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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How much would you expect this meal to cost?

483 replies

Sofielou · 05/05/2022 22:55

I'm not sure if I'm a bit unrealistic with my expectation here so I thought I'd see what wise Mumsnetters think!

We had a meal out at popular chain Italian restaurant. We ordered:

4 x main meals (3 x pizzas and 1 x pasta dish)
1 x meal from child menu (pasta dish)
4 x soft drinks (3 x Coca Cola, 1 x Sprite)

No starters, no desserts, no alcoholic drinks.

What would you roughly expect the total of the bill to be? (Not London if that makes a difference?!)

OP posts:
limitedperiodonly · 07/05/2022 20:15

I love cooking. My mum, who was a great cook but underestimated herself because she specialised in plain food, used to say to me: "Limited, you should open a restaurant. It would be a goldmine."

That was very nice of her to say but I have no catering experience and no idea how to make a restaurant work beyond knowing it would be bloody hard work with people constantly whining they could make it cheaper at home and they only had a sodding Sprite.

LoisLane66 · 07/05/2022 20:39

55-60 if it's Pizza Express and no extra toppings on pizza.

1000N · 07/05/2022 20:46

80ish

Tulipomania · 07/05/2022 20:48

About £75.

Cheap for 4 people I'd say.

LoisLane66 · 07/05/2022 20:48

Well, that's not what I'd call a popular pizza chain. It's bound to be more expensive than PE.
I get a TasteCard about 2-3 times a year when they're offered on a 60 or 90 days free then I cancel a week before the free time ends. I archive the cancellation email they send so there is no comeback.
Can use in Pizza Express and other places and Zizzi is another. There used to be a lot of restaurants in their list but after Covid it's taking a while to build back the list of restaurants to its former level.
You get money off days out, cinema tickets etc too. Just don't forget to cancel.

Bugbabe1970 · 07/05/2022 20:50

£110

LoisLane66 · 07/05/2022 20:53

Here's their latest offer.

How much would you expect this meal to cost?
Jalepenojello · 07/05/2022 20:53

I’d have guessed £75. At £3.50 for drinks £5 kids meal and £14 for the mains.

we don’t regularly eat at such places regularly due to the quality of food for the price but it’s very average.

Coffeekam · 07/05/2022 20:54

£80

SnozPoz · 07/05/2022 21:06

£65 before service charges

Autienotnaughtie · 07/05/2022 21:15

I don't know if the answer has been revealed but I'm guessing £66. £70 if refills

Autienotnaughtie · 07/05/2022 21:19

I took dd and dd to Pizza Hut the other day. 2 small margarita pizzas, 2 sides, a kids meal and 2 drinks £55

elfies · 07/05/2022 21:20

About £84
Our local Italian would be about £64

lap90 · 07/05/2022 21:21

I suspected around 80 quid... a main plus a soft drink at just around 20 quid per person.

KenAdams · 07/05/2022 21:25

I knew this would be Zizzis. I went yesterday with 3 friends, bog standard mains and a drink each - £80. Food was awful too and they were terrible about one of our parties allergies. I won't be going again.

NewYorkCityDreamer · 07/05/2022 21:34

£65

Darbs76 · 07/05/2022 21:58

I’d expect that price for 5 people eating out for a table service meal. It is fairly expensive eating out now, we don’t do it that often, or I go for meals with friends as the kids are happy with a takeaway.

TolkiensFallow · 07/05/2022 22:33

I was going to guess £85… but £75 seems better. Those Italian chains are always surprisingly pricy but it’s still under £20 per head so I think it’s ok

BurnDownTheDiscoHangTheDJ · 07/05/2022 22:40

£60

BoredZelda · 07/05/2022 23:09

If you're not used to looking at prices on the menu and just order without thought, that's a pretty privileged position to be in

I agree. I haven’t looked at the prices across a menu for a long time, and that’s only because I know I’ll be able to afford the bill.

Lullab · 07/05/2022 23:13

£55

surreygirl1987 · 07/05/2022 23:21

You look at the price of every single item? Even the ones you have no interest in? And you'd be able to tot up the bill in your head as a result, when each person placed their order, so there are no surprises when the bill arrives? Whilst distracted by a toddler?

Wow. Ok. I didn't realise people did that

Yes of course. I'd never order without having at least a reasonable idea of cost. And yes, despite having two toddlers wreaking havoc! To be fair it's really not hard to add up approximate costs... just round each meal up or down to the nearest pound. Then no surprises. I find it amazing that some people DON'T do that... seems like a no-brainer to me!!

Womanface · 07/05/2022 23:22

Yeah thats about right

if the cost matters then it’s not that hard to estimate the price ? Yeah I do alsways give the prices a once over, just to see. and when the bill comes, we do check it’s got the right stuff on it too 🤷‍♀️

i honestly think that’s ok

surreygirl1987 · 07/05/2022 23:22

If you're not used to looking at prices on the menu and just order without thought, that's a pretty privileged position to be in

Exactly. I don't think I've ever done that.

Ineke · 07/05/2022 23:24

Around £75-£85