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AIBU?

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Original poster

£100 for a casual lunch out for 4 is too much

412 replies

GrealishGoddess · 31/08/2025 19:55

Deeply middle class problem but. Anyone else noticed that you can no longer get out of the likes of Bill’s, Wagamama, Pizza Express, etc , with two teens, for less than £100. Is this just inflation, NI effects, price gouging, what? AIBU to stay home?

OP posts:
Deepbluesea1 · 31/08/2025 20:38

i think it's the norm and not value for money. These days, we almost never go out for that reason and cook at home now instead. we buy'treat' stuff like a file steak and a nice bottle of red to have something special instead.

Bluesey · 31/08/2025 20:37

I never eat pizza out tbh, if I'm going to eat out I want something that I can't easily cook at home. £100 on bread with a topping and drinks is ridiculous. I'd just get a decent pizza from the supermarket.

pinenuts75 · 31/08/2025 20:37

MessageMystery · 31/08/2025 20:06

4 people don’t need 4 pizzas. I’d get two and a side dish for four.

Show quote history

One side dish for four? And half a pizza? I would have go home and snack 😂

FiveCustardTarts · 31/08/2025 20:37

HermioneWeasley · 31/08/2025 20:05

It is hard to eat out for 4 for less than £100, but Pizza Express have a deal for 4 for £50 which is amazing value these days, so it can be done

That’s for two pizzas and three sides. Not a particularly generous amount of food.

rainingsnoring · 31/08/2025 20:37

The cost of very mediocre food in restaurants is high nowadays. I rarely bother as I don't think it is good value for money. You could buy 4 pizzas and have a. nice bottle of wine for a tiny fraction on the cost.

Alwayssnacking · 31/08/2025 20:34

Going out to eat is very expensive. I rarely eat out these days, but I like to cook and bake. Try making your own pizzas at home maybe ? Your not wrong though

ElfDragon · 31/08/2025 20:33

I went to a Zizzi last week with my family (me, dds 21 & 18, ds 13) with a relative. We meet up once a year, usually go to this same Zizzi.

last year it cost about £110 (I remember because I thought it was expensive, then remembered there were 5 of us eating - one sharing starter, 5 mains and 3 (maybe 4) desserts, plus drinks all round, and thought ok, not so bad).

This year - no starter, 5 mains, 2 desserts, plus a drink each. £135. I was astonished. That’s a pretty steep raise, for less food, in just a year

Motomum23 · 31/08/2025 20:33

We go for takeaways as it works out cheaper - £30 a head to eat in pizza hut vs £8-10 to take the same pizza home.

MrsClatterbuck · 31/08/2025 20:33

Dh and I had a carvery today. They served the meat but it was help yourself to veg and potatoes etc. Most people are sensible but you do occasionally see some plates piled high with veg. Dh saw a young person today with 4 Yorkshire puddings on top of their plate. We had sparkling water with our meal and our bill was £46. Pot of tea and pot of coffee was free along with complementary shortbread. You do pay for Americanos lattes etc.

OneSharpFinch · 31/08/2025 20:32

Toby Carvery with a voucher is good, I paid £40 this weekend for 2 courses for 2 adults and 1 child including refillable soft drinks.

Namechange2700000 · 31/08/2025 20:31

We went to PE a few months ago.

5 Pizzas
5 Drinks (1 alcoholic)
£137.00

Wouldn’t have minded too much (although extortion) but we were in and out in under an hour and the pizzas weren’t actually that great. Piss take.

Blossombeanie · 31/08/2025 20:31

Look out for deals on Deliveroo etc and get takeaway. We got two Zizis pizzas on a 2 for 1 deal the other day plus fries for bout 20 quid.

SumUp · 31/08/2025 20:31

OonaStubbs · 31/08/2025 20:09

Eating out should be a luxury, people didn't used to expect to eat at restaurants all the time, it used to be a once or twice a year treat.

Yes, in eating out, you’re effectively paying for servants to host you, source, cook and serve a meal to you.

But that said, it’s right that we should question rather than accepting an erosion of our collective living standards.

I wish there were more workers canteens, like I experienced in Germany in the 80s. Anyone could use them, there was not much choice and it was mass catering, but it was good quality and very affordable.

iirbRosb · 31/08/2025 20:30

We don’t really eat out now for this reason

GlasgowGal2014 · 31/08/2025 20:30

MessageMystery · 31/08/2025 20:06

4 people don’t need 4 pizzas. I’d get two and a side dish for four.

Show quote history

Seriously? My eleven year eats a pizza to himself when we go out for dinner and has done for years. And no, he's not obese - he's healthy, active and as thin as a rake.

Cherrysoup · 31/08/2025 20:30

Possibly the booze? I think I paid a tenner for a medium glass of house red the other day. I’d rather buy 2 bottles of bog standard and stay at home!

MyElatedUmberFinch · 31/08/2025 20:29

GrealishGoddess · 31/08/2025 20:14

Obviously you can make it cheaper - no wine, just tap ; sharing pizza, deals etc, but… that’s being “careful” in a mediocre place that we used to enjoy quite casually. That’s what’s different.

Unless it’s a Saturday it’s pretty easy to find vouchers to use for such restaurants.

doubleshotcappuccino · 31/08/2025 20:29

Are you in a place with Leon’s ? They have a good subscription and I save my rewards so that I can use that for a family lunch -

Sunholidays · 31/08/2025 20:28

HauntedHero · 31/08/2025 20:09

I didn't realise anyone ate in Pizza Express without a voucher or using some sort of deal.

Really? I love Pizza Express pizzas -never used a voucher in my life!

There must be more people like me out there.

Wherewillitend25 · 31/08/2025 20:25

This is where most of us are I think, due to the COL increases? Reduced disposable income so far less likely to spend it on a “mediocre” experience.
We do still eat out but we save it for really good restaurants.

DancefloorAcrobatics · 31/08/2025 20:25

OonaStubbs · 31/08/2025 20:09

Eating out should be a luxury, people didn't used to expect to eat at restaurants all the time, it used to be a once or twice a year treat.

... and what about the people working in the restaurant. That's another lot joining the queue at the jobcentre and being bashed on MN because they receive benefits...

Mildmanneredmum · 31/08/2025 20:23

Fraudornot · 31/08/2025 20:08

And agree Wetherspoons is pretty much as good but could feed 2 adults and 2 teens with drinks for around £45

Agreed! Love Wetherspoons for cheap and cheerful, and tbh, good value food

Chompingatthebeat · 31/08/2025 20:21

OonaStubbs · 31/08/2025 20:09

Eating out should be a luxury, people didn't used to expect to eat at restaurants all the time, it used to be a once or twice a year treat.

It depends what you call a luxury

MasterBeth · 31/08/2025 20:20

OonaStubbs · 31/08/2025 20:09

Eating out should be a luxury, people didn't used to expect to eat at restaurants all the time, it used to be a once or twice a year treat.

Why should it be a luxury?

GlitteryUnicornSparkles · 31/08/2025 20:20

Maybe slightly on the high end given drinks were tap water, however with drinks included I think thats probably around average for eating out these days. It’s £25 per person. A single medium takeaway pizza at somewhere like dominos is around £18 and a single drink can easily be £6.

I was gobsmacked when it cost me £26 for two shit (not very edible) toasties and two small coffees at Starbucks the other day (first and last time I’ll go there!).

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