Finding it increasingly difficult to justify eating out at pubs etc

[JupiterJa]

This is something I’ve always enjoyed doing, but I just find the financial outlay to be hard to justify now. A fairly average meal is now usually between £17-£20 (say a burger, or fish and chips) with a pint or glass of wine usually over £6. I just don’t feel the experience warrants the outlay now, especially midweek, so these trips are becoming rarer and rarer.

Not so long ago £15 would comfortably cover everything and I felt that was good value.

Does anyone else find themselves making less frequent visits now?

I think this is cheap , even at my local garden centre a slice of Victoria sponge is £5.95 and coffee £3.85 so more like £28 for your order .
I don’t buy it though I refuse to pay nigh on £6 for a slice of cake when I could by a whole one from M & S up the road .

Recently been on holiday and very disappointed in the cakes we had. Dorset Apple Cake was meh and dry and the cinnamon cake somewhere else was awful. Decided on our last day to have an ice cream and walked out after waiting 20 minutes for staff to come to the table and take the order. They weren't busy, but for some unknown reason just wouldn't let us order from the till area. So never did get an ice cream on holiday. I can't remember the actual prices for the cakes but would rather pay more and have a nice one

Paid £17.50 for a mushroom ravioli pasta (Burton Bradstock) - delicious. Salmon ravioli (Weymouth harbour, same price) I couldn't finish there was so much - DH had to eat the garlic bread as I couldn't manage that. This was before half term so not sure if the prices would go up for that week.

We eat out so much less frequently these days. The last few times I’ve been out I’ve been shocked by the prices and what you get for them - it’s not really worth it. It sounds a bit sad but I actually have a list of go to places now that are generally reasonable or do deals. I think I feel a bit miffed knowing that they can do good food at a certain price but other places are so much more expensive, feels like you’re getting ripped off.

Agree with this. I’d rather cook at home!

I was in Berlin recently, had a lovely croissant and cappuccino for £3 at a nearby coffee shop /bakery round the corner from my hotel. Would’ve cost about £4.50 here even in my small town coffee shops.

yeah it’s become so expensive. We eat out weekly with our hobby group, and I don’t always get a meal as it becomes expensive and most of the time it’s pretty mediocre, especially for something like fish and chips / general pub food. So often i’ll just get a drink, but last week during drinks after a midweek walk, it cost me £3.50 for a diet coke.

So why is this? How can other countries do decent meals/snacks cheaper than we get here? Yes, I understand all the points people make about staffing costs, rent, utilities etc., but surely these apply in other countries too?

I dunno, I feel it’s just another case of rip off Britain. I found the public transport way cheaper there too.

You've reminded me that when I was there recently - for the first time - I had a delicious Margherita pizza, freshly made. This was in a train station right in the heart of the city and it cost me just £6.30.

Yes, it's got pricey for fairly mediocre menus in many places. Years ago, a meal.out at a local.Indian family run restaurant was a cheap, good value option. Now as the next generation want careers with better paid jobs, those restaurant owners are employing other people and having to pay local labour rates, and overheads have increased . Now the bill is pretty much same as a pub restaurant so I don't go very often now.

I agree with you. I said to OH this morning why are the meals so expensive, often fast food, surroundings can be dire,tired decor, rundown etc. Wine is so expensive too. I don't enjoy it anymore, we have friends over and we cook at home now for each other instead and it's much better, especially if you end up in a table by the toilets, door or noisy people. Also we can drink what we like and say what we like!

Yes, Indian and Thai food were known for being affordable. Now they are charging £4 or so for a small bowl of rice. They're now the same price as all other restaurants and selling wine at about £30 a bottle.