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Original poster

Shock at Pub Lunch Prices!

56 replies

SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows · 31/08/2022 18:13

Before I rant, I know prices have gone up everywhere & it’s to be expected but this was crazy. We went to one of our locals for lunch today ( it’s always been slightly more expensive than other similar places but always top quality food & plenty of it so we didn’t mind). However, I nearly fell over at the cost of the jacket spuds. The prawn one was £14!! £14 for a jacket spud! And a cheese one was £12! Think how many spuds & how much cheese you could buy for that!

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 31/08/2022 18:15

"Think how many spuds & how much cheese you could buy for that!"

Then why didn't you do that?

NellesVilla · 31/08/2022 18:15

Where’ve you been, OP?! In a naice place, they’ve always been of a similar price.

But yes, I agree with you. My big one is tea: how the heck a teabag and bit of hot water cost up to £3, I’ll never know (even with the running costs/overheads of a place)…

mountainsunsets · 31/08/2022 18:21

NellesVilla · 31/08/2022 18:15

Where’ve you been, OP?! In a naice place, they’ve always been of a similar price.

But yes, I agree with you. My big one is tea: how the heck a teabag and bit of hot water cost up to £3, I’ll never know (even with the running costs/overheads of a place)…

Have they?!

I don't think I've ever seen one on a menu for more than £8.95 or so, and that would be with any topping you like, plus an MN massive salad on the side, and even then that would be in really expensive places.

Most places here charge £5-6.

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Cost of living General food
Pyewhacket · 31/08/2022 18:32

Went out to lunch near where I live in SW London. We had two glasses of wine and two sandwiches, £50 !.

Antarcticant · 31/08/2022 18:37

Chain pub restaurant near me was £40 recently for 2 main courses (1 x curry, 1 x pie), 1 pudding and 3 drinks.

mountainsunsets · 31/08/2022 18:41

Threads like this make me very glad I live nowhere near London 😂

Two sandwiches and two glasses of wine here is probably less than £15.

TheWildRumpyPumpus · 31/08/2022 18:46

Cafe near me recently - small slice of quiche Lorraine and a bog standard salad for 14 quid 😦 Yes it was homemade and tasted good but the salad was just lettuce, tomato and cucumber. For 14 quid!

Motnight · 31/08/2022 18:47

I have lived in London for a very long time.

I have never seen a jacket potato with 2 fillings costing more than £8.

Leftbutcameback · 31/08/2022 19:08

Maybe they don't want people to eat there if they're having cheaper food? Priced to make you think for a few quid more you can have something much nicer!

Bluevelvetsofa · 31/08/2022 19:09

That’s why basic pubs selling basic food will have to think of something different or go to the wall. Obviously their costs are and will continue to rise, but folk are t going to pay those prices for stuff you can make at home much cheaper. It was fine to pop into the local pub for a quick lunch or early evening dinner, but I think people will stop that now and lunches and dinners out will be for special occasions.

Original poster
SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows · 31/08/2022 19:10

Veni I didn’t actually have a jacket potato there. I had a lovely tuna mayo, cucumber & lettuce sandwich on crusty granary which came with a fresh side salad & a pot of chips. I think it was £9.50 so still pricey but better value than the spuds!

OP posts:
MrsF111 · 31/08/2022 19:17

Pubs are struggling massively at the moment, most haven’t recovered fully from covid and now sales are down while costs are up. Unfortunately prices will have to go up, it’s not just the price of the potato and cheese, it’s the wages, the utilities, the rent, etc etc

abovedecknotbelow · 31/08/2022 19:32

You can't get a 'normal' lunch in the pubs near me now, it's all 'sharing plates' that are £8-10 and you'd need four for two people. A glass of house is £11...

Georgyporky · 31/08/2022 19:34

You could have made that sarnie at home for much less, anyway.

I could feed a family of 5 for a week for £9.50......😀😀😀

Maverickess · 31/08/2022 19:35

Well the cost of everything they buy in has gone up, and with a shortage of hospitality staff and demand high for customer service, businesses are having to pay more to attract and keep staff (who are also facing the rising costs themselves so will obviously go to those paying better wages) because as much as fewer customers means less business, so does fewer staff.

