Quality and price of takeaway/restaurant food

[KenAdams]

We used to eat out quite a bit - 2/3 times a week. Combination of busy lives and medical conditions.

For that we used to get reasonably fresh, good quality meals and decent sized portions (reasonably healthy stuff rather than a fried Chinese meal or burger for example).

Over the last two years, we've noticed a reduction in the quality and price increases in such meals.

Sushi has massively gone up in price and other meals that used to be healthy have reduced their quality of ingredients and now seem full of oil etc.

I know prices have gone up but as an example, last weekend my friend ordered a chicken supreme for £22 in a local pub in the East Midlands. She got a piece of chicken which was about 10cm across (not a breast), about two tablespoons of potato and some pea shoots. Another friend ordered a risotto and wanted to add a salmon fillet, but it was an extra £10 for the salmon!

This wasn't anywhere fancy, just an average pub but the prices now are such that it's pricing us out, even taking into account the convenience factor.

I work in an industry where I know the price of ingredients and I feel like places are just taking the piss a little bit now. I'm also aware of the on costs but I can't really make them add up to the astronomical prices I see now.

The solution for us has been to move to low prep style meals so I can still manage to make these when I'm having a bad day with my conditions, but it's such a shame as it used to be something to look forward to and a bit of a relief that I didn't have to cook on a flare up day.

Has anyone else noticed the same?

Slightly off topic but any healthy, filling, low prep meal ideas would be welcome please!

I wonder how much of Pizza Express/Prezzo footfall was from customers redeeming Tesco vouchers? Now that these have gone from x4 to x3 and now x2 value, surely this is going to have an effect?

Whappens is the loyal customers who go regardless just get rinsed and pay higher and higher prices until eventually they think, nah, I'm done.

I can't see how some restaurants will survive over the next 3 to 5 years. Local, "cash only" takeaways might do ok as they are probably money laundering pits anyway, bit the typical high street chain I'm not so confident.

I think they will survive in affluent areas, the town I work in is awash with restaurants, mostly independent or small chain and as soon as one closes another opens, but the bigger chains are going to struggle IMO, they have too many branches and the zones with cinema, Nandos, Giraffe etc are really quiet now. We used to go to Pizza Express quite often but are down to about once a year now. I agree that more people are eating breakfast, lunch or brunch out now instead of dinner, the food is cheaper as you don't tend to have more than one course and you aren't generally spending on alcohol.

The only takeaway we get is a fish supper once a month…not out of goodness, just cause it’s expensive! There’s not many options for me as it needs to be gluten free but the one we use is about £25 for two gluten free haddock suppers. Always delicious. It’s a treat, I don’t mind the price.

I stopped eating out or getting takeaways for this reason. Every meal was a disappointment. For a change I met a friend for lunch last weekend though, at a proper little Italian place, and was served possibly the nicest pizza I've ever had for £8.95. I'll definitely go back.

I agree, we used to eat out at least once or twice a week but just don’t bother now. We have loads of independents here but just feel like I am having my pants pulled down now. We used to own a cafe so can spot the pre made puds/ cakes etc a mile off, no way I’m paying £9 for that, it’s UPF at best. It’s like the staff are doing you a favour by serving you, and no I do not want to order on an app! I’ve come out to relax and let someone else do the work, and don’t get me started on the assumed service charge after all that! Also yes they all seem freezing inside!

The cost difference in Wetherspoons is down to (i) bigger buying quantities forcing greater discounts - ie the supplier profit ground to the bone (ii) cheaper overheads due to crap wages for staff and grinding rents etc down as far as they can due to brand strength.

Nothing's worth the price anymore! Not clothes, not takeaways,.... all massively overpriced and poor quality.

@Ilovemyshed weatherspoons pays what everyone else pays.

took my daughter out for breakfast the other day to a place I hadn’t been to before.
Nearly fell off my chair when I saw the prices - £14.50 for scrambled egg and smoked salmon on toast, and I had avocado on toast with hash browns for £13.
wild mushrooms on toast was £18.50!

Wild mushrooms at a premium makes me laugh. They're literally free, in the wild. Once you find your spots you go back at the right time each year. And even if you're buying them in, Tesco sell them for £2.50 a punnet. I can't see.l how, even with overheads, it can cost £18.50.

I know exactly what why they charge so much! Their model changed during covid whereby they maximised profits by using their kitchen and delivery app. They are greedy plain and simple and would charge £5 for a cappuccino if they could get away with it. Too many people are still ordering online and the restaurants are t too concerned whether or not you come for a sit down meal. The best thing to do is tell the manager or owner when you next pay over the odds that you won’t be coming back because of the prices. If enough people do this they will either move to solely takeaway or lower their prices. I used to eat out several times a week and can still afford to but I know I’m being ripped off and decided to cut back and start cooking from scratch it’s healthier in the long run so maybe they have done me a favour. Remember they are in competition with other restaurants so let them feel the pain when you take your custom away.

But someone has to go out and pick them. Or do you expect them to do that and work out which ones are safe to eat for free?

I realise when I go blackberry picking why they're so expensive in the supermarket....