Does eating out have a future?
Discussion
Obviously there has been a significant increase in cost of living over the past couple of years, but it feels like the cost of eating out has rocketed way more than the cost of buying in groceries, to the point where - in the South East at least, and plenty of other places too, it can be a real struggle to get a decent family meal for four (once the kids are paying adult prices) for much less than £150.
That amounts to a rather significant chunk of the average household take home pay of around £730 per week, but even for those who can afford it, surely there has to come a point for everyone where you end up thinking it's just not worth it? I love cooking, right up to enjoying buying and butchering deer, rabbits and the like myself, so I'm way past the point where I've started to resent paying restaurant prices for food, but how do others feel who maybe don't enjoy cooking for themselves?
I really do wonder if the whole concept of local restaurants can survive much longer. It's one thing shelling out when you're away on holiday, especially if you don't have (m)any self-catering facilities anyway, but if you've not got a holiday trade, you need to rely on regular trade from people during their normal working lives. If people drop from eating out once a week to once a month, once a quarter, etc, surely that sort of place isn't going to remain viable.
That amounts to a rather significant chunk of the average household take home pay of around £730 per week, but even for those who can afford it, surely there has to come a point for everyone where you end up thinking it's just not worth it? I love cooking, right up to enjoying buying and butchering deer, rabbits and the like myself, so I'm way past the point where I've started to resent paying restaurant prices for food, but how do others feel who maybe don't enjoy cooking for themselves?
I really do wonder if the whole concept of local restaurants can survive much longer. It's one thing shelling out when you're away on holiday, especially if you don't have (m)any self-catering facilities anyway, but if you've not got a holiday trade, you need to rely on regular trade from people during their normal working lives. If people drop from eating out once a week to once a month, once a quarter, etc, surely that sort of place isn't going to remain viable.
We have certainly reduced the amount of times we eat out, nowadays even pub staples such as fish and chips or pie and mash etc are £18 a meal
both the quality and portion size has gone down hill over time and it no longer feels like value even if we use the missus blue light card which often gets a discount of 10 to 20%
Couple that with many places now charging £6+ a pint and like you say your looking £100+ for a basic meal out.
both the quality and portion size has gone down hill over time and it no longer feels like value even if we use the missus blue light card which often gets a discount of 10 to 20%
Couple that with many places now charging £6+ a pint and like you say your looking £100+ for a basic meal out.
I hate going to restaurants and avoid it where possible. It isn't cost, although it's expensive. It's just not a nice experience. Too many people shouting at the people at the same table, music suited to a nightclub, warm wine, small portions, and rude staff who seem intent on getting you to leave for the next person on the conveyor belt.
Plus take-away places have bumped up their prices to cover the extra costs from delivery apps.
Other sit-down places seem to have permanent offers and discounts such that those are the 'real' price, and only a few mugs pay the full price.
There's always Wetherspoons for those on a budget, with a free pint thrown in.
Other sit-down places seem to have permanent offers and discounts such that those are the 'real' price, and only a few mugs pay the full price.
There's always Wetherspoons for those on a budget, with a free pint thrown in.
It's an interesting one. We moved to where we live now the summer of 2019 and enjoyed the local village for food/drink and then Covid came along. Pubs/restaurants all closed down and although all but one pub survived, and some now only open on peak days to save some £££
However, we have generally started to eat out less I don't think cost really comes into it, but we make it more of an occassion a treat if you will rather than the norm. But I have noticed certain things have slowly crept up in price in the last 2 years, for example we usually finish work on a Friday and go to the village to have a quick drink to welcome in the weekend, a few years ago a pint (cider) and a large Sav would cost £10, we're now talking £13+ for the same 2 drinks from the same pub.
Food has definitely gone up also, but again it's now become an event rather than a weekly occurance so it doesn't hit the pocket as much.
However, we have generally started to eat out less I don't think cost really comes into it, but we make it more of an occassion a treat if you will rather than the norm. But I have noticed certain things have slowly crept up in price in the last 2 years, for example we usually finish work on a Friday and go to the village to have a quick drink to welcome in the weekend, a few years ago a pint (cider) and a large Sav would cost £10, we're now talking £13+ for the same 2 drinks from the same pub.
Food has definitely gone up also, but again it's now become an event rather than a weekly occurance so it doesn't hit the pocket as much.
Truckosaurus said:
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Other sit-down places seem to have permanent offers and discounts such that those are the 'real' price, and only a few mugs pay the full price.
