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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think £3.50 for a kids' meal cheese on toast is a bit steep?

37 replies

BettyButterknife · 12/02/2010 19:21

I am thoroughly aware I sound a bit like I'm writing to Points of View, but I genuinely would like to know if my expectations are too high re: eating out in a cafe at lunchtime with DS. So here goes...

Went for lunch with friends today, and I suppose it's my own fault for being a. vegetarian and b. pregnant, but I couldn't actually see anything on the menu I could order - the panini had goats' cheese, so I asked whether they could make me one up with some other kind of cheese, eg cheddar. They said they couldn't but they could make me a normal cheese sandwich, for which they were going to charge me £4.25, and if I wanted chips too that's another £2.95. NOT £1 as with the panini 'deal'. So a total of £7.20 for a cheese sandwich and chips.

I then realised I could order a side Greek salad for £3.95 so ordered that plus chips. The cheapest thing on the kids' menu was cheese on toast, at a whopping £3.50. I asked whether I could have some bread too. They said I could but had to order the bread and oils from the menu at £3.50.

I said I couldn't believe how pricey a very basic lunch for me and a toddler had ended up, to which the waitress replied 'yeah, prices have just gone up but people pay it so you can't really complain'. Thing is, I'm thinking of doing just that.

But perhaps IABU in which case I'll suck it up and never go there again!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 12/02/2010 19:25

yes, that's extortionate and i would have walked out if it were me!

Morloth · 12/02/2010 19:27

That does sound like an expensive cafe, but you didn't have to eat there. I have looked at prices and decided to leave before.

ConnorTraceptive · 12/02/2010 19:30

I walked out of a local cafe last week when I saw they had put their prices up for a kid's lunch box £4.99 for 5 items

MissAnneElk · 12/02/2010 19:32

I think if they were being reasonable they would have offered the chips for £1 same as with the panini, so YANBU. But if people are willing to pay their prices then they will continue to charge them.

Blu · 12/02/2010 19:32

Goodness - where was this?

bread and oils for £3-50 espcially unreasonable - I mean the selection of brad and oils might be fab and worth £3-50, but unreasonable not to bring plain bread on the side at a lower price than that.

twoistwiceasfun · 12/02/2010 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fluffles · 12/02/2010 19:36

it is very expensive and i wouldn't go there - but the waitress is right, they can charge whatever people will pay, prices are clearly shown before people order.

somthing about the place must appeal if people go there. some people must consider whatever it is (location, ambience, decor) worth the money.

southeastastra · 12/02/2010 19:38

like the way the waitress says people will pay that price rather than it's because it's worth that price

sounds poncey

nellymoo · 12/02/2010 19:39

Rising food costs, a rise in VAT, rise in energy bills, rise in minimum wage payments, insurance, Tax, rates and a myriad of other overheads before you even factor in the "value" of your cheese on toast!

It's a little unreasonable not to expect the customer to have to pay for these rising costs...If you eat out, it costs more than if you eat it at home!

thisisyesterday · 12/02/2010 19:40

the prices would put me off, but