Restaurants have gotten so expensive……also recycling and phone apps (3 Viewers)

[Scoresman]

This is the menu of the place where we got the bagel that we couldn't share. These are my main points of contention.

1. We were told when we were seated that all of their plates are meant to be shared by the table and that most people order a variety of plates to get a taste of most of the menu.

Had a look at that menu. To me, it looks plainly like every diner should order one thing for themselves off of that menu. Almost none of it looks "shareable" going by the descriptions on the menu. IMHO, you were steered wrong by whoever sat you all.

This is my whole point. Maybe it’s a local thing but a ton of restaurants are adopting this shared plate menu thing and then proceed to put a bunch of non-sharable things on it or do absolutely nothing to make it easier for the consumer to actually share the dishes.

But somehow that’s my fault from reading this thread!

 

[the moops]

But somehow that’s my fault from reading this thread!

Serenity now!

 

[The Gator]

Anyone that I am going out to dinner with, I am more than comfortable with them taking a bite out of my bagel sandwich and passing it on down the line

PM sent

 

[Scoresman]

But somehow that’s my fault from reading this thread!

Serenity now!

I’m at the “Insanity Later” stage by now.

 

[Doug B]

This is my whole point. Maybe it’s a local thing but a ton of restaurants are adopting this shared plate menu thing and then proceed to put a bunch of non-sharable things on it or do absolutely nothing to make it easier for the consumer to actually share the dishes.

But somehow that’s my fault from reading this thread!

Roughly, where is "local" for you?

If that kind of stuff is considered "shareable" ... that's a place that caters to people who don't really eat.

 

[Scoresman]

This is my whole point. Maybe it’s a local thing but a ton of restaurants are adopting this shared plate menu thing and then proceed to put a bunch of non-sharable things on it or do absolutely nothing to make it easier for the consumer to actually share the dishes.

But somehow that’s my fault from reading this thread!

Roughly, where is "local" for you?

If that kind of stuff is considered "shareable" ... that's a place that caters to people who don't really eat.

Pacific Northwest but I’ve seen it all over the west coast.

 

[General Malaise]

Anyone that I am going out to dinner with, I am more than comfortable with them taking a bite out of my bagel sandwich and passing it on down the line

It's like communion!

 

[massraider]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

 

[Joe Bryant]

This is the menu of the place where we got the bagel that we couldn't share. These are my main points of contention.

1. We were told when we were seated that all of their plates are meant to be shared by the table and that most people order a variety of plates to get a taste of most of the menu.
2. When we ordered the bagel, no mention was made by the server how it would come or how a table of 5 could share it. Yes, we could've asked but the server, knowing how it is served, could've mentioned ordering a second would be a good idea. I did bring it up to my wife that sharing one bagel might be tough but I was told that we didnt want two because it was a pretty heavy dish, so I'm willing to eat this one. (I ended up being right and trying to cut it just made a huge mess).
3. We also ordered the mini doughnuts which came in an order of three. I now remember having to order a second order after it had arrived to accommodate the table, Again, something the server should've shared so we wouldn't have to do this. Or the menu could just mention how many it comes with.
4. Overall definition of what constitutes a sharable plate. See all the items that say they have one egg? That's supposed to be sharable?

I'm beginning to think my main beef is that this whole sharable menu concept is BS because there are very few plates that are truly easily shared by most parties.

This is why I don't think I'd ever make it in the restaurant business.

It’s incredibly trying on the soul.

I mean, I honestly don't know how I wouldn't go full Bobby Knight after something like that.

Which part?

Every part.

 

[Joe Bryant]

We need Scott Seiss to do restaurant customers.

Scott Seiss Retail TikTok Compilation FULL

Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter @scottseiss

youtu.be

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Do people ever ask to share soup?

Yes

Hopefully they're able to order by the fluid ounce, in a correctly partitioned bowl.

As long as they order immediately, slurp it down and are ready to get the hell moving as soon as they lay their spoon down?

 

[Beef Ravioli Part 2]

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.

I got a Whopper Wednesday deal for $3 today. I was going to add cheese but they wanted a $1 for that and I was being cheap, so no cheese.

 

[Osaurus]

Dang. How often do you dine out? I’m usually no more than 4 times a month and some of that is to go

 

[Terminalxylem]

Dang. How often do you dine out? I’m usually no more than 4 times a month and some of that is to go

Minimum once, often twice a week. So 4-8x per month?

 

[Scoresman]

If any profession deserves a 30% tip let’s please save it for nurses and teachers. Not restaurant servers who won’t even suggest we get one more egg roll.

