Would you pay £11 for a baked potato in a cafe?

[NeverAlways]

I went to a garden centre today and teen dc wanted a drink and a lunch/snack. There wasn’t much choice on the menu at the cafe apart from toasted sandwiches and cakes so dc chose a baked potato with beans which was £11. I nearly fell over. They don’t even particularly like baked potatoes. I said, No sorry I’m not paying that for a potato. I’ve got a four pack of Tesco baking potatoes at home that cost 79p. We left the cafe and went somewhere else where a proper meal was £13.

Anyway am I behind the times with prices or does that seem a lot to you?

That is crazy. I would also vote with my feet.

No way.

Garden centre cafes are always pricy in my experience.

Absolutely not. Jacket spuds are between £5 and £6 in our local cafes.

No not £11. I get prices have gone up and I don’t mind paying normal prices but even where I am in the south east jacket potatoes are usually around £8 in cafes. I wouldn’t pay £11.

Absolutely not.

Priced reasonably they could have had a sale at a profit. Their loss for ridiculous pricing.

Glad you agree. Dc said it was embarrassing to walk out!

No, I'd never have one in a cafe anyway as they never have crispy skin but if I did I'd expect to pay about £6-£7.

I would if they were like the ones in my garden centre; big potato, generous fillings, salad and coleslaw. Ours are 12.95 which is reasonable compared to other food there 😅

It would be about £8 where I am, but I refuse to pay even that. If I’m eating out (even something ‘light’ at a cafe) I want it to be something I can’t make better at home for a tiny fraction of the cost.

Bloody hell, that’s ridiculously expensive for a spud and beans!! I’d have left too 🤯

It seems a ridiculous amount considering how much baking potatoes actually cost....

Probably. I rarely go to garden centres and am usually treating a relative when I do, so I’d probably not register the cost.
Apologies for being part of the problem.

sadly this doesn’t seem to be too extreme these days for a jacket potato in a slightly nicer type place. Which is absolutely ridiculous. I love a jacket potato but absolutely won’t pay that, as, as you say, it’s about 75p for a 4 pack of jacket potatoes from the supermarket and all it needs is putting in an oven. Also, I’d be fuming if it arrived and was only microwaved and not nice and crispy. And then it’s often extra money to add on cheese!

£11 is ludicrous, and I wouldn't pay it or go there again.

I'm not sure how much I'd expect but probably around £8ish

Garden centre cafes are outrageously expensive.

Not much of the eating out cost is the food at the moment.

The rates, staff to prep, serve, clear etc are the same whether it’s topped with smoked salmon or beans.

And no, I wouldn't pay it.

I'm guessing the beans was the cheapest filling? That seems too much. Even in a posh restaurant. Not that posh restaurants usually serve jacket and beans.

I'd say a tenner is the maximum you could charge for a lunchtime potato. And it would need a couple of good quality fillings and some nice mix of salad/fresh made coleslaw alongside it. And be served on proper crockery.

With just beans it should really only be about a fiver or 6 quid. Especially if the ambience is fairly basic.

No I wouldn't pay that! Just checked the menu for a local garden centre we go to occasionally. Jacket with beans is £6.99.

Cheese and beans jacket £9.95 at our garden centre - comes with house salad and coleslaw.

I'd pay £11 if I was too hungry not to eat and it was the only thing I fancied on the menu, but I'd feel a bit ripped off, especially if it didn't come with salad.

When you eat out the cost of the food is the least that you're paying for, that's not really relevant to most dishes

I wouldn't pay it but I can see why the price might be so high

Well done for voting with your feet. Bloody cheek

It was £10 for a baked potato at the Needles visitor centre last summer. No topping, just the potato. We left as did pretty much everyone else