did that!" stickers...)

 

[Ingomike]

The best Big Mac today is the one you make at home from real ingredients. The demand that the special sauces for all fast food that has a years long use by date has rendered these condiments nothing but chemical concoctions. Make a big batch of homemade thousand island dressing and you can have a great ruben then copycat Big Macs…

 

[foszoe]

McDonald's $3 special...double cheese and a small fry..less than 5$

 

[Cameramonkey]

McDonald's $3 special...double cheese and a small fry..less than 5$

And the dollar menu? A small fry used to be $1. Now its $2.