 

[Scoresman]

20% takes even less thought. 10% is easy to calculate, then just double it. If servers deserve any more, it's time to transition away from tipping and have the restaurant owners properly cover wages (and adjust menu prices as needed to stay afloat).

 

[Doug B]

This is also a great reason to never tip less than 30%. God Bless the folks working restaurants.

I know moralizing wasn't your intention at all, so I've bitten my tongue the two times you've mentioned 30% in this thread. But now that a few others have chimed in about it, it somehow feels a little safer to come out with it.

Again, realizing you don't mean it this way ... saying "never tip less than 30%", unqualified, necessarily means that those who don't do so are somehow in the wrong. At worst, morally wrong and deficient of character -- as in considering a 20-25% tip a screw-over on par with leaving nothing.

Being upfront and public about no-strings overtipping (that is, never less than 30%) can lead to kind of an arms race. If someone saw you tip 30%, and immediately chided you in front of others for not tipping 50% or 100% ... you'd be taken aback, I would expect. Perhaps feel a little hurt and wonder where that came from.

I don't know ... I guess this kind of stuff lands differently depending on one's personal financial situation. Saying something like "I can tip 30% and help make a servers day -- so I do it" just sounds like a completely different sentiment than "never tip less than 30%". There's a value judgment being projected with the latter statement, intended or not.

 

[Joe Bryant]

This is also a great reason to never tip less than 30%. God Bless the folks working restaurants.

I know moralizing wasn't your intention at all, so I've bitten my tongue the two times you've mentioned 30% in this thread. But now that a few others have chimed in about it, it somehow feels a little safer to come out with it.

Again, realizing you don't mean it this way ... saying "never tip less than 30%", unqualified, necessarily means that those who don't do so are somehow in the wrong. At worst, morally wrong and deficient of character -- as in considering a 20-25% tip a screw-over on par with leaving nothing.

Being upfront and public about no-strings overtipping (that is, never less than 30%) can lead to kind of an arms race. If someone saw you tip 30%, and immediately chided you in front of others for not tipping 50% or 100% ... you'd be taken aback, I would expect. Perhaps feel a little hurt and wonder where that came from.

I don't know ... I guess this kind of stuff lands differently depending on one's personal financial situation. Saying something like "I can tip 30% and help make a servers day -- so I do it" just sounds like a completely different sentiment than "never tip less than 30%". There's a value judgment being projected with the latter statement, intended or not.

Thanks for the insight. Definitely don't mean it to sound as you're hearing it. And how you hear it is what matters. I apologize.

 

[Scoresman]

This is the menu of the place where we got the bagel that we couldn't share. These are my main points of contention.

1. We were told when we were seated that all of their plates are meant to be shared by the table and that most people order a variety of plates to get a taste of most of the menu.
2. When we ordered the bagel, no mention was made by the server how it would come or how a table of 5 could share it. Yes, we could've asked but the server, knowing how it is served, could've mentioned ordering a second would be a good idea. I did bring it up to my wife that sharing one bagel might be tough but I was told that we didnt want two because it was a pretty heavy dish, so I'm willing to eat this one. (I ended up being right and trying to cut it just made a huge mess).
3. We also ordered the mini doughnuts which came in an order of three. I now remember having to order a second order after it had arrived to accommodate the table, Again, something the server should've shared so we wouldn't have to do this. Or the menu could just mention how many it comes with.
4. Overall definition of what constitutes a sharable plate. See all the items that say they have one egg? That's supposed to be sharable?

I'm beginning to think my main beef is that this whole sharable menu concept is BS because there are very few plates that are truly easily shared by most parties.

This is why I don't think I'd ever make it in the restaurant business.

It’s incredibly trying on the soul.

I mean, I honestly don't know how I wouldn't go full Bobby Knight after something like that.

For what it's worth, I don't bring up these pet peeves to my server ever because I know it's not their fault how the menus are set up and when it's all said and done it's a fairly minor gripe. I save the venting for places like here. I also have a personal mantra of "Always be nice to people who serve you food."

But I also think it's fair to bring up a legit gripe with how restaurant menus are set up without being told someone would go Bobby Knight after it. I don't think it's a big ask for servers to simply suggest certain order modifications for larger groups that are sharing. That would solve most of the beef I posted above.

 

[Joe Bryant]

But I also think it's fair to bring up a legit gripe with how restaurant menus are set up without being told someone would go Bobby Knight after it. I don't think it's a big ask for servers to simply suggest certain order modifications for larger groups that are sharing. That would solve most of the beef I posted above.

