Restaurants have gotten so expensive……also recycling and phone apps (1 Viewer)

[bcat01]

Traveling today and came by a McDonald’s in New Jersey that was advertising on their marquee “two filet-o-fish” for 3.99”.

I thought of this thread when reading that and thought that is a pretty good deal. I then thought if I got that deal, I would exactly double my filet-o-fish consumption in my lifetime.

That is a very good deal. Throw out the bun from one sandwich and make a double.

 

[Drunken knight]

Birthday lunch for daughter at nice Italian restaurant (5 of us):
Mushroom tort
Cup of clam chowder
3 glasses of wine
3 Arnold palmers
3 chicken panini
1 calamari Caesar
1 sole dore
1 dessert special
1 creme brulee
2 gelato

$240
Great value. Great food. Old favorite of ours.

Italian Restaurant San Rafael,IL Davide Fine Italian Dining Marin

Lunch, Dinner And Events. A Downtown San Rafael Italian Favorite For Over 22 Years. Make A Reservation Today · Catering Available

www.ildavide.net

 

[FiredMartz]

Burger King in Irvine , CA

Whopper .....$ 7.99....8.62 with tax.....still a good sized sandwich

 

[Drunken knight]

Crazy when a whopper is a value at $8

 

[Doug B]

Puts the Five Guys prices in perspective, I guess.

When McDonald’s tried selling artisanal burgers in 2018-19 … I want to say they were $3.99, at least locally. I bet if they rolled out that promotion today, those same burgers would come in at something like $6.99. Five and a half years makes that much difference.

 

[dgreen]

Average Price: Ground Beef, 100% Beef (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average

Fresh regular 100% ground beef excluding round, chuck, and sirloin. Includes organic and non-organic. Excludes pre-formed patties."

fred.stlouisfed.org

 

[fruity pebbles]

Gotta hit the app for McD, BK etc if that’s your desire. Two Big Macs or Quarter Pounders right now for around $7

 

[Doug B]

Average Price: Ground Beef, 100% Beef (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average

Fresh regular 100% ground beef excluding round, chuck, and sirloin. Includes organic and non-organic. Excludes pre-formed patties."

fred.stlouisfed.org

Part of the puzzle, but pales in comparison to the increase in fast-food labor costs.

 

[NutterButter]

Burger King in Irvine , CA

Whopper .....$ 7.99....8.62 with tax.....still a good sized sandwich

In-N-Out Burger · 4115 Campus Dr, Irvine, CA 92612, Vereinigte Staaten

âââââ · Burgerrestaurant

maps.app.goo.gl

You're welcome.

 

[Bossman]

What's probably been said in hear already is that the cost of going out to eat is more expensive than ever ...
but at a lot of our favorite restaurant's, it's still impossible to get a table on a weekend without a reservation.
The higher cost certainly hasn't slowed people down.

 

[Scoresman]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

 

[Scoresman]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

It also said on the menu "Tip is included for all parties, but additional tip may also be added"

 

[Doug B]

... at a lot of our favorite restaurant's, it's still impossible to get a table on a weekend without a reservation.
The higher cost certainly hasn't slowed people down.

At the class of place that requires reservations, the clientele is largely price-insensitive. At least to the level of price raises to date.

It suggests an interesting thought experiment, though -- how expensive would restaurants have to get before the upper-middle class and up would start changing habits noticeably? Bossman, if you went into one of your favorite restaurants, and noticed that the prices were about 25% higher than the last time you were there six months ago ... I am assuming you wouldn't bat an eye. But if you went in and everything was double what it was six months ago? Triple? Five times? 10 times? There's a break point somewhere, but not all consumers have yet met it in all circumstances.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

It also said on the menu "Tip is included for all parties, but additional tip may also be added"

SOP

 

[Doug B]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

 

[DA RAIDERS]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

 

[Bossman]

... at a lot of our favorite restaurant's, it's still impossible to get a table on a weekend without a reservation.
The higher cost certainly hasn't slowed people down.

At the class of place that requires reservations, the clientele is largely price-insensitive. At least to the level of price raises to date.

