Poll of the Day > Have any of ya'll eaten out recently? Shit is getting expensive.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I thought it was just my trip to CA where the prices were insane (literally one meal was 600$ for 5 people), 3 pizzas were over $100 and I think that was the cheapest meal we all had.

But nope, I went out shopping today and decided to go to a place I used to love, just a few years ago a nice lunch of broccoli beef was 8.99.....filling and yummy.

I went today and decided to get some noodles for later (yokisoba + beef), along with the normal brocoli beef lunch.

The total for the two was over $40!!!!!

I saw them ring it up and the Brocolli beef is now 18.99 and so are the noodles. The tax here is 11% so the total was 43$ and change (and of course I tipped as well).

Seriously the end total was about $50, compared to about 12$ with tip back in the day (and back in the day is just 2 freaking years ago).

How the hell does anyone afford to eat out at all anymore? It's bad enough in the stores where prices have basically doubled, but it's more like they all trippled in restaraunts at this points. It's getting crazy.

wolfy42 posted...

Have any of ya'll eaten out recently?

Nah, I'm not into that. And it pisses my girlfriend off, I tell you.

usually it costs extra

You only tipped them $7? You bastard...

Jackal4 posted...

You only tipped them $7? You bastard...

Actually I only tipped 5$, I just rounded up to 50 (said about $50).

I still do sometimes. But its much cheaper than wherever youre going

McDonalds is usually a strong indicator of how the economy is doing.

Currently, our small fries are at $1.69, which hasn't changed in a long time - so I think our economy is doing ok.

Lokarin posted...

McDonalds is usually a strong indicator of how the economy is doing.

Currently, our small fries are at $1.69, which hasn't changed in a long time - so I think our economy is doing ok.

Um.....our small fries are Small French Fries
$3.09

So yeah, that has gone up as well, but I don't really consider Mc D's as eating out.

I ate Smithfield yesterday. 4 chicken tenders and basically a small fries. (Was somewhere between q small and medium compared to McDonald's sizes) 8 bucks and some change. Fortunately I get a law enforcement discount. Knocked 2 bucks off the price

wolfy42 posted...

Um.....our small fries are Small French Fries
$3.09

That's insanity! That better be in clown money

I have only seen minor price increases at some places, but less items in almost all places which piss me off.

Like a Chinese place I like is giving less "premium" items in its dishes and giving more of the cheaper items. If that makes sense, so quantity wise its the same.

Lokarin posted...

That's insanity! That better be in clown money

Bah the link is too long won't let me paste it.

you can get apple slices for 1.29 though!!

But yeah, you can't even eat Mc D's for less then around $10 now. I used to get a few things off the dollar menu and walk away for $4. Now just the fries cost about that much lol.

Went to PF Changs last week, the prices or portions havent changed, it's the seating availability (I always put in a reservation now) and the quality of the food

My father in law received a pretty big rib bone with no meat on it on a small plate of ribs

JixHedgehog posted...

Went to PF Changs last week, the prices or portions havent changed, it's the seating availability (I always put in a reservation now) and the quality of the food

My father in law received a pretty big rib bone with no meat on it on a small plate of ribs

Yeah, I didn't even mention that the portion size was also smaller an they gave more rice lol. Double the rice (two balls) but almost 1/2 as much of the main ingredient....while almost trippling the price.

Crazy

Yes

McDonald's was almost $10 just for a meal

And I'm sure the burgers used to be bigger

Have any of ya'll eaten out recently?

It's pretty rude not to reciprocate

The sexual position formerly known as 69 will now be know as 96 due to the increased price of eating out.

If you'd come by my work today, you could have gotten some delicious broccoli beef and chow mein for much cheaper. I'm sure you have your preferences and whatnot, but still. It's something to consider.

JimBeamMeUp posted...

The sexual position formerly known as 69 will now be know as 96 due to the increased price of eating out.

Lol:)

Entity13 posted...

If you'd come by my work today, you could have gotten some delicious broccoli beef and chow mein for much cheaper. I'm sure you have your preferences and whatnot, but still. It's something to consider.

I haven't been by that store for awhile, maybe I will next time I go shopping. They stopped carrying my favorite muenster cheese which was the main reason I go there. I went to Gibsons fine meats when I went shopping today (and then the safeway nearby). I did always mean to try the brocolli beef at your store cause you said it's really good:)

wolfy42 posted...

I haven't been by that store for awhile, maybe I will next time I go shopping. They stopped carrying my favorite muenster cheese which was the main reason I go there. I went to Gibsons fine meats when I went shopping today (and then the safeway nearby). I did always mean to try the brocolli beef at your store cause you said it's really good:)

The food I make is generally pretty good, especially the first hour or so after it's made.

Entity13 posted...

The food I make is generally pretty good, especially the first hour or so after it's made.

What time do you usually make it, i'll try and come by then.

