OT: Dining out - does it seem like a poor value to you? (2024)

I worked in hospitality for more than half of my career. It’s changed a lot and it’s unlikely to go back to the “old days”. I’m glad I retired almost 2 years ago.

I don’t think, nor do I expect, a “value” when I dine out. Perhaps because of my experience, I expect a premium experience in quality and price. I generally select my venues based on that. If I want value, I’ll cook at home.

The costs in the restaurant industry have exploded. Labor has doubled (or more) in the last five years. Food cost is 30% (or more) higher in the same period. The pool of applicants has shrunk.

The days of a nice, inexpensive dinner out, are hard to find. If you select lower or mid-level restaurants, don’t expect too much.

Eating out will always cost more than staying home and cooking. Unless you get fast food and use the deals in the apps.

We eat out roughly twice each week. Sometimes 3 times. Yeah, it’s gotten expensive. Especially since we like the mid to higher end places, avoiding chains for the most part. Value? Not really, unless you factor in the experience. Not having to clean up a mess at home.

A steak at a decent place is going to cost you $45 to $65, depending on the size and the cut. But unless it’s a high end steak place, that price includes sides.

I got a good pasta dish with chicken in it for $24 at an Italian restaurant last night. It was more than I could finish. That’s not a bad deal.

As with dozens of other things....I've noticed a change since Covid. Prices up..fees added..quality DOWN. If you can find places actually open...staffed...and still serving the quality of food they served before..then you're lucky. Take out has gotten quite a bit more expensive with, again, quality lacking. Delivery charges have skyrocketed.

We go out Friday nights usually. Just a thing my wife and I enjoy to end the week and start the weekend. If we can do it for less than 45, its a plus. To do that, you better not be getting a drink with your meal. We usually drop $50-75. Seemingly no matter where you go.

All this said...a trip to the grocery store and the shock you get when you checkout doesn't make staying home seem much cheaper. We went last night..picked up a dinner for today, couple of kitchen staples, a few toiletries, some 12 packs of flavored waters for the beverage fridge and a couple snack items. $123.

FestivusRules said... (original post) Eating out will always cost more than staying home and cooking. Unless you get fast food and use the deals in the apps.We eat out roughly twi...

“ A steak at a decent place is going to cost you $45 to $65, depending on the size and the cut.“

That’s one of the few things I don’t order when we go out, I can do a really good steak at home. The wife doesn’t like to have to trim or wrestle with a ribeye or porterhouse so she eats filet. You can now get a small package of Prime grade filet at Sam’s Club and they’re really good.

Other than that we seem to not sweat the prices, everything goes up and we’re still going out 3+times a week. The other nights I shop for and cook dinner.

brett said... (original post) We rarely dine out. My wife hates going out unless it’s a special occasion with family. But we make up for it by shopping at Whole Foods 3-4 times a ...

54321TouchdownBrowns said... (original post) As with dozens of other things....I've noticed a change since Covid. Prices up..fees added..quality DOWN. If you can find places ...

“ We go out Friday nights “

We avoid the weekends unless it’s a dinner with friends or we just head out early to a Mexican place, which is a once a week thing, beans and margaritas. Hell, even a couple Mexican plates, a margy and a beer is $43 anymore.

Post-Covid, eating out (and even having food delivered) has become way more expensive and the quality has gone down. Of course, things are no better at the grocery store where prices for everything have gone up (assuming you can even find what you want on the shelves), and in some cases, ridiculously so. Did Covid mess up supply chains? Sure, but we are now 4 years out from the worst of that, and I believe a lot of what is happening with these companies (and others not food-related) is simple gouging.

They see other companies jacking up prices and follow suit -- and then everyone complains about inflation.

Add in the insane idea that every entry-level service job should be paid a "livable wage" and things get even more screwed up and expensive.

Simple solution that will never happen is a consumer led boycott of not going out to dinner over a weekend or two. That will bring costs down and service quality up.

I go out a lot and still a lot less than I use to. I go for sushi or other things I can't make at home. Also, loved watching games out and having a couple of drinks, but now a martini is $20+ tip. May as well just watch at home or at friends houses.

The wife, daughter, and I don't really eat out that much. We do get meal kits from a company called Factor for weekly eats. Usually Saturday night we get take out from a restaurant, but almost never eat in anymore. The last time we ate at a restaurant, we were at the Cheesecake Factory, haven't been there in years, and the bill for 2 adults and 1 child was $120+ it was outrageous.

I am noticing it more at places like McDonalds. I never eat fast food, but sometimes I will grab my daughter something on our way to swim team, dance, or gymnastics. A Happy Meal is now almost $7. I think they forgot who they are, cheap, fast on the go meals not a dining experience. For that price, I can get Chipotle or Panda Express, which I think is at least less poison.

donodawg said... (original post) I don't eat out a lot.But, occasionally relatives visit, and I take them out to eat. Lately, it seems really expensive for what you get, comp...

ekark09 said... (original post) Simple solution that will never happen is a consumer led boycott of not going out to dinner over a weekend or two. That will bring costs down and s...

Nice idea in theory, but it would only result in even shorter stocks & higher prices at the grocery stores, and less places to eat out at as they close due to loss of revenues and inability to pay staff.

Things will not go back to pre-COVID until we again have a true recession &/or depression. As unfortunate as it is when it happens, those things have a forest fire effect but the regrowth can bring us back to acceptable stability. The gouging all around from housing to insurance to fuel and food is unsustainable.

My wife and I took last thursday and friday off to go to the lake. came home saturday and spent some time with my son and his family. eating out was extreme, I did the math and we spent nearly $500 eating out those four days and none of the meals were high end joints. we enjoy eating out but that was absurd and something we need to curb. i always pay so when i told her how much she seemed shocked, i have no idea how she could have been!
The drinks make eating out unreasonable. Paying for kids and their kids and spouses can be expensive, granddaughter usually gets a meal and dessert she barely touches. I am glad we are able to afford it but damn…..

To answer the op’s question, yeah its pricey but if you dont want to spend the money, limit the drinking and appetizers and desserts and it is a treat worth enjoying.

superflyrob said... (original post) The asking for tips on carry out is really annoying to me. All the chain restaurants are using cheaper and less for their ingredients while cha...