It suggests an interesting thought experiment, though -- how expensive would restaurants have to get before the upper-middle class and up would start changing habits noticeably? Bossman, if you went into one of your favorite restaurants, and noticed that the prices were about 25% higher than the last time you were there six months ago ... I am assuming you wouldn't bat an eye. But if you went in and everything was double what it was six months ago? Triple? Five times? 10 times? There's a break point somewhere, but not all consumers have yet met it in all circumstances.

Good point. There is def a breaking point for me. I'm already having a hard time paying $35 for a NY Strip that I can make better myself at home.
In my mind, are these price increases relevant to the cost of groceries going up? ... or steep rise in employee wages? ... these factors would make the increase easier to swallow.
I'm thinking restaurants owners, being the smart people that they are, will charge what the market will bear. As long as they're filling tables, prices will continue to creep upwards.
The breaking point would have me going to the pub type places to get a meal on the reasonable side.

 

[General Malaise]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

Nostrana?

 

[General Malaise]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

 

[Doug B]

In my mind, are these price increases relevant to the cost of groceries going up? ... or steep rise in employee wages? ... these factors would make the increase easier to swallow.
I'm thinking restaurants owners, being the smart people that they are, will charge what the market will bear. As long as they're filling tables, prices will continue to creep upwards.
The breaking point would have me going to the pub type places to get a meal on the reasonable side.

One of @DA RAIDERS or @massraider posted in this thread a few weeks ago that the restaurant industry-wide price increases were especially affecting mid-price casual places that appealed to middle class and lower-middle class customers. The factors you mention are certainly part of the puzzle.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Involving the manager is the way to go. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll remove it. If not, they’ve lost a customer and will get a lot of negative comments spread to the winds.

 

[Scoresman]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

Nostrana?

Gabbiano's. Don't really recommend it. It was ok, but I have had better Italian food here for half the price.

 

[General Malaise]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

Nostrana?

Gabbiano's. Don't really recommend it. It was ok, but I have had better Italian food here for half the price.

When Restauranta Roma shut down for "repairs" years ago, we lost our city's best Italian restaurant. That place was a treasure.

 

[Scoresman]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Involving the manager is the way to go. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll remove it. If not, they’ve lost a customer and will get a lot of negative comments spread to the winds.

If this is becoming the "Ask the restaurant guy" questions thread, I've always wanted to know the following.

Why aren't appetizers or other plates meant to be sharable sold by the piece instead of a fixed amount. My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when they say their plates are meant to be sharable and then when it comes out we end up having to destroy the dish trying to cut it into the right number of pieces per person. Why cant they just price it like $2.50/potsticker or whatever and let us order the amount? Or just have it priced by item and bring out enough whole pieces for the whole table?

 

[General Malaise]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Involving the manager is the way to go. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll remove it. If not, they’ve lost a customer and will get a lot of negative comments spread to the winds.

If this is becoming the "Ask the restaurant guy" questions thread, I've always wanted to know the following.

Why aren't appetizers or other plates meant to be sharable sold by the piece instead of a fixed amount. My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when they say their plates are meant to be sharable and then when it comes out we end up having to destroy the dish trying to cut it into the right number of pieces per person. Why cant they just price it like $2.50/potsticker or whatever and let us order the amount? Or just have it priced by item and bring out enough whole pieces for the whole table?

To be fair, I did ask earlier for an AMA of FBG Restaurant Guys. I think it would kill.

 

[Drunken knight]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Involving the manager is the way to go. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll remove it. If not, they’ve lost a customer and will get a lot of negative comments spread to the winds.

If this is becoming the "Ask the restaurant guy" questions thread, I've always wanted to know the following.

Why aren't appetizers or other plates meant to be sharable sold by the piece instead of a fixed amount. My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when they say their plates are meant to be sharable and then when it comes out we end up having to destroy the dish trying to cut it into the right number of pieces per person. Why cant they just price it like $2.50/potsticker or whatever and let us order the amount? Or just have it priced by item and bring out enough whole pieces for the whole table?

that is going to fall on daily prep: how much do i need to prepare for the night (x/order). amount per order impacts labor cost

 

[culdeus]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Involving the manager is the way to go. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll remove it. If not, they’ve lost a customer and will get a lot of negative comments spread to the winds.

