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

It is loads, yes.

I went to Wagamama’s last week with two teens (3 of us) and it was £50.
biggest teen qualifies for student discount, so we had used that.

many of these chains you need to get in the apps & find the deals. They don’t really expect anyone to pay full price!

1000 cals for a main meal??? What? That’s loads!

do you check for deals before paying? I always check online for any deals wherever we are before paying in case there’s offers on. E.g. pizza express are doing 4 people for £50. 1 sharing doughballs, 2 large pizzas (plenty big enough for sharing), plus 2 sides. Obv drinks extra but not another £50 extra.

We now eat out far less as unless you’re going somewhere very nice it’s just not worth it. We are reasonable cooks and often choose to cook at home with a nice bottle of wine at the weekend now . Most places are mediocre. Fed up with a roast dinner out as I don’t want a giant Yorkshire pud hiding the tiny pile underneath.

We don’t go out for dinner regularly as we much prefer going out for coffee (every weekend normally, multiple times) and brunch (used to be every week until we realised we weren’t appreciating it as much so now every month). Now coffee is over £4 (though beautiful), and brunch has gone up, we easily spend £40-£45 for 2 brunch and 2 coffees. Used to cost about £26/27. We were out for brunch yesterday and the waiter was adding an order into the till for what looked like a family of 4 and it was £90. Life is just more expensive 😢

So about £100 for 4 then without special deals

Why "should be"? Who is deciding what should and should not be a luxury? Does pizza express qualify for that?

,,, this is the thing for me - I wouldn't feel quite so annoyed if the food were any good but the standard of mass-catering has taken such a massive nose dive in the past couple of years that I no longer eat anywhere 'cheap' (as in 'used to represent value for money').

I'd rather go out to eat once a month - or even once every two months and properly splash out on somewhere I KNOW is going to be fabulous than rack up a handful of mediocre meals out.

A pizza express pizza is about 1000 calories (give or take the toppings). That a reasonable amount for a main meal, certainly for a female. Like I have said, a main meal for an active kid teen male would be at least 1500 but often my son will have up to 2000 on a very sporty day. I usually have salad for about 600 but I don’t eat much generally. For an average person a pizza express pizza is perfectly sized for one adult. Splitting pizzas at a PE restaurant, unless you are light eaters or smaller children doesn’t make any sense!

Really? Oh well.

@Letsgoroundagainnow

oh, I’m only joking! As if I would waste a Gp’s time!
this is mumsnet - people can express their views freely 🙂 HTH.

Yes, people underestimate just how much low pay and zero hours contributed to making it cheaper to eat out and or access many the services which used to be “occasional” for anyone but the well off.

Of course, low pay and insecure hours (for adults) often results in needing state support to keep their own bills paid and a roof over their heads. All our taxes subsidise businesses which rely on rock bottom pay.

I’d rather they had the self respect from earning a living wage in their own right, even if some services become occasional rather than routine (or sharing one plain pizza and a glass of tap water - some “occasion" that would be).

Excellent, also ask him about not imposing your views on others when not asked for, whilst you’re at it?

@Letsgoroundagainnow

It helps LOADS! Thank you so much. I will contact my GP re my disordered eating asap.

🥱!

You’ve derailed enough and that post was after mine anyway.

HTH?

I must be greedy then, I can eat a full pizza to myself wherever I go 😂

I suspect you haven't eaten in Pizza Express lately. The pizza sizes have reduced. They are (very) thin based and light on the toppings. They certainly aren't somewhere you are likely to need a doggy bag!

@Letsgoroundagainnow

not sure why you’re rounding in on me - see above! People can post what they want on threads you know! Who are you to determine what does and doesn’t constitute an appropriate post?!

tbf the portion sizes in most places are massive, most people would really struggle to eat a full pizza to themselves, so you can take leftovers home for another mean. Can easily cut down to a pizza between two with a side each and halve the price.

🤣

My issue is, in case I haven’t already made it clear

OP didn’t ask your opinion on how much she was eating whilst eating out?

Mind your own business and comment on threads that ask your opinion on how much should we eat? If that’s what you want to talk about. Or start your own thread.

It irks! You’ve derailed this enough with your “view”, did you even answer the actual question?

Had this recently for a birthday meal. Pizza Express. 4 adults pizzas, 2 glasses wine, 2 soft drinks, 1 shared pudding, 1 dough ball. £110 - i luckily had an enhanced blue light card boost off food, valid on a sat which took the bill down to £90. I was quite shocked.

@Letsgoroundagainnow

yes, some people do over eat because they have worms! But more often people overeat just because they like food and it tastes good. I’m really not sure what your issue is - these are basic statements that everyone knows , hardly the markers of an ED! You must think an awful lot of people are suffering with an ED if your threshold is so low!

Do you actually think that people are eating too much because they have worms?

You started speaking off topic and I believe that points to you have an eating disorder, why does it come round to the amount of food your think people should eat when dining out?