There's always Wetherspoons for those on a budget, with a free pint thrown in.
Thats a good point, i often get emails from beefeater and marstons offering 30 to 40% off meals, so why not just reduce prices across the board.Other sit-down places seem to have permanent offers and discounts such that those are the 'real' price, and only a few mugs pay the full price.
There's always Wetherspoons for those on a budget, with a free pint thrown in.
It makes you realise how overpriced they are in the first place.
Freakuk said:
It's an interesting one. We moved to where we live now the summer of 2019 and enjoyed the local village for food/drink and then Covid came along. Pubs/restaurants all closed down and although all but one pub survived, and some now only open on peak days to save some £££
However, we have generally started to eat out less I don't think cost really comes into it, but we make it more of an occassion a treat if you will rather than the norm. But I have noticed certain things have slowly crept up in price in the last 2 years, for example we usually finish work on a Friday and go to the village to have a quick drink to welcome in the weekend, a few years ago a pint (cider) and a large Sav would cost £10, we're now talking £13+ for the same 2 drinks from the same pub.
Food has definitely gone up also, but again it's now become an event rather than a weekly occurance so it doesn't hit the pocket as much.
Wow, I want to live where you live, I can't remember the last time I paid £13 for a pint and a large glass of wine, let alone £10!However, we have generally started to eat out less I don't think cost really comes into it, but we make it more of an occassion a treat if you will rather than the norm. But I have noticed certain things have slowly crept up in price in the last 2 years, for example we usually finish work on a Friday and go to the village to have a quick drink to welcome in the weekend, a few years ago a pint (cider) and a large Sav would cost £10, we're now talking £13+ for the same 2 drinks from the same pub.
Food has definitely gone up also, but again it's now become an event rather than a weekly occurance so it doesn't hit the pocket as much.
I guess in answer to the OP it is maybe regional, were I live and where I tend to frequent, the pubs and restaurants are always rammed. This Saturday I was in Richmond, by the green are 2 pubs, they were both spilling out with the green rammed with people drinking takeaway drinks from the pubs.
king obscene.HTP99 said:
Freakuk said:
It's an interesting one. We moved to where we live now the summer of 2019 and enjoyed the local village for food/drink and then Covid came along. Pubs/restaurants all closed down and although all but one pub survived, and some now only open on peak days to save some £££
However, we have generally started to eat out less I don't think cost really comes into it, but we make it more of an occassion a treat if you will rather than the norm. But I have noticed certain things have slowly crept up in price in the last 2 years, for example we usually finish work on a Friday and go to the village to have a quick drink to welcome in the weekend, a few years ago a pint (cider) and a large Sav would cost £10, we're now talking £13+ for the same 2 drinks from the same pub.
Food has definitely gone up also, but again it's now become an event rather than a weekly occurance so it doesn't hit the pocket as much.
Wow, I want to live where you live, I can't remember the last time I paid £13 for a pint and a large glass of wine, let alone £10!However, we have generally started to eat out less I don't think cost really comes into it, but we make it more of an occassion a treat if you will rather than the norm. But I have noticed certain things have slowly crept up in price in the last 2 years, for example we usually finish work on a Friday and go to the village to have a quick drink to welcome in the weekend, a few years ago a pint (cider) and a large Sav would cost £10, we're now talking £13+ for the same 2 drinks from the same pub.
Food has definitely gone up also, but again it's now become an event rather than a weekly occurance so it doesn't hit the pocket as much.
In the 70s, 80s and maybe the start of the 90s, eating out tended to be expensive and not something the average person/family did very often.
Then there was a huge increase in restaurants and prices either came down or reminded the same whilst incomes rose, making eating out a much more common thing for tge average person to do.
It moved from being an occasional treat to be a very common occurrence. But now, prices have increased by a lot, so I wonder if places will start closing as demand falls and we might move back towards times when it was no such a common occurrence?
Then there was a huge increase in restaurants and prices either came down or reminded the same whilst incomes rose, making eating out a much more common thing for tge average person to do.
It moved from being an occasional treat to be a very common occurrence. But now, prices have increased by a lot, so I wonder if places will start closing as demand falls and we might move back towards times when it was no such a common occurrence?
If it's not a special occasion (friend/family birthday), it's either Spoons (or something similar) or a Michelin-starred place. Most places in the middle are not worth it, unless they offer something so specialist that you would struggle to recreate it at home.
Who in their right mind is going to a local pub/restaurant and spending £18 on sausage and mash, pie and chips, lasagne, etc? Unless you have enough disposable income, the cost is almost irrelevant.