If this is becoming the "Ask the restaurant guy" questions thread, I've always wanted to know the following.

Why aren't appetizers or other plates meant to be sharable sold by the piece instead of a fixed amount. My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when they say their plates are meant to be sharable and then when it comes out we end up having to destroy the dish trying to cut it into the right number of pieces per person. Why cant they just price it like $2.50/potsticker or whatever and let us order the amount? Or just have it priced by item and bring out enough whole pieces for the whole table?

Probably would cut their margins. $15 for ??? Probably gets more than parting it out.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

4 people, nice Italian restaurant in Portland, $225, including tip and cocktails. This place adds 20% tip automatically no matter the party size, and what's annoying is that there was still the "Additional Tip" line on the receipt.

that line can be eliminated, but it’s a PIA. most average restaurant managers don’t know how to do it or care enough to learn.

In the mid-90s, the chain place I worked at started allowing servers to add an 18% gratuity to tables of six or more. EDIT: It was a function were able to do on the touch screen ourselves -- we had the option either way.

Many (but not all) servers refused to apply the 18% auto-gratuity, feeling like they'd come out ahead by kicking butt with their service and shooting for 20% or more (at the time, 20% was just starting to creep in as a popular tip amount).

Most still have that mindset.

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Involving the manager is the way to go. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll remove it. If not, they’ve lost a customer and will get a lot of negative comments spread to the winds.

If this is becoming the "Ask the restaurant guy" questions thread, I've always wanted to know the following.

Why aren't appetizers or other plates meant to be sharable sold by the piece instead of a fixed amount. My biggest restaurant pet peeve is when they say their plates are meant to be sharable and then when it comes out we end up having to destroy the dish trying to cut it into the right number of pieces per person. Why cant they just price it like $2.50/potsticker or whatever and let us order the amount? Or just have it priced by item and bring out enough whole pieces for the whole table?

that is going to fall on daily prep: how much do i need to prepare for the night (x/order). amount per order impacts labor cost

And most apps are an odd number so that the upsell for 1 more is easier. It also allows for the cost to be higher for 2 people. 3 scallops app for example.

 

[Scoresman]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

 

[General Malaise]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

I'm guessing you love the scene from Father of the Bride where he loses it over hot dogs and bun numbers....

 

[the moops]

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Leave a bad Google review and don't return unless something is offered in remedy

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

 

[FairWarning]

... at a lot of our favorite restaurant's, it's still impossible to get a table on a weekend without a reservation.
The higher cost certainly hasn't slowed people down.

At the class of place that requires reservations, the clientele is largely price-insensitive. At least to the level of price raises to date.

It suggests an interesting thought experiment, though -- how expensive would restaurants have to get before the upper-middle class and up would start changing habits noticeably? Bossman, if you went into one of your favorite restaurants, and noticed that the prices were about 25% higher than the last time you were there six months ago ... I am assuming you wouldn't bat an eye. But if you went in and everything was double what it was six months ago? Triple? Five times? 10 times? There's a break point somewhere, but not all consumers have yet met it in all circumstances.

Good point. There is def a breaking point for me. I'm already having a hard time paying $35 for a NY Strip that I can make better myself at home.
In my mind, are these price increases relevant to the cost of groceries going up? ... or steep rise in employee wages? ... these factors would make the increase easier to swallow.
I'm thinking restaurants owners, being the smart people that they are, will charge what the market will bear. As long as they're filling tables, prices will continue to creep upwards.
The breaking point would have me going to the pub type places to get a meal on the reasonable side.

The price increases are both related to employee wages (especially back of the house), and food costs. It’s a big problem for the Independent restaurants as they can’t get the best pricing.

 

[FairWarning]

Question for you and other "insiders":

When a restaurant adds gratuity automatically to the check, what should a customer do if they felt like the service wasn't worth 20% or whatever the default is?

Call the manager over to explain would be my guess but the forced gratuity seems to remove the leverage a patron has to express disappointment or dissatisfaction in their experience if they encountered it.

Leave a bad Google review and don't return unless something is offered in remedy

I definitely don’t agree with forced gratuity unless it’s a table of 8+. Just curious what would you want to remedy the situation?