I offered an honest opinion. If I heard that type of complaining about my business on a regular basis, I'd absolutely go Bobby Knight over it. Of course it's fair for you to express your complaint. As it's fair for others to express their opinion on it.

And as every restaurant vet will tell you, that type of complaining is not uncommon. Which is why I don't open a restaurant.

Perhaps I should be more accommodating and patient with the complaining. Maybe it's not as unreasonable as it seems to me. I'm open to that idea. I just shared my opinion on how I'd see it.

 

[Hawks64]

Dang. How often do you dine out? I’m usually no more than 4 times a month and some of that is to go

2-4 times a week?

 

[Scoresman]

But I also think it's fair to bring up a legit gripe with how restaurant menus are set up without being told someone would go Bobby Knight after it. I don't think it's a big ask for servers to simply suggest certain order modifications for larger groups that are sharing. That would solve most of the beef I posted above.

I offered an honest opinion. If I heard that type of complaining about my business on a regular basis, I'd absolutely go Bobby Knight over it. Of course it's fair for you to express your complaint. As it's fair for others to express their opinion on it.

And as every restaurant vet will tell you, that type of complaining is not uncommon. Which is why I don't open a restaurant.

Perhaps I should be more accommodating and patient with the complaining. Maybe it's not as unreasonable as it seems to me. I'm open to that idea. I just shared my opinion on how I'd see it.

If it's that common then maybe the customers have a point. There will always be rude, unreasonable customers for every business. I don't think I was being any of those things, but the implication is that I was. You asked someone in this thread to be way cooler with their comments, but if I'm being honest here, I took way more offense to the Bobby Knight thing than anything anyone else may have said. Gonna drop it though and in the future I'll try to reframe my pet peeves as suggestions rather than complaints.

 

[Doug B]

Definitely don't mean it to sound as you're hearing it.

I had no doubt of this whatsoever. Thank you for taking the time to think on it and reply.

 

[Chris B.]

I know there's already a thread to crap on 5 Guys, but a regular (double) burger, small fries and a small drink comes out to $23 & change where I'm at.

 

[Chris B.]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

I downloaded the app yesterday but it won't let me sub in chocolate milk for regular milk on the app (and the in-store kiosk).

 

[Doug B]

I know there's already a thread to crap on 5 Guys, but a regular (double) burger, small fries and a small drink comes out to $23 & change where I'm at.

I guess they're doing OK (I don't have information one way or the other) ... but, man, you gotta think at some point they price out part of their customer base.

As a family (two tweens/teens in the late 2010s), we used to hit Five Guys, I don't know, monthly? Every other month? Anyway, in 2018-19 or so ... it didn't seem like we were getting hammered price-wise. Yes, it helped that my youngest doesn't do burgers (peanuts and fries only). But still. We haven't been since before COVID ... and I can see that the cost of our usual order has at least doubled, if not a little more than that.

I ordered take-out once from there maybe 2021 or 2022 (kind of right before the bad inflation hit). Don't recall sticker shock. but then -- no drinks, so $10 off right there.

 

[Joe Bryant]

If it's that common then maybe the customers have a point. There will always be rude, unreasonable customers for every business. I don't think I was being any of those things, but the implication is that I was. You asked someone in this thread to be way cooler with their comments, but if I'm being honest here, I took way more offense to the Bobby Knight thing than anything anyone else may have said. Gonna drop it though and in the future I'll try to reframe my pet peeves as suggestions rather than complaints.

Thanks.

The one poster said you didn't understand what words meant. That seemed insulting in my opinion. He's a good poster though and quickly clarified.

You listed a long list of complaints that I said would make me go Bobby Knight if I were the restaurant owner. That was an honest statement. I'm sorry you took offense that's how I feel but that's how it seemed to me.

Another one of our restaurant veterans replied, "It's incredibly trying on the soul". I agree and that's what I mean on the Bobby Knight.

I do think it's an interesting discussion around the "Customer Is Always Right" idea.

I'm a firm believer the customer is not always right in every situation. But others may differ. Of course, fine to drop your specific issue. But I do think the bigger picture is worth discussing.

As I said, it's of course fair to complain about whatever you feel the need to complain about. That's social media in 2024.

However, I do think people are allowed to strongly disagree with others on this issue.

Not every customer is always right in some people's opinion. Not every complaint is valid in some people's opinion.

And I think discussing those can be helpful.

Hearing that kind of feedback is helpful for me.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I thought the Bobby Knight comment was kinda funny. When did we stop being able to take a little ribbing?

