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

Eating out is a luxury! Or it certainly was when I grew up. I do think people have different expectations now and then feel hard done by when they can’t afford things. (I’m mid 40s, we went out for a meal a few times a year for birthdays - if that)

Yeah I never understand dough balls when you have pizza crust.

YABU dough balls with pizza. Carb with carb side! Plus the mark up on the balls is staggering

I definitely order a pizza to myself . I said 1000 cals was loads cos it is for one meal, for an average woman. Someone upthread said it was standard cals. I just wouldn’t do it very often .

LOL at people being disgusted at people ordering and eating their own pizza in Pizza Express!

I have never known someone not order their own meal there? If they want less, someone might order a leggera or pasta/salad? The only way I'd be sharing is with my 2 year old.

It's not at all unusual for people to order and eat their own pizza in Pizza Express/Prezzo etc, I'd definitely say it's the norm.

Why are posters being so obtuse ?

Of course no one is literally starving after half a Pizza Express pizza but you might still be hungry. Half a thin crust Margarita pizza is just not worth going out for in my book

Also 1000 calories is a lot for a meal but actually a pizza being primarily cheese and carbs isn't as big or filling per calorie as loads of vegetables and a bit of chicken.

I agree OP, a lunch for 2 even in Pret now can be about £30 - may as well go somewhere proper for a 'dinner' and spend the extra £20.

Everything has gone up so much.

Three ‘huge’ slices ?!

There is no way that half a thin pizza will be enough to fill up an adult, let alone a growing teen!!

Who made you the luxury police?

They are teeny tiny family.

So what if it is loads. If I wanted to eat a moderate amount of healthy food, I wouldn't be at pizza express. It's fine to eat loads sometimes.

Wow, judgemental much. I can say my DH and adult sons dont have problems, worms or are greedy/glutinous, but a single PE pizza would not fill them up.

You must have a tiny DH and teeny tiny children.

How is it loads?
The recommended calorie intake a day for an adult is 2000 so a rough split would be 400 breakfast, 600 lunch, 1000 dinner. I need less than that, my son needs up to 3000 a day. Obviously everyone is a bit different and can vary it but as a principle 800-1000 for a main meal in a restaurant is pretty normal.

Have a look at the calorie lists on menus and you won’t find many mains less that 800. A full Sunday roast is 2000 calories at my local pub.

Come off it. You cant get 6 "huge" slices from a PE pizza 😂

I went a couple of months ago, personally I prefer a thin base, but it was still quite a lot of food. I'm certainly not judging anyone who prefers to eat a full pizza to themselves just saying to OP they could easily cut the price and still have a really enjoyable meal by splitting a couple of pizzas. I doubt anyone would go away hungry after half a pizza, a side, and a drink :)

You obviously don’t have teenage boys. We get through 4 pizzas with them eating half of mine. Plus dough balls or garlic bread.

Agree - eating out is far too expensive now. We tend to go for a curry if it is someone's birthday but we find Bill's. Zizzi's, Pizza Express etc far too expensive - haven't been for years! We tend to treat ourselves at home or if we really want to 'eat out' we will treat ourselves to coffee and a sandwich at places like Good Taste or Cafe Nero.

Salads are often the same price as a pizza.

If the staff of a service business are so low paid they need the tax payer to top up to a basic living standard then yes, they should be paid more and that will mean less meals out for most people.

Effectively the taxpayer subsidises cheap eating out and a range of cheaper personal services and has done ever since they became a mass market activity rather than occasional luxuries.

Try sharing 2 pizzas, a couple of salads and some dough balls ( if necessary) personally I find that plenty

Us too. We only go out if the food is exceptional (better than we can make at home) otherwise we cook ourselves! For half the price you can get a MUCH better meal!

No - portion sizes have been reduced in an attempt to make more money (shrinkflation).
Also, if I plan to go out for to a restaurant for a meal/pizza, I’ll make sure I’m hungry!

No way would a standard pizza not get eaten!!

Went to Bills recently and for 8 of us the bill was less than £100! Went to an independent pizza restaurant not a chain and for 4 of us again the bill was less than £100. Just choose independents far nicer and generally better value!

This. ⬆️ Tesco club card vouchers

It’s definitely become more expensive just like all food really. Takeaways have shot up in price too, I assume due to the rises in minimum wage, food & business tax.

We ate in a Pizza Hut recently & even with us all having a meal deal & no alcohol it was still around £100 for 4.

I assume that’s why every Wetherspoons I pass is always so busy. It’s the most affordable place even though the food isn’t up to much (in my opinion), and you have to take your own wet wipes for the table.