£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?

I work in a chain restaurant for 25k a year (as management) and can't afford to eat out monthly the way I see people do daily. Always absolutely amazes me couples dropping £70, £80, £90 on dinner.

The biggest ways to keep costs down IMO - drink only tap water. All drinks cost a lot of money there is no big price drop for a soft drink any more.

Stick to mains each plus a starter/side to share. This means you can try 2 things on the menu, but not end up spending an absolute fortune. Most desserts seem badly not worth it IMO - there was a time dessert was the cheapest course, but no more.

Remember also that service charge is always optional - legally, it has to be. If you are in a position where you need to watch your money just ask to take it off. The people you are asking are all people living on low wages like me, we get it!!!!

Obviously, if you can afford more, crack on, enjoy!

But if you are struggling to justify huge dining bills, but still want to eat out, sticking to water only and no more than three menu items for two will go a long way. The bills for those who do this are never OTT.

Agreed. It is ridiculous now. Back in the 90s as teenagers we would go the cinema and then follow it up with food at the Pizza Hut next door. Was a regular thing and you didn’t think twice. Prices now are such that you would think it must be a special once a year treat except the food quality has gotten worse as the prices go up.

This is exactly the problem now. The price difference between mainstream chain restaurants like Pizza Express, Nando’s and high end ones eg The Ivy is negligible. A main and two regular sides is £17 at Nando’s but a main course at The Ivy is around the £20/£22 mark. I know which one I’d prefer and where I don’t have to order the food myself, get my own drink and pay my bill on an app.

I live in a cheaper part of the country, but a tourist destination. We would always avoid the tourist season eating out, but availed ourselves of the great winter lunchtime deals of Lunch - 2 course and a glass of wine / small beer - £20

Then add to that half price cinema on Tuesday - a day our for £50 for the two of us

Now those meal deals are the cheapest items - a burger/pasta, sides are extra and no drink

Nowadays as an older couple we eat out a lot less, it really has to be worth the money - not just a cheap lunch deal. Best lunch date this year was one hotel restaurant carvery ( it was soooo good ) then we moved on to a very select 5* place , sucked up the price, and enjoyed a glass of wine and a pint of Guinness , combined price for the drinks more then the lunch and drinks, but OMG, the experience , the service and ambience was worth every penny

I would not be spending that sort of money in a chain restaurant where its all frozen food

Breakfast out is now a treat that we enjoy - he can have his fry, I can have my choice , we can watch the sea, I get a decent coffee. we get change from £30 - and that's a huge deal nowadays

Ate there once and never again. Bland, massive portions with no taste.
I do agree though Op. it’s ridiculous. We went out last night, me, dh, 3yo and 9yo. They had the kids meals and it came to £90.

Another one....what?

Be specific please.

There Korean chicken bowls are good, and the pizzas are....pizzas. But a hell of a lot cheaper than Pizza Express.

Totally agree.

All these comments from people spectacularly missing the point:

4 people don’t need a pizza each
It would be cheaper if you didn’t order wine
Thats not lunch it’s dinner

Same here, I'm early 50s. We would occasionally get a fish supper or Chinese takeaway.
In fact the takeaway places we used are still going!

Another one totally missing the point and being faux virtuous about how abstemiously they eat with heavy inference that everyone else is an oinking great big fat hog if they eat a WHOLE PIZZA.

HTH.

Ha! You’ve done it now. All the competitive under eaters will rock up claiming 2 main and tap water is adequate in fact they couldn’t possibly finish it

Get a taste card - at least then your food is 2 for 1 on all days but a Saturday. We eat out regularly and use ours frequently - it saves us a lot of money

Op could just order a Massive Salad for the four of them

Only at lunchtime… evening is ok.

The OP said that £100 is a lot for lunch, and I agree that it is. However, what she ordered is not what I would consider lunch. I would consider it dinner so £100 for dinner for four isnt a lot. I also wouldnt drink wine at lunch, so that would bring the price down.

That you saw anyone saying that they wouldnt eat that much as infering that you are an "oinking great big fat hog" says rather more about your self image than anything I said.

I would have agreed with you pre-2022. But I went to Pizza Express earlier in the year and the pizzas have shrunk in size considerably. I was still hungry after mine, in the good old days I would have struggled to finish one there.

I’m shocked at all the people saying that they need a pizza a person at Pizza Express… my DH is a grown man and I have a teen and a tween and we would share two pizzas. Three huge slices of pizza is enough for anyone for dinner.

I love the kids meals at Prezzo, we can order a pizza flatbread for 4.99 and it comes with a ‘starter’ of garlic dough balls or similar and is enough for an adult. Takeaway meal for 4 for 20.

Is eating out really that much of a luxury … I mean it is now in the UK at these prices. But I feel like across the world for hundreds of years, it’s been common for families to gather at small local cafes, pubs and eateries and they weren’t/aren’t all just patronised by the uber rich? Of course not every day but every now and then …

And again, I didnt say that.

I said that I eat my main meal (usually) in the evening, but if I ate a "dinner" at lunchtime then I wouldnt eat a dinner in the evening as well. So with that logic, I would have paid £100 for dinner for four which I think is fine.

In my experience, Pizza Express, Bills, etc was £80 with two teens ten or more years ago. I think the prices just stayed low for longer than expected.

Have you ever had a pizza express pizza? Certainly our family could not split 2 between 4 but we might be greedy!

Massive salad?
Don't be so greedy, a small one is quite sufficient for a family of four to share.

My teens don’t eat a whole pizza to themselves. I don’t as an adult who is a healthy weight. There’s your solution.

we have 5 kids and eat as a family of 7 at pizza express for about £85 because we don’t allow them to all get a full size pizza each.

But it’s totally irrelevant that you eat your main meal in the evening!

The point of the thread was four pizzas, wine etc cost over £100.

Because you personally don’t eat a main meal at lunchtime is not the point, the food etc is the same.

You would pay more for the food six hours later would you?

I was about to say the same, we will never pay for overpriced pizza out now when we can make amazing pizzas at home :)