 

[Scoresman]

I thought the Bobby Knight comment was kinda funny. When did we stop being able to take a little ribbing?

I think I misunderstood as him saying he would go Bobby Knight on me, which is different. It was also weird in the context of telling someone to be way cooler and then turning around and not following that directive. But again, probably my misunderstanding. Also, people get "timeouts" for "little ribbings" all the time these days, so again I thought it was inconsistent at best. But I'm way over it by now and this has been way too blown out of proportion, which I am mostly to blame for.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I thought the Bobby Knight comment was kinda funny. When did we stop being able to take a little ribbing?

I think I misunderstood as him saying he would go Bobby Knight on me, which is different. It was also weird in the context of telling someone to be way cooler and then turning around and not following that directive. But again, probably my misunderstanding. Also, people get "timeouts" for "little ribbings" all the time these days, so again I thought it was inconsistent at best. But I'm way over it by now and this has been way too blown out of proportion, which I am mostly to blame for.

No worries. All good.

And for sure, when I say "go Bobby Knight", that's a silly way of saying I would be pulling my hair out and wanting to sling chairs. I'd never ever ever suggest physical harm to another person in something like this.

This is a good discussion in the big picture.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

I downloaded the app yesterday but it won't let me sub in chocolate milk for regular milk on the app (and the in-store kiosk).

The McDonald’s app sucks for customization. Can’t even add Mac sauce to a QP
Taco Bell app on the other hand lets you do whatever the heck you want (for a cost of course)

 

[ProstheticRGK]

This is also a great reason to never tip less than 30%. God Bless the folks working restaurants.

I know moralizing wasn't your intention at all, so I've bitten my tongue the two times you've mentioned 30% in this thread. But now that a few others have chimed in about it, it somehow feels a little safer to come out with it.

Again, realizing you don't mean it this way ... saying "never tip less than 30%", unqualified, necessarily means that those who don't do so are somehow in the wrong. At worst, morally wrong and deficient of character -- as in considering a 20-25% tip a screw-over on par with leaving nothing.

Being upfront and public about no-strings overtipping (that is, never less than 30%) can lead to kind of an arms race. If someone saw you tip 30%, and immediately chided you in front of others for not tipping 50% or 100% ... you'd be taken aback, I would expect. Perhaps feel a little hurt and wonder where that came from.

I don't know ... I guess this kind of stuff lands differently depending on one's personal financial situation. Saying something like "I can tip 30% and help make a servers day -- so I do it" just sounds like a completely different sentiment than "never tip less than 30%". There's a value judgment being projected with the latter statement, intended or not.

Thanks for the insight. Definitely don't mean it to sound as you're hearing it. And how you hear it is what matters. I apologize.

Classy response. I'm gonna try and emulate that mindset.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Classy response. I'm gonna try and emulate that mindset.

You're kind. Thank you. I learned this lesson the hard way over the years. I used to be in the "that's your fault if you don't understand what I said." I had someone explain the reality to me that being understood is on the speaker. That's their job. If they don't hear it the way you meant it, you did a poor job. I think that's 100% right. So when they hear something different than you meant, accept you made a mistake, learn from it and get better.

 

[Courtjester]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

I downloaded the app yesterday but it won't let me sub in chocolate milk for regular milk on the app (and the in-store kiosk).

The McDonald’s app sucks for customization. Can’t even add Mac sauce to a QP
Taco Bell app on the other hand lets you do whatever the heck you want (for a cost of course)

The McDonald's app is very rigid, but those loyalty points add up and the deals on the app are really good. We routinely use the BOGO Quarter Pound deal.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

I downloaded the app yesterday but it won't let me sub in chocolate milk for regular milk on the app (and the in-store kiosk).

The McDonald’s app sucks for customization. Can’t even add Mac sauce to a QP
Taco Bell app on the other hand lets you do whatever the heck you want (for a cost of course)

The McDonald's app is very rigid, but those loyalty points add up and the deals on the app are really good. We routinely use the BOGO Quarter Pound deal.

I usually do the 25% off

 

[Don Quixote]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

I downloaded the app yesterday but it won't let me sub in chocolate milk for regular milk on the app (and the in-store kiosk).

The app lets you sub in for chocolate milk. I do that all of the time for my kid.

 

[Chris B.]

Which FBG is this?

To the person who currently holds 1,370,044 McDonald's loyalty points in the app, I don't know who you are, but I want you to know you're currently the top holder in the US

I downloaded the app yesterday but it won't let me sub in chocolate milk for regular milk on the app (and the in-store kiosk).

The app lets you sub in for chocolate milk. I do that all of the time for my kid.