 

[SoBeDad]

In some places, price increases are related to big increases in rent. A small Honduran restaurant I've gone to a couple of times may now move to a cheaper part of the city, or even to another city, as their location in Miami's Little Haiti becomes gentrified. This is after moving a few years ago from a location near the urban core which underwent rapid gentrification. On social media, the local influencers tout big name expensive places like Pastis which just added a Miami location to their NYC French-inspired restaurant.

There are alot of people who aren't affected by high restaurant prices. For others, there are options which are ultimately determined by the market place.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

In some places, price increases are related to big increases in rent. A small Honduran restaurant I've gone to a couple of times may now move to a cheaper part of the city, or even to another city, as their location in Miami's Little Haiti becomes gentrified. This is after moving a few years ago from a location near the urban core which underwent rapid gentrification. On social media, the local influencers tout big name expensive places like Pastis which just added a Miami location to their NYC French-inspired restaurant.

There are alot of people who aren't affected by high restaurant prices. For others, there are options which are ultimately determined by the market place.

Skadi, The one really good fancy restaurant in mammoth is closing, because their lease is up and the renewal is too expensive. They’re in a crappy little industrial building completely off the main drag. It’s sad.

 

[Keerock]

Took my son and future DIL out for their birthday dinner in Nashville. Nice Italian place we've been to several times before. 4 of us for apps, dinner and drinks $312 + tip

 

[Scoresman]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

 

[Scoresman]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

This just confirms my pet peeve though. If it's so easy for them to match the number of plated items to the table, why dont they just do it?

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

This just confirms my pet peeve though. If it's so easy for them to match the number of plated items to the table, why dont they just do it?

It’s not “so easy” unless you’re talking about fried whatever with the sauce on the side. Or adding a shrimp to a shrimp cocktail. Composed dishes have recipes. Those recipes are being executed by cooks that are working 2 jobs. Some of whom don’t speak a lot of English. Some of whom are hung over beyond belief. It needs to be a straight forward execution. And as @Drunken knight mentioned, the prep cooks work is highly regimented with pars that are dictated by business with an attempt to not waste food/over prep. And no restaurant is going to automatically downsize their app and make it cheaper for you and your date.

The Chinese place my wife and I go to has crab wontons as an app. There are 10 of them per order. I asked if we could get a half order. Nope. this is beause they are prepped in orders of 10. What are they going to do with the other half? So, We just eat them all

 

[SuperFantasyFootballGuy]

The only place you can get food for the same price as 3-4 years ago is Steak N Shake. They still have multiple burger and french fry combos for $5.29.


I don't even understand how that place stays in business. Burger King was one of the last holdouts too, but they're crazy expensive now too.



As for dining out? Good luck. Anywhere respectable you're paying $15 a drink and $35 an entree.

 

[Doug B]

Took my son and future DIL out for their birthday dinner in Nashville. Nice Italian place we've been to several times before. 4 of us for apps, dinner and drinks $312 + tip

Geez, half that price would have me tapping out. Chef Boyardee it is!

 

[Drunken knight]

Even basic take out for three of us seems hard to keep it under $50.

Not much under $15 pp. I am working a bit and do not have much prep time to cook like I used…. That I can keep very affordable at a higher level.

Ie: valentines dinner- Chilean sea bass with mango buerre blanc, coconut forbidden rice, roasted asparagus, chocolate/raspberry crepes

Sea bass was about $36/lb.

Forgot I also made ahi tartare (so a little more pp)

 

[Scoresman]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

This just confirms my pet peeve though. If it's so easy for them to match the number of plated items to the table, why dont they just do it?

It’s not “so easy” unless you’re talking about fried whatever with the sauce on the side. Or adding a shrimp to a shrimp cocktail. Composed dishes have recipes. Those recipes are being executed by cooks that are working 2 jobs. Some of whom don’t speak a lot of English. Some of whom are hung over beyond belief. It needs to be a straight forward execution. And as @Drunken knight mentioned, the prep cooks work is highly regimented with pars that are dictated by business with an attempt to not waste food/over prep. And no restaurant is going to automatically downsize their app and make it cheaper for you and your date.

