£100 for a casual lunch out for 4 is too much

[GrealishGoddess]

Deeply middle class problem but. Anyone else noticed that you can no longer get out of the likes of Bill’s, Wagamama, Pizza Express, etc , with two teens, for less than £100. Is this just inflation, NI effects, price gouging, what? AIBU to stay home?

We normally eat at independent restaurants and pubs. Our local Mexican (independent) is not cheap but large portions a 2 course meal for 3 adults and 1 child with plenty of drinks, some alcoholic some not came to £150

Yanbu. Last time we went to pizza express it was £100ish, for three pizzas, a kids meal and a couple of soft drinks and it took an hour to get served. So we don’t go anymore.

I think a lot of middle of the road chains are going to fold tbh. If we need sustenance whilst we’re out and about we get a supermarket meal deal or a Greggs. If it’s an occasion we’re splitting between eating something nice at home or going to a better quality restaurant. We do go out for the odd brunch but it’s monthly not weekly these days. We’re higher earners so if we’re pulling our horns in I don’t know how the hospitality industry is going to carry on as it is unfortunately.

@CoffeeLipstickKeys that is not a Romana - it’s a legara - I rather like them but then I’m dieting and yes I can eat a whole one of those - a romana is pretty big

I would say that’s about right across the board now. With the increase in utilities, rents, business rates, staff wages, food costs…. Hardly surprising is it? Restaurants are struggling to get the customers through the doors these days. We live in an area where people usually have a bit of disposable income and liked to go out, but in the last year or so have seen a couple of restaurants close. It’s really sad.

I’m also shocked at those who pay full price in pizza express.
We go as a 4 and have all got the rewards app. You can all log in each visit. A couple of visits later we’ve all got gold which means we can all share a couple of pizzas or salads which are paid for and free on the app are 4 dough balls, 4 sides, 4 soft or hot drinks, plus 4 kids (3 course) meals, which all in all costs around £40. Plus if there’s any birthdays that month there’s extra vouchers for desserts, fizz or more pizzas.
Its a good scheme, which makes it very affordable.

I think takeaway pizza in England is so overpriced and not that good at all. I've tasted better supermarket pizza and so much cheaper. Just need to pop it in the oven and you have it nice and hot for a fraction of the price.

@Fireflybaby totally agree - I cannot see the point in it for something thats a straight ‘stick in the oven’ -

I like the sizzlers from asda pizza counter. Prefer them to any takeaway ones and can get 2 ten inch pizzas and bottle of drink for 5.98

Ok
But nonetheless I don’t think half a romana pizza per adult is huge. It’s really is not in so huge I need to share category

@CoffeeLipstickKeys I wouldn’t say it’s huge , so would order a big salad to share too but to be fair it’s still 3 or 4 decent sized slices if you order a large one and I know myself that’s plenty ‘for me’ with salad and I’m 13 stone 4 , so not exactly a tiny eater - my H could just about manage whole one but would rather not as it makes him feel off . I guess we are all different - but I know the other week we had 3 large ones between 5 of us plus salad and everyone was totally stuffed .

Well, obviously that depends entirely on your takeaway pizza provider.

Were you eating paint?

But if you order a romana pizza and a large salad you’re ordering two main courses. Fine share both but you aren’t ordering only one portion of food to share between two.

Stopped eating out for this reason.
It is ridiculously expensive for very mediocre food.
We go out for breakfast which is always a much better deal.
If we eat out lunchtime we just have a sandwich or a light lunch.
We don't go out for dinner anymore as it is ridiculous and would much rather cook nice food at home.

The prices for eating out have shot up, even in chains like Pizza Express, Wagamama. I eat out much less often, preferring to occasionally go out for a very good meal at an independent restaurant, though I do occasionally go out for lunch at restaurants which have good prix fixe menus, for example at the Noble Rot restaurants. I would say that it's not price gouging, but the huge increase in food prices (the price of wheat has affected pizza restaurants and bakeries all over the world), business rates, utilities and other costs of living have had an enormous impact on eating out. The prices of food and wine imports from Europe have increased steadily since Brexit, too. Restaurants are struggling to hire staff, also as a result of Brexit and the current policies on immigration. It is a miserable time to be in the restaurant business.

@StarCurator personally I would be taking VAT right down to 5% if any at all in the hospitality world - when you balance it up customers bills are 20% VAT , which they can then offset against all their costs outwards, so in many cases it nets off and to me all seems rather pointless. If we could actually lower prices to consumer slightly, it may be perceived more as better value and help keep our hospitality businesses on more of an even keel .

@DBD1975completely agree - it’s about the value you get back for the outlay. Dinner also in and out in about an hour of only one course so not even really a night out anymore, more like fast food

Even a takeaway for 4 where we are is far more than £100. And don’t get me started on London restaurants who now want paying upfront for the minimum spend when you book…

People should just cook their own food at home and wash their own dishes instead of expecting other people to do it for them.

It’s probably healthier too!

Paying someone else to do a job you dont want to do is hardly "expecting" anything. Do you take your all your own rubbish to the tip? Grow all your own base ingredients....rice, wheat, maize, all your vegetables? Raise your own livestock, slaughter and butcher them? Grow your own cotton and make your own clothes?

No?

How dare you expect other people to do it for you?

No but if I could do all that a lot more cheaply than paying someone else to do it, I would do so.

Yes it’s too much given that these mediocre places are serving frozen ready meals warmed up. Why do people eat at these places, when there is no much better choice.

The point of going out to eat is literally that one doesn’t cook or do the washing up
Yes, I do expect when I eat out that someone else(chef!) cook and someone (KP} wash up

I don't eat at chain restaurants. The food isnt authentic and the prices are ridiculous. In the north east, where I live, there is an independent chain who serve authentic Italian food and they do a lunch time special ranging from £7.95 to £9.95 per head, for soup or potato skins, selected pizza or pasta and coffee or ice cream. Maybe try supporting local, / independent / regional places?