There's also the costs no one really considers like the licences needed for serving food and alcohol, playing music etc, business rates, waste management etc - all increased or set to be because everything is increasing.
Things like walk in fridges and freezers on 24/7, cellar equipment all to keep the food and drink safe to consume has increased and is set to again as we all know, gas on all day to be ready at a moment's notice to cook something when a customer comes in. I wouldn't be surprised if some places reduce hours alongside increasing costs to help them control outgoings.

Some places undoubtedly take the proverbial, but for many I suspect they're increasing in line with keeping cash flow in and cash flow out the same as before the increases.

MrsSplendiferous · 31/08/2022 19:42

I absolutely get the reason why they are increased but i can’t afford or want to pay 4 times the amount for normal food I can cook at home
the only people who can get away with that is service stations - captured audience

knittingaddict · 31/08/2022 20:15

Think how many spuds & how much cheese you could buy for that!

That's true of every meal in almost every restaurant. The ones that do meals as cheap or cheaper than at home will be rubbish quality.

Threads like this are so weird.

Maverickess · 31/08/2022 20:17

MrsSplendiferous · 31/08/2022 19:42

I absolutely get the reason why they are increased but i can’t afford or want to pay 4 times the amount for normal food I can cook at home
the only people who can get away with that is service stations - captured audience

Same here, and for so many people, but for especially small, independent places it's a choice between fold as outgoings exceed income or put the prices up and hope to weather the storm.

Incidentally at the moment we're really busy, I think a combination of people spending it while they've got it before it really kicks in, those that are not affected to the point they can't afford the price rises without giving up other things and a left over 'we deserve it' after covid.
I do think that will change though.

Trinity65 · 31/08/2022 20:30

SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows · 31/08/2022 18:13

Before I rant, I know prices have gone up everywhere & it’s to be expected but this was crazy. We went to one of our locals for lunch today ( it’s always been slightly more expensive than other similar places but always top quality food & plenty of it so we didn’t mind). However, I nearly fell over at the cost of the jacket spuds. The prawn one was £14!! £14 for a jacket spud! And a cheese one was £12! Think how many spuds & how much cheese you could buy for that!

Tell me about it

We (Me and DD) did not eat in a well known chain, not Wetherspoons, but we had some drinks . 2 Cocktails for a tenner, which was nice
Not so nice a single vodka and lemonade and a Corona beer bottle £9.95 !

Skinnermarink · 31/08/2022 20:32

I live in London, work the posh side of Clapham and have never ever seen jackets that price. Burgers etc yeah. But where the hell was this?!

Rapidtango · 31/08/2022 20:33

That's why people go to Wetherspoons £8.95 for a bottle of Hardy's red. A bottle, not a glass.

wackamole · 31/08/2022 20:44

Rapidtango · 31/08/2022 20:33

That's why people go to Wetherspoons £8.95 for a bottle of Hardy's red. A bottle, not a glass.

But I could get a bottle of Hardy's Red for £6 at Tesco or Aldi.

Aiiiiiiiiiiiiii go to Wetherspoon's because Tim Martin said he'd have no barriers after Brexit and would not have to deal with any duty or taxes when importing from the EU so I can get all my European favourites there for the same price as I could get them in Paris or Warsaw or Dublin, innit? 😂

antelopevalley · 31/08/2022 20:45

That is a crazy price. I can get a chicken salad that is really nice and filling on our local pub for £9.

Rapidtango · 31/08/2022 21:03

Grin but the fact remains that Spoons charge 9 quid for a bottle of drinkable plonk whereas other pubs are charging that for a glass. We're trying to support our local, but I've had to switch from my usual glass of Shiraz (now £7.50 for 25ml) to a pint of bitter otherwise we couldn't afford to go at all.

EllieRosesMammy · 31/08/2022 21:07

Get yourself to Wetherspoons, ours is £7.20 for a jacket potato with any filling, plus a drink 😉

Disclaimer: I'm definetely saying this as an impartial member of the public and not someone who's worked for the company for many years 👀😂