You're right, I just looked at the "choose your drink" step and i have to tap "More drinks" to get get chocolate milk, juice and other stuff. Thanks.

 

[stbugs]

I know there's already a thread to crap on 5 Guys, but a regular (double) burger, small fries and a small drink comes out to $23 & change where I'm at.

I guess they're doing OK (I don't have information one way or the other) ... but, man, you gotta think at some point they price out part of their customer base.

As a family (two tweens/teens in the late 2010s), we used to hit Five Guys, I don't know, monthly? Every other month? Anyway, in 2018-19 or so ... it didn't seem like we were getting hammered price-wise. Yes, it helped that my youngest doesn't do burgers (peanuts and fries only). But still. We haven't been since before COVID ... and I can see that the cost of our usual order has at least doubled, if not a little more than that.

I ordered take-out once from there maybe 2021 or 2022 (kind of right before the bad inflation hit). Don't recall sticker shock. but then -- no drinks, so $10 off right there.

Five Guys isn’t like a normal fast food place in that it’s not great for singles but it’s fine for families. I do take out from there occasionally and then you save with one medium or large fries and no drinks. Depending on the number of kids home, it’s usually half the price per person you see posted. Even in person you just add some drinks. My wife and I share a drink and the boys eat a tray is free peanuts as well. If it’s just me and I don’t feel like splurging, I’ll just get a burger and a drink (if I’m sitting) but I rarely go there alone.

 

[stbugs]

Also, Wendy’s doubles are $7-8 out the door near me so $10-11 for a regular Five Guys burger is worth it. I will add that Wendy’s does have some nice coupons in their app. We go out too much in season (lacrosse ends 7-9pm 5 nights a week depending on games). Try to make dinner at home but some nights it’s too easy to pick up.

 

[FiredMartz]

Picked up Wendys Double for $ 2 today....it works !!...receipt stated $ 7.89....minus $ 5.89 discount....great deal

 

[Ilov80s]

I thought the Bobby Knight comment was kinda funny. When did we stop being able to take a little ribbing?

Yeah maybe we've been misinterpreting the idea of "being cool" and "being classy" to each other a bit. It seems that only ever gets applied to the person sending the comment but what about the person receiving the comment? Shouldn't they also be "cool" and "classy" about it? Like let's assume positive intent, let’s not look for reasons to be offended, etc.

 

[General Malaise]

How are you guys that eat all this fast food avoiding type 2 diabetes?

 

[Dan Lambskin]

How are you guys that eat all this fast food avoiding type 2 diabetes?

Metformin

 

[Scoresman]

How are you guys that eat all this fast food avoiding type 2 diabetes?

Ozempic flavored dipping sauce.

 

[ProstheticRGK]

Ozempic might be better, but Jardience makes me wanna dance. Not well, but just dance like I had a 3rd grade teacher with no background in dance choreograph something fat people can do to an annoying jingle.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Veggie wrap today, $13. I custom tipped two bucks, slightly below the lowest option, 20%, for pick up at the counter, and self-bussing my table.

The wrap was hummus, onions, sprouts, lettuce and tomatoes.

Probably cost twice as much as it should have, but tasty, and not jeopardizing my A1c. That’s the hidden cost of all this overpriced fast food.

 

[FairWarning]

A good place for this - https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...burrito-la-vaca-birria-san-francisco/3479820/

 

[FairWarning]

Veggie wrap today, $13. I custom tipped two bucks, slightly below the lowest option, 20%, for pick up at the counter, and self-bussing my table.

The wrap was hummus, onions, sprouts, lettuce and tomatoes.

Probably cost twice as much as it should have, but tasty, and not jeopardizing my A1c. That’s the hidden cost of all this overpriced fast food.

If you are taking it to go, you don’t have to tip 20%.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Veggie wrap today, $13. I custom tipped two bucks, slightly below the lowest option, 20%, for pick up at the counter, and self-bussing my table.

The wrap was hummus, onions, sprouts, lettuce and tomatoes.

Probably cost twice as much as it should have, but tasty, and not jeopardizing my A1c. That’s the hidden cost of all this overpriced fast food.

If you are taking it to go, you don’t have to tip 20%.

I sat down to eat, so presumably someone had to clean the table.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Going here tonight, $300+ potential for the 2 of us

Oak & Reel - Detroit

Dining at Oak & Reel is a journey – We source the freshest seafood, kissed by flames fueled by our oak burning hearth, paired with house made pasta, and wrapped in a stunning yet casual-contemporary environment.

www.oakandreel.com