GF has been having some hormonal issues and hasn't been interested so it has been awhile since I got to eat out. :(

No, I never eat out.

Next time I eat out will probably be Chinese for my Birthday next month.

wolfy42 posted...

What time do you usually make it, i'll try and come by then.

Most days that I work there--so usually not Saturdays, and sadly not a couple other days early next week--I start cooking by 2pm and finish before 4. The broccoli beef is usually one of my last two items I make since it has a shorter pull time, compared to general tso or teriyaki.

Also, most weeks, Sundays and Tuesdays are best for coming by since we're less likely to be busy, if that matters to you. This upcoming Sunday, though? They gave me the closer shift that I dislike so much because of the staff shortage, meaning I will not be cooking then; or Monday.

Entity13 posted...

I will not be cooking then; or Monday.

Cool, I'll probably try next Tuesday then. I got an interview on Monday for a new job actually, and Tuesdays are usually a goto shopping day since it's the day before the new sales at Safeway. I base if I'm gonna shop on Tuesday or Wed based on which weeks sales are better lol.

Fair enough.

Everything is expensive right now. I just bought some cheap noodle cups that use to be 75 cents or so. They were $1.27 now.

that is what heavy inflation combined with years of 0% interest rates does to an economy

wolfy42 posted...

Bah the link is too long won't let me paste it.

you can get apple slices for 1.29 though!!

But yeah, you can't even eat Mc D's for less then around $10 now. I used to get a few things off the dollar menu and walk away for $4. Now just the fries cost about that much lol.

Have you tried the McD's app? Sometimes you can get a decent discount that way. For instance I received a 20% discount the last time I went by using my app; it came to less than 10.

GastroFan posted...

Have you tried the McD's app? Sometimes you can get a decent discount that way. For instance I received a 20% discount the last time I went by using my app; it came to less than 10.

I very very rarely go, but when I do, I use the app, usually to get a large fries for $1 (generally the best deal). This isn't amazing but since I usually get the 2 for 3.59 chicken sandwiches or something, that makes the meal a bit under 6$ with the fries. Think it's like 3.59 for 2 chicken sandwiches (buy 1 get 1 for $1) and $1 for the fries and with tax it's like 5.49 or something (been months since I have done that).

That is...still somewhat cheap for a meal, but it's not very filling, nor good (hence not doing it often). It also literally used to be $1 normally for those sandwiches (or Mc Doubles) just a few years ago. The fries were still more than a dollar though, so the total price without the app was still around $5 (maybe 4 and change so $1 less).

Learn to cook. I don't even go to restaurants.

The_Hacker posted...

Learn to cook. I don't even go to restaurants.

Last time I bought cold cuts just for my lunches at work the total was over $50. Food prices are skyrocketing either way. I thought about buying a pint of ice cream too the other day. I went to the frozen treats aisle. I looked at a "pint" of haagen daas cookies and cream. It wasn't even a pint, it was 14 ounces, and was almost $7. I left it in the freezer and went about my way. Cooking at home is cheaper, granted. But it's approaching what used to be dining out prices just to throw a meal together at home.

JimBeamMeUp posted...

But it's approaching what used to be dining out prices just to throw a meal together at home.

Especially for meat (steak/chicken).

Steak prices in general have more than doubled in just the last year near me. That is from the already increased covid costs. A basic ribeye steak which was 6.99 just 3 years ago now goes for $20/pnd. Tri tip steaks which were always $5 or less a pound (less on sale/on fridays etc) have a base price of $10 a pound (just double but they have always been a "cheaper" steak.

Chicken is always over $4 and often over $5 which means I only get fried chicken at the counter because it's actually CHEAPER that way lols (you get 8 pieces on monday at safeway for $5....which is about 2 pounds of chicken, already fried and yummy in the air fryer).

Safeway at least still has sales every week on some type of steak, which often gets the price down to a managable level (just generally not on chicken lately other then the fried stuff).

Still yeah, honestly it's about the cost of going out 2 years ago to eat, just to buy stuff at the store. That is mostly for meats but all the prices (Breads etc) have gone up. It's almost impossible to get a bag of bagels for less than $3 now for instance, when Sarah lee bagels (which are hard to even find now) were generally 1-1.50 (on sale ALWAYS..and they lasted like forever somehow...maybe they were not bread but like some evil creation or something).

Point is, when you go shopping, it's hard to leave spending less than $100 even if your only buying 4 meals or so, and that is more than the price of eating out 4 times a few years ago.

And since it's safe to assume Ukraine will not be planting it's wheat this year (that's about 20% of the world's wheat crop) and the lack of fertilizer from Russia to the entire western world, the price increases and shortages are only going to get worse for at least the next year. Add to that increased fuel and energy prices and it truly looks grim across the board.

Prices have gone up in England but not by that much when it comes to eating out. With that said I mostly only eat pub grub so that's perhaps why I don't notice much.