Restaurants have gotten so expensive (1 Viewer)

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

talked to a friend back home (canada) about how excited I was to come home to watch some SNF and head out for wings and some beer... we got to talking about how he doesnt do it much, if at all any more, as 12 wings alone are pushing 16$.. the scooner of beer (albeit large) now around 10... prices were ALWAYS higher than in the USA, but WT actual F?

$26 for 12 wings and a beer... + tax + tip, we're sitting at 35$ miniumum.

wife and I go for a 3 course michelin level lunch / dinner near by... 3 courses w a bunch of amuse-bouches inbetween for 22/28 euro pp for the regular 3 course meal... and up from there to about 50pp TAX AND TIP INC.

we're truly spoiled here... i cant wait to go home for some classic ramen, pho, wings etc...but im gonna vomit at the cost

Maybe it depends on the province but isn't tax rather substantial in Canada?

I think all of Canada just has a 5% tax on restaurant bills

Looked it up and looked confusing. My conclusion it is 5% in the western provinces and 13-15% in the eastern provinces.

Annoying as a visitor paying those crazy taxes but I suppose if I lived there and got free healthcare I would be more amenable.

the health care is immense... but the sweetest effect of taxation .. no tolls at all on our roads/highways.

“Our”? You’re already French?

 

[Soulfly3]

talked to a friend back home (canada) about how excited I was to come home to watch some SNF and head out for wings and some beer... we got to talking about how he doesnt do it much, if at all any more, as 12 wings alone are pushing 16$.. the scooner of beer (albeit large) now around 10... prices were ALWAYS higher than in the USA, but WT actual F?

$26 for 12 wings and a beer... + tax + tip, we're sitting at 35$ miniumum.

wife and I go for a 3 course michelin level lunch / dinner near by... 3 courses w a bunch of amuse-bouches inbetween for 22/28 euro pp for the regular 3 course meal... and up from there to about 50pp TAX AND TIP INC.

we're truly spoiled here... i cant wait to go home for some classic ramen, pho, wings etc...but im gonna vomit at the cost

Maybe it depends on the province but isn't tax rather substantial in Canada?

I think all of Canada just has a 5% tax on restaurant bills

Looked it up and looked confusing. My conclusion it is 5% in the western provinces and 13-15% in the eastern provinces.

Annoying as a visitor paying those crazy taxes but I suppose if I lived there and got free healthcare I would be more amenable.

the health care is immense... but the sweetest effect of taxation .. no tolls at all on our roads/highways.

“Our”? You’re already French?

Meant in Canada. These french bums have some paid tolls on their highways

 

[General Malaise]

talked to a friend back home (canada) about how excited I was to come home to watch some SNF and head out for wings and some beer... we got to talking about how he doesnt do it much, if at all any more, as 12 wings alone are pushing 16$.. the scooner of beer (albeit large) now around 10... prices were ALWAYS higher than in the USA, but WT actual F?

$26 for 12 wings and a beer... + tax + tip, we're sitting at 35$ miniumum.

wife and I go for a 3 course michelin level lunch / dinner near by... 3 courses w a bunch of amuse-bouches inbetween for 22/28 euro pp for the regular 3 course meal... and up from there to about 50pp TAX AND TIP INC.

we're truly spoiled here... i cant wait to go home for some classic ramen, pho, wings etc...but im gonna vomit at the cost

Maybe it depends on the province but isn't tax rather substantial in Canada?

I think all of Canada just has a 5% tax on restaurant bills

Looked it up and looked confusing. My conclusion it is 5% in the western provinces and 13-15% in the eastern provinces.

Annoying as a visitor paying those crazy taxes but I suppose if I lived there and got free healthcare I would be more amenable.

the health care is immense... but the sweetest effect of taxation .. no tolls at all on our roads/highways.

“Our”? You’re already French?

Meant in Canada. These french bums have some paid tolls on their highways

There are toll roads in BC.....unless they got rid of them.

 

[Steve Tasker]

talked to a friend back home (canada) about how excited I was to come home to watch some SNF and head out for wings and some beer... we got to talking about how he doesnt do it much, if at all any more, as 12 wings alone are pushing 16$.. the scooner of beer (albeit large) now around 10... prices were ALWAYS higher than in the USA, but WT actual F?

$26 for 12 wings and a beer... + tax + tip, we're sitting at 35$ miniumum.

wife and I go for a 3 course michelin level lunch / dinner near by... 3 courses w a bunch of amuse-bouches inbetween for 22/28 euro pp for the regular 3 course meal... and up from there to about 50pp TAX AND TIP INC.

we're truly spoiled here... i cant wait to go home for some classic ramen, pho, wings etc...but im gonna vomit at the cost

Maybe it depends on the province but isn't tax rather substantial in Canada?

I think all of Canada just has a 5% tax on restaurant bills

Looked it up and looked confusing. My conclusion it is 5% in the western provinces and 13-15% in the eastern provinces.

Annoying as a visitor paying those crazy taxes but I suppose if I lived there and got free healthcare I would be more amenable.

The income tax rate in Canada is substantially higher than the US, too. Top income tax rate in Ontario, including provincial tax, is something like 53%. You could argue that you get better bang for your buck with the social services (including healthcare), but there is certainly a cost.

 

[Soulfly3]

there's zero doubt that the cost of living in the US is less. you take more money home. you pay less at the pump. at the stores etc.

now, again... growing up and having it be "all i know" i wouldnt trade our quality of life in Canada for fewer taxes/more money in my pocket. just the mental "freedom" of not worrying about health/medical bills etc... but if you grew up w more money in your pocket, it's a tough ask to say "we're gonna claw another 10-15-20% off your pay... I get it

anyways, both countries have their pros and cons. it is what it is.

