This was expensive?

[constantnc]

Local garden center..

2 toasted sandwiches with tiny side salad. The sandwich consisted of 2 pieces of bread with meat/cheese.
2 teas
1 fruit tea
£32 😬 for a quick bite to eat...

Crack for cats. Chairman Meow once sat on a sealed bag of Dreamies to break it open. Him and the other three devoured the lot. They’re addicted to it.😂

I had the opposite experience really the other day.
We visited the local "posh garden centre" on Sunday. The plants are amazing but eye-wateringly expensive. I must admit we go for plant ideas and the cafe then shoot off to the cheap and cheerful nursery run by a local family.
Posh one is part of a really large organisation.

Anyway, DW and I both had cheesy chips, cake and iced coffee for £26. That was a little more than I pay at the cafe in the village BUT there were NINE, that's right NINE gluten free choices of cake!!
That is the best cake experience ever so Im
going back and trying to resist the stunning plants. 💖🌸🌺🌼💖

Well it would be expensive if you paid that much, yes, but you went in with your eyes open knowing the price, surely?

This reminds me of a volunteer colleague asking me how long to microwave 2 frozen scones. I told her 40 seconds and she did them for 4 minutes and served them to customers.

Hockey puck is spot on!

I do think that is expensive, yes! I think eating out is getting to the point where it’s just not worth it to me…I’d rather make something myself at home! Or maybe a Greggs pasty in the car on the way!

Everything is a lot more expansive these days than it was 10 year ago, a much bigger jump than say between 2006 and 2016 for example. A second hand car probably costs like 15k now, mobile phones, books, chocolate, holidays, eating out, anything really its just all expensive.

And yet, abroad in mainland Spain, last summer - a latte was €1.30. Such a huge difference in costs.

Going to give it a go thankyou.

two toasted sandwiches, 2 coffee and a small bottle of water the other day £34:00

To a garden centre?

Eating AT a garden centre isn't compulsory. The OP didn't mention meeting a friend there.

That is definitely overly expensive. But if you can afford it I often find it's worth paying ridiculous prices as it tends to keep the scutters out. You don't get tend to get Women with ponytail facelifts and shopplifter earrings shouting "JAZZLEDINE-SKYE, WHAT HAVE I FUCKING TOLD YOU ABOUT SWEARING AT YOUR BROTHER? NOW GET HERE YOU LITTLE COW" in such places. They tend to go in the cafe at Home Bargains instead.

Is there a caff in Home Bargins?

There is at the flagship store on the outskirts of Liverpool.

You can see it upstairs (because it also has an upstairs) as you pass on the way to the airport. I don't know how widespread they are, I don't remember seeing one at any of the HB shops I've been in.

You are partly paying for the leisure environment . They are selling you atmosphere as well as plants,ponds,home-made cakes, landscape seating, etc . Even having all that, I would not pay that much for a toastie and tea. It’s where some do and some don’t.

Yes book me in too....though my cars will be jealous. A fiver is a bargain 😻

?

She must have done mine! I could have complained (I’m not above it) but I just didn’t have the energy that day. I was with other people so didn’t want to ruin the trip. I did feel annoyed as it’s ambience is all feel good and nature. A ‘home made’ scone microwaved to oblivion wasn’t really the vibe I was looking for or paying £8 for the privilege 😁

If they don’t make a profit on what they sell then more customers don’t help. It’s ridiculous how many people say “it’s basically some hot water” or “it’s only 2 slices of bread!” And ignore all the other costs of the food (have you seen the prices of cheese recently) and don’t even seem to realise that the food is a drop in the ocean compared to tax. VAT at 20% -hospitality claim very little back so it’s basically 20% off the top, business rates, insurance plus insurance tax, corporation tax, national insurance - then the cost of having things delivered, the cost of wages (hospitality disproportionately affected - industries with closer to median wages, or high wages haven’t seen anywhere near the same increase in wage bills). Tax is the biggest cost to hospitality - no teabags or bread. Hospitality businesses are closing at a rate of knots, if if it was as simple as charge less for the food than it costs you to produce it then business owners would go for that instead of bankruptcy and unemployment.

There’s one in a big Homebargains on a retail park near me. Never been.
Supermarket cafes can be good value.
I sometimes take my mum to Booths for a really nice afternoon tea it’s £10.99 and 10% off for cardholders. She would prefer that to an overpriced garden centre.

It was a jokey question. I wouldn't normally eat in a supermarket but they're probably reasonable.
I'm quite happy with a meal from Spoons. Does the job if you're hungry.
There's quite a nice one not far from me but I'd avoid the nearest one.

Sorry I didn’t pick up joke, I only saw it recently and thought I didn’t know they had a cafe.
I used to take DD to Morrisons when we didn’t have time to get home between school and an activity. It used to be something like but an adult meal get a free kids meal. That’s several years ago but just checked and they still do buy any adult meal £5 or more get a free kids meal. It was cheaper than McDonald’s or similar.

I will never understand the snobbery or boycotting of spoons. Yes the owner* has been vocal about his political beliefs but do you know the political beliefs of every other huge organisation you spend money in/with, and how much influence they have...

The food isn't gourmet that's for sure, but It's pleasant to eat and they have a great range of it. The only thing they don't do well is GF. Plenty of healthier or 'lite' options, hearty meals, vegetarian/vegan well catered for. And It's cheap. I'd go there over paying for a couple of sandwiches any day. Their coffee is great and other than in specialist (and accordingly priced!) wine bars, I've rarely had a glass of wine nicer than their Sauv Blanc.

I actually dislike most cafes. They're usually noisy, busy, you're practically sitting on top of the person next to you, long queues, rush to get you out. I can sit in wetherspoons for hours with a coffee if I want. And It's one place where I feel comfortable going on a Sunday afternoon alone to have a brunch and a glass of wine in peace. Not often, but I like going there for a 'me' date. Good for people watching!

*I'm pretty sure he only owns 23% or something.

Garden centres, I'd never choose to eat at. Whenever I have the food isn't great. I've just had a look at my local 'naice' one, huge, well known place, sells everything for the garden but also clothes, shoes and some other items ( I had a great make-up bag from there once!) basically like a department store but focus on gardening.

Tea £2.95
Fish and chips £15.99
Panini £10.99 and filled spuds £8.99. Both come with salad and crisps (panini and coleslaw (spuds).

No thank you!

MacDonalds isn't food, it's cleverly marketed overpriced shite.

@OffTopicly , the nice Spoons near me (not the nearest one) is a nice location and you can eat outside. The food is fine - you know what it is and what it's going to be like.

I could go to a cafe instead and pay about the same for a cake or something and chances are it would be dry or sickly.