Eating out is always an expensive let down.

Went to a gastro pub on Sunday (someone else's choice of venue) and had a roast dinner and dessert, and the meat was very high quality and tasty, but seriously, it was £50 a head.

I don't mind paying that for high end food that is a bit different but not for a nice roast dinner. And they (with my Northerner hat on here) didn't even make proper gravy, it was just thin meat juices, not made with alcohol, flour etc. And the dessert was a home made cheesecake - lovely but I could have eaten twice the portion as I didn't overeat on the main saving myself for a pudding.

Plus they were not generous with the veg or cauliflower cheese. Two tiny bowls of CC for eight people. At home I'd have half that bowl to myself.

I really love cooking o don’t find it a chore at all, so I am often disappointed at how much you need to spend to get a good meal out and always say I could make this at home for much less

As long as you're not expecting haute cuisine or they have an abysmal chef microwaving it will be fine 😁

We just don't eat out anymore.

Even the price of takeaways is eyewatering now, too much money for me to want to lay out on something that will probably be disappointing. I taught myself to cook most things.

The only things we get once in a while are KFC (DH, I'm not a fan) and something from a local chippy which we know is decent and doesn't cost the earth.

If I don't feel like cooking I'll pick up a nicer pizza or ready meals from the supermarket, it's usually better than a takeaway and a fraction of the cost.

@DancingFerret roast potatoes from a pub Sunday roast are absolutely always shite! Hard, soggy, cold, tasteless, never ever fresh out of the oven! It's actually a bloody scandal really. And do we really need a Yorkshire the size of a lions head? 🤣

@WoolySnail Well I always assumed that the food would be terrible, but perhaps not?

I'm fairly sure I've never eaten in a Wetherspoons and have only had a drink there a few times.

However, I'm now tempted and this one in a local posh town looks quite nice.

https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pub-histories/the-winter-gardens-harrogate/

Those toilets- so accurate 🤣 👌

I am awaiting these posts with much anticipation! Thank you for being my fellow pleb! 😂

Someone will be along in a minute to tell us we're plebs for eating at such an abhorrent, low brow establishment as Spoons 😂

*tastier

We always used to love going out for Sunday roasts but now they just seem like a rip off - plus my family say mine are taster and I’m inclined to agree! I don’t think they give you enough gravy, potatoes or veg, always seem a bit stingy.

Depends. Went to a well thought of pub last year, food not that inspiring and we were sat next to a table with a slobbering dog, complete with dog smell. Not good for an expensive meal.
Ditto another place where half the menu was unavailable. Wont go to either place again.

Local Indian is good, as are other places.

Living in East London I really miss a proper London cafe. Like veggie fry up... Lasagne with chips and salad... omelette and chips. Cheap but yummy.
When I was at college we went everyday. Tea and toast or a jacket with cheese and beans. All affordable. Can you imagine students eating out everyday now?

Ha ha yes, good one! 😂

I always enjoy an authentic Thai, since (except for the odd green curry) I’d never bother to make such things myself. So that’s always worth it.

Anything I can probably make better at home won’t be worth it - but then we’ll almost always be going for the company of friends/family, not just for the sake of not having to cook.

I certainly have cut down on eating out. I admit that there is not too many options in my town but I have noticed that the prices have increased (understandably) but also note a significant decline in quality. Things like a prawn dish that is normally made with fresh prawns and are now frozen. Sauces bought in and not made inhouse like before. I do think that there is a shortage of chefs in my area does not help.

Ooh yes I forgot about the pizza and chilli!
I can only assume they don't trust men to hold on to their bladders, because the ladies is always at the top of Mount Everest 🤣

I have some sympathy op, you are on a budget so eating out is a treat. On this occasion the food disappointed, your reaction is going to be bigger than someone else who has more disposable income.

as eating out is a treat, you are going to need to pick venue’s carefully, because the mid range are a minefield- if you have friends who eat like you ask for recommendations.

i have to say I find avo bland and it makes the toast cold… give me a good club sandwich anytime

Am with you on this! I love the five bean chilli and I think their pizza is nice too. 😂 Also you get to walk off the calories whilst spending half an hour climbing endless steps to the toilets! 😄 🤣

I'd hardly call going to a cafe for brunch something I'd expect to be a sensational dining experience. It's somewhere you go to hang out with friends and family with no expectations

The last restaurant I went to was sensational with food is never be able to cook myself. It wasn't crazy expensive either

I agree OP. With the cost of living and the strains on our finances I DO still go out to eat but am much more choosy. Last week i went to a friend's choice- and we had a 'mediterranean' brunch which was a very poor version of Shakshuka- tinned chopped tomatos heated up with two poached eggs - no onions, peppers, herbs etc - and it was £22. I resent paying that amount for that.

I contrast for a tenner at our local family-run greasy spoon I can get a full English which contains black pudding, baked beans, grilled tomatos, fried bread and regular toast, 2 sausages, 2 eggs of your choice and homemade hash browns plus unlimited cups of coffee and a chat with the owner about who is taking over the old HSBC building and what they plan to use it for.

I don't mind paying. I just don't like being ripped off.

These days I prefer to buy myself nice quality ingredients and cook at home. But only self to cater for. For what it costs to eat out with wine I can eat 4 healthy meaks at home. Not same admittedly and nice to go out once in a while fir special occasions

I suppose it helps if you don't order food that can be microwaved, also that you can see the kitchen.

If I want a ready meal, I'll buy one from the supermarket for about a third of the cost rather than pay restaurant prices for the 'experience' of having someone warm it up and shove it on a plate for me and saving eating out for foods like good wood fired pizza, stir fried Asian food with long ingredient lists (while the rice I had the other day was almost certainly freshly cooked, the fishcakes were possibly microwaved but they were very good anyway) or Indian street food, again with lots of ingredients and produced from a tiny open kitchen with no visible microwaves or freezers.

It is just as well that we are all different then isn't it? I love a hearty hotpot made with neck of lamb, and served with green veg. I would not be against trying red cabbage though.

Absolute waste of money! I am NOT even the best cook out there and I can cook better more than the places my young adult kids "drag" me too!