 

[cosjobs]

cars are getting expensive, i decided to manufacture my own. what size garage do i need for an assembly line?

Healthcare ain’t cheap, so I decided to go to medical school.

How big of a garage did that take?

 

[cosjobs]

One weird angle of the no tipping thing was we had a fantastic server at Union Square. Like top 10 ever. And it felt weird to leave them no tip. They were gracious about it and seemed to be sincere in saying it was included. But still did not feel right. Which was a little illuminating for me in I realized I liked to recognize the server that way. In restaurants where I'm a regular, I like the special service and free stuff I get. So there's a self serving part in it too. As I said, it's complicated.

Here's the thing (for me at least). If I were at a "no tipping restaurant", I would happily slip an excellent server a tip. I think it's appropriate to tip for excellent, above and beyond service. I don't like the expectation that I tip no matter what.

Right. The notion that that tipping leads to better service is a pipe dream. A crappy server gets a crappy tip and they mumble under their breath "freaking cheapskate" rather than thinking "maybe I should have done a better job".

I don't think I've ever tipped much less than 20% and that includes some nights of pretty lousy service, especially recently. But society has banged into my head that leaving a poor tip means I'm the bad guy.

The tipping system exists because people have gotten used to it and for no other reason. I'm tired of the excuses that restaurants can't get by without underpaying their servers because every other country has figured out how to make that work. And further, FDR was clear about it when enacting minimum wage laws.

"It seems to me to be equally plain that no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country."

By the very definition of our wage laws, a business that cannot afford to pay the minimum wage while keeping prices competitive enough to attract customers is not a business that should exist.

I honestly don't know why restaurants and restaurants alone have been granted an exception to that foundation.

Mr. Pink?

 

[SamTfuMathish]

Totally feel your pain on the restaurant prices—it's like sticker shock every time I check the bill. Used to have a regular spot with a friend, too, and the cost hike is real. Those small plate tapas joints are popping up everywhere, and I'm like, "Can I just get a normal-sized meal, please?".

 

[Mitchie]

Totally feel your pain on the restaurant prices—it's like sticker shock every time I check the bill. Used to have a regular spot with a friend, too, and the cost hike is real. Those small plate tapas joints are popping up everywhere, and I'm like, "Can I just get a normal-sized meal, please?".

Tapas has been a rip off since the beginning of time.

 

[Major]

A friend recently turned me onto a glitch into the pricey restaurant matrix - chinatown and asian eateries in general. I went to a quality Vietnamese place and had great Bahn Mi for $3.50-$4. Couldn't imagine getting fresh lemongrass chicken and beef sandwiches at dumpy chain for that price even in the 90s. New lunchtime hack.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

So last night me and a lady friend went to see Clarence Clemmons son, Jarrod, play at a pool club/fancy restaurant's lounge. Two dirty martinis each and we split an appetizer that was basically six fancy chicken nuggets with caviar on top so they could jack up the price (we asked if we could have without the caviar, but waitress said it would still be the same price). It was delicious and the drinks were good but with a 20% tip already included the bill was $126.00. Two drinks each and six chicken nuggets - that's kind of silly.

 

[Mitchie]

So last night me and a lady friend went to see Clarence Clemmons son, Jarrod, play at a pool club/fancy restaurant's lounge. Two dirty martinis each and we split an appetizer that was basically six fancy chicken nuggets with caviar on top so they could jack up the price (we asked if we could have without the caviar, but waitress said it would still be the same price). It was delicious and the drinks were good but with a 20% tip already included the bill was $126.00. Two drinks each and six chicken nuggets - that's kind of silly.

as long as you got some seems like a good deal

 

[Ron Swanson]

Totally feel your pain on the restaurant prices—it's like sticker shock every time I check the bill. Used to have a regular spot with a friend, too, and the cost hike is real. Those small plate tapas joints are popping up everywhere, and I'm like, "Can I just get a normal-sized meal, please?".

Tapas has been a rip off since the beginning of time.

Well, not exactly. Tapas is typically gratis in Spain if you're having drinks.

 

[Snoopy]

Totally feel your pain on the restaurant prices—it's like sticker shock every time I check the bill. Used to have a regular spot with a friend, too, and the cost hike is real. Those small plate tapas joints are popping up everywhere, and I'm like, "Can I just get a normal-sized meal, please?".

Tapas has been a rip off since the beginning of time.

Well, not exactly. Tapas is typically gratis in Spin if you're having drinks.

What if you're not going around in circles?

 

[Dan Lambskin]

So last night me and a lady friend went to see Clarence Clemmons son, Jarrod, play at a pool club/fancy restaurant's lounge. Two dirty martinis each and we split an appetizer that was basically six fancy chicken nuggets with caviar on top so they could jack up the price (we asked if we could have without the caviar, but waitress said it would still be the same price). It was delicious and the drinks were good but with a 20% tip already included the bill was $126.00. Two drinks each and six chicken nuggets - that's kind of silly.

Yeah that’s pretty steep

Wife and I had 3 cocktails each at our local distillery, plus I got a bottle of their Earl Grey infused gin and that only ran me $120 (including tip)

 

[Drunken knight]

Went out last night to a local favorite.

Seared is Petaluma's #1 Steak and Seafood Restaurant and Bar

Seared in Petaluma is the top rated American restaurant and bar for steak, seafood, cocktails, and fine dining in Sonoma County.

www.petalumaseared.com

1 cocktail each
Calamari app (miso sauce)
Wedge

Substantial portions

$43 before tip

Gotta love happy hours