The Chinese place my wife and I go to has crab wontons as an app. There are 10 of them per order. I asked if we could get a half order. Nope. this is beause they are prepped in orders of 10. What are they going to do with the other half? So, We just eat them all

I'm mainly talking about things that come in set pieces. I understand other things have set recipes. And I'm not asking for downsizing. I'm asking to pay MORE for the right number of pieces. It's always comes out with less than it should be, but not enough that ordering 2 wouldn't be too much.

A good example of my beef is we went to a restaurant recently and the first thing the server said was that their plates were meant to be shared. We were a table of 5. One of the things we ordered was a bagel sandwich. I was skeptical because how can they split that up properly? I was assured 1 was "enough for the table". Sure enough, it came cut in half, and we had to figure out how to cut it into 5 pieces, ultimately destroying the sandwich in the process. How exactly is a menu item like this "meant to be shared?"

My point is if you're going to say your dishes are meant to be shared, or if it's implied by being an appetizer, make sure it's actually easily sharable by the number of people at the table. I understand this might cost more and I'm more than willing to pay.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

This just confirms my pet peeve though. If it's so easy for them to match the number of plated items to the table, why dont they just do it?

It’s not “so easy” unless you’re talking about fried whatever with the sauce on the side. Or adding a shrimp to a shrimp cocktail. Composed dishes have recipes. Those recipes are being executed by cooks that are working 2 jobs. Some of whom don’t speak a lot of English. Some of whom are hung over beyond belief. It needs to be a straight forward execution. And as @Drunken knight mentioned, the prep cooks work is highly regimented with pars that are dictated by business with an attempt to not waste food/over prep. And no restaurant is going to automatically downsize their app and make it cheaper for you and your date.

The Chinese place my wife and I go to has crab wontons as an app. There are 10 of them per order. I asked if we could get a half order. Nope. this is beause they are prepped in orders of 10. What are they going to do with the other half? So, We just eat them all

I'm mainly talking about things that come in set pieces. I understand other things have set recipes. And I'm not asking for downsizing. I'm asking to pay MORE for the right number of pieces. It's always comes out with less than it should be, but not enough that ordering 2 wouldn't be too much.

A good example of my beef is we went to a restaurant recently and the first thing the server said was that their plates were meant to be shared. We were a table of 5. One of the things we ordered was a bagel sandwich. I was skeptical because how can they split that up properly? I was assured 1 was "enough for the table". Sure enough, it came cut in half, and we had to figure out how to cut it into 5 pieces, ultimately destroying the sandwich in the process. How exactly is a menu item like this "meant to be shared?"

My point is if you're going to say your dishes are meant to be shared, or if it's implied by being an appetizer, make sure it's actually easily sharable by the number of people at the table. I understand this might cost more and I'm more than willing to pay.

Shared implies 2. Not 5. That would be family style. And no chef is going to cut a sandwich into 5 pieces. As you discovered, it destroys the sandwich. In your example what would you want, 2.5 bagels? And you know how big a bagel is, there’s no way one is going to serve 5 People.

We serve a $26 burger. It’s a big burger. We will cut in half if asked. We will not cut it into 3rds or 4ths as that destroys the integrity of the dish. It falls apart and looks like garbage. You’re welcome to cut it up however you like at the table.

 

[the moops]

The only place you can get food for the same price as 3-4 years ago is Steak N Shake.

You shouldn't be able to get any food for the same price as 3-4 years ago. Just as 3-4 years ago you couldn't get the same priced food as 3-4 years before that.

 

[Drunken knight]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

This just confirms my pet peeve though. If it's so easy for them to match the number of plated items to the table, why dont they just do it?

It’s not “so easy” unless you’re talking about fried whatever with the sauce on the side. Or adding a shrimp to a shrimp cocktail. Composed dishes have recipes. Those recipes are being executed by cooks that are working 2 jobs. Some of whom don’t speak a lot of English. Some of whom are hung over beyond belief. It needs to be a straight forward execution. And as @Drunken knight mentioned, the prep cooks work is highly regimented with pars that are dictated by business with an attempt to not waste food/over prep. And no restaurant is going to automatically downsize their app and make it cheaper for you and your date.

