Pie and a ‘selected’ drink … to think this is an insane cost?

[Ipbual]

Recently seen an ‘offer’ of 19 pounds for a pie and selected drink every Thursday evening between 4-7.

This is a standard country pub on the outskirts of an average town.

I absolutely loving eating out and me and dh have a pretty decent income yet we cannot justify paying these prices anymore. If we both ordered this ‘deal’ it would be 38 quid! That’s without a desert or a coffee.

AIBU to think soon these places will collapse? Or are people still happy to spend on it?

Well, I would say it has certainly made DH and I think a bit more before going out to eat. It's not that it's unaffordable per se, more that sometimes we question whether it's worthwhile.

FWIW we're solidly good earners with plenty of disposable income, and generally a meal out where we live for 2 starters, 2 mains, a bottle of wine and coffees will come to around £100+ anywhere other than a basic chain pub, I often reflect that the money could be better spent on something else. That said, we still end up going out to eat most weekends!

I suppose it depends where you are, but to me that's a pretty good deal.

I live in a 'deprived' area of the NW, a decent quality pie with sides and a drink for £19 sounds good to me!
The four of us went to our local independent carvery a few weeks ago, it was £150!!!

For perspective, I've just a booked a table at Lasdun's at the National Theatre where we're meeting people for a big birthday and seeing a play. They have a chicken and wild garlic pie to share between two people on their menu: it costs £55. And that's without any veg. If you want to add a half portion of greens and some buttered potatoes your'e looking at close to £70 for two.

Well at least you dont have to wash up

That’s cheap!!

Wedges?! Salad?! Pie and salad?

wash your mouth out woman

Do they supply a bed, or do you just subside gracefully to the floor?

Sorry, but 😅 I'm glad you're free of him now. 👍

At our local pub, a shepherds pie is £19, no drink included. Yes, I do think pubs will collapse at this rate. I sort of understand that they need to charge these prices - but on the other hand, hardly anyone can afford to pay them

It's pretty much £40-50 for a simple lunch out for two these days isn't it? I"d say that's fairly standard pricing.

Tbh if a pub offered night out like that I might actually head out! Maybe some nice cushions or something to lie on. Some trashy TV to watch.

If the drink can be a pint of beer or a glass of wine, it is a good deal. A pint is easily nearly £7 (in London).

If you have a good income you can surely spend around £40 in a meal for two people? Add dessert and it would be a total of around £55, I think it is quite reasonable. They have to pay rent, electricily, staff and the food, I don't see how it could be much cheaper than that to be honest.

If the drink is just a soft drink, maybe not such a good deal.

Yes very much depends

Loads of pubs/restaurants/take aways aren't going to make it as it stands. They get through a lot of gas and electricity and our energy prices are the highest in the world, they can't do a great deal about it other than pray that customers are willing to pay much higher prices.

I’ve just checked our local independent pubs price and pie of the day ( home made) , mash , seasonal veg and gravy is £14.50 . So add a drink on top and that’s at least £20 per person .

Was surprised to find out recently that the ‘Spoons meal with a drink included for £10 or so means that you can have a pint of Leffe with your pie and chips.

Result.

#bringbackthelaughteremoticon

😂

It's not what I'd call a cheap offer but a pretty average price.

who is doing the ripping off, exactly?

of that £19, as @Arseynal has pointed out, 20% is VAT so won't be seen by the pub anyway. That leaves £15.20. A decent piece of beef would cost £2-3 just for that, plus all the other ingredients. Staff to cook the pie, waiting staff to bring it to you, staff to wash the plates, glasses, cutlery, plus someone behind the bar to pour the drink, and a regular cleaner. Even if only on minimum wage that's £12.50 per staff member, plus pension, NI, etc to be paid by the company on top.

Cost of cooking the pie, running a dishwasher etc. Cost of lighting and heating the pub. Water bill. Business rates. Delivery costs for everything.
Licensing cost for music in the background. Rent. All the sunk costs - printing menus, buying furniture, toilet paper, bin bags, soap, dishwashing tablets, plates, glasses, cutlery. Presumably you've noticed the costs for all those things going up at home?

Add all up and do you really think many pub owners are making a fortune? Why do you think several pubs are closing every single day in the UK if it's such a lucrative money spinner?

I recently paid £13 for a cheese sandwich. Did come with chips though!

I drink those small bottles of prosecco when I go out.In my local they've recently gone up to £8.50. I am going to stop drinking it on principle I think.

Ridiculous.

However I have just looked up a nice, independent pub near me that does lovely food, where I go for dinner sometimes-I've never eaten a pie there but you can have a beef and potato pie with homemade chips and fresh seasonal veg for £9. If your drink comes to about the same then I'd say it is about the right price for pie and a drink. But it depends on the area and around here it wouldn't be 'an offer'.

Maybe I am just a non-U pleb but I think 'spoons does some very nice wines too!Their Sauv Blanc is lovely.

went to a pub recently in Milton Keynes fir lunch. Checked out the menu and the majority of mains alone were over £20. So no don’t think pie meal with a drink for £19 is unusual. You haven’t answered whether it was just a pie or a proper meal?

Well that’s a “how long is a piece of string” question, isn’t it?

That depends on what they earn, what their other expenses are and what purposes they prioritise for any disposable income.

Ultimately if you think it’s too expensive even with the offer then you don’t have to eat there. 🤷🏻‍♀️