Who in their right mind is going to a local pub/restaurant and spending £18 on sausage and mash, pie and chips, lasagne, etc? Unless you have enough disposable income, the cost is almost irrelevant.
Edited by Type R Tom on Wednesday 17th July 12:40
Still enjoy going out for something to eat, but have really noticed how we rarely go into pubs these days.
Can't remember the last time we went into our local, must be the best part of a year now.
Less people in the pub, no atmosphere and £14 for two drinks make it a waste of time now, whereas a year ago we'd be in there a few times a week.
I don't see things getting better either.
Can't remember the last time we went into our local, must be the best part of a year now.
Less people in the pub, no atmosphere and £14 for two drinks make it a waste of time now, whereas a year ago we'd be in there a few times a week.
I don't see things getting better either.
I used to eat out a lot, but saw it was having a negative effect on my health so mainly cook at home since Covid.
Started watching a lot of food programs, about how food is made, what really happens in kitchens, how restaurants eeak out the profits. It really put me off. Most of it is ultra processed.
And since I’ve started eating at home, on the occasion I do eat out, I notice the bloating, low energy, inflamed sinuses etc straight away. Really can’t believe that was the default for most of my life. For years, I thought the afternoon slump was a consequence of eating. Was surprised to feel energised after lunch, eating home cooked food, but now that is the norm.
Started watching a lot of food programs, about how food is made, what really happens in kitchens, how restaurants eeak out the profits. It really put me off. Most of it is ultra processed.
And since I’ve started eating at home, on the occasion I do eat out, I notice the bloating, low energy, inflamed sinuses etc straight away. Really can’t believe that was the default for most of my life. For years, I thought the afternoon slump was a consequence of eating. Was surprised to feel energised after lunch, eating home cooked food, but now that is the norm.
Edited by wyson on Wednesday 17th July 16:58
If you listen to restaurant owners, they'll tell you it's more challenging than ever now with increases in costs across the board that they just have to pass on to customers. So, I certainly think the market is more difficult to exist in.
But I don't see much changing apart from perhaps a levelling out of the market place which will see those bang average places close down leaving more places that excel in something. That doesn't have to be really expensive food though, could be a really well run burger place for example that does great, reasonably priced stuff with excellent service. I do think there's been an explosion in every Tom, Dick and Harry opening some kind of food place, the vast majority of which either aren't doing anything different or are overpriced.
Interestingly I've noticed less of a dramatic change at the upper/middle end of the market than the lower/middle tbh. Places where a night out for two would be around £120 - £140 are now around £160 - £180 some 5 years later or so. So say a 20% increase? A Big Mac cost 3.19 in 2019 and now 4.49 (as of Jan 2024) meaning a 40% increase. I think that's where the biggest movement is that I see.
As a kid growing up at home we only ate out or had a takeaway maybe 5 times a year (in the 1990s, family of 4). I know that since leaving home I'll get a takeaway or eat out at least once a week if not more. I think that shift in culture is probably pretty wide, so whilst yes people may not be able to eat out as much I don't see it as being a crisis for the industry.
But I don't see much changing apart from perhaps a levelling out of the market place which will see those bang average places close down leaving more places that excel in something. That doesn't have to be really expensive food though, could be a really well run burger place for example that does great, reasonably priced stuff with excellent service. I do think there's been an explosion in every Tom, Dick and Harry opening some kind of food place, the vast majority of which either aren't doing anything different or are overpriced.
Interestingly I've noticed less of a dramatic change at the upper/middle end of the market than the lower/middle tbh. Places where a night out for two would be around £120 - £140 are now around £160 - £180 some 5 years later or so. So say a 20% increase? A Big Mac cost 3.19 in 2019 and now 4.49 (as of Jan 2024) meaning a 40% increase. I think that's where the biggest movement is that I see.
As a kid growing up at home we only ate out or had a takeaway maybe 5 times a year (in the 1990s, family of 4). I know that since leaving home I'll get a takeaway or eat out at least once a week if not more. I think that shift in culture is probably pretty wide, so whilst yes people may not be able to eat out as much I don't see it as being a crisis for the industry.
We live in North Kent and the last time we went out for a meal, was in September 2022 in Brittany. We are fortunate that we have a really good fish and chip shop nearby, so we have a once a month treat to cod and chips for £19.50. The portions are very generous as well.
Fortunately, we are both very capable cooks.
Fortunately, we are both very capable cooks.
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