The Chinese place my wife and I go to has crab wontons as an app. There are 10 of them per order. I asked if we could get a half order. Nope. this is beause they are prepped in orders of 10. What are they going to do with the other half? So, We just eat them all

I'm mainly talking about things that come in set pieces. I understand other things have set recipes. And I'm not asking for downsizing. I'm asking to pay MORE for the right number of pieces. It's always comes out with less than it should be, but not enough that ordering 2 wouldn't be too much.

A good example of my beef is we went to a restaurant recently and the first thing the server said was that their plates were meant to be shared. We were a table of 5. One of the things we ordered was a bagel sandwich. I was skeptical because how can they split that up properly? I was assured 1 was "enough for the table". Sure enough, it came cut in half, and we had to figure out how to cut it into 5 pieces, ultimately destroying the sandwich in the process. How exactly is a menu item like this "meant to be shared?"

My point is if you're going to say your dishes are meant to be shared, or if it's implied by being an appetizer, make sure it's actually easily sharable by the number of people at the table. I understand this might cost more and I'm more than willing to pay.

Shared implies 2. Not 5. That would be family style. And no chef is going to cut a sandwich into 5 pieces. As you discovered, it destroys the sandwich. In your example what would you want, 2.5 bagels? And you know how big a bagel is, there’s no way one is going to serve 5 People.

We serve a $26 burger. It’s a big burger. We will cut in half if asked. We will not cut it into 3rds or 4ths as that destroys the integrity of the dish. It falls apart and looks like garbage. You’re welcome to cut it up however you like at the table.

Truffles and foie?

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I’d pay more for the right ******** number of appetizers to show up at my table. I swear, every time it’s one less than how many we are.

Ask the server?

This works sometimes but mostly they apologize and say it's a set amount.

Mostly? That’s odd. Try a nicer more service oriented place perhaps.

This just confirms my pet peeve though. If it's so easy for them to match the number of plated items to the table, why dont they just do it?

It’s not “so easy” unless you’re talking about fried whatever with the sauce on the side. Or adding a shrimp to a shrimp cocktail. Composed dishes have recipes. Those recipes are being executed by cooks that are working 2 jobs. Some of whom don’t speak a lot of English. Some of whom are hung over beyond belief. It needs to be a straight forward execution. And as @Drunken knight mentioned, the prep cooks work is highly regimented with pars that are dictated by business with an attempt to not waste food/over prep. And no restaurant is going to automatically downsize their app and make it cheaper for you and your date.

The Chinese place my wife and I go to has crab wontons as an app. There are 10 of them per order. I asked if we could get a half order. Nope. this is beause they are prepped in orders of 10. What are they going to do with the other half? So, We just eat them all

I'm mainly talking about things that come in set pieces. I understand other things have set recipes. And I'm not asking for downsizing. I'm asking to pay MORE for the right number of pieces. It's always comes out with less than it should be, but not enough that ordering 2 wouldn't be too much.

A good example of my beef is we went to a restaurant recently and the first thing the server said was that their plates were meant to be shared. We were a table of 5. One of the things we ordered was a bagel sandwich. I was skeptical because how can they split that up properly? I was assured 1 was "enough for the table". Sure enough, it came cut in half, and we had to figure out how to cut it into 5 pieces, ultimately destroying the sandwich in the process. How exactly is a menu item like this "meant to be shared?"

My point is if you're going to say your dishes are meant to be shared, or if it's implied by being an appetizer, make sure it's actually easily sharable by the number of people at the table. I understand this might cost more and I'm more than willing to pay.

Shared implies 2. Not 5. That would be family style. And no chef is going to cut a sandwich into 5 pieces. As you discovered, it destroys the sandwich. In your example what would you want, 2.5 bagels? And you know how big a bagel is, there’s no way one is going to serve 5 People.

We serve a $26 burger. It’s a big burger. We will cut in half if asked. We will not cut it into 3rds or 4ths as that destroys the integrity of the dish. It falls apart and looks like garbage. You’re welcome to cut it up however you like at the table.

Truffles and foie?

That would put it at $60+ . Neuske bacon, crispy shallots, Dijon aioli with sautéed onions, tomato, lettuce on a really nice brioche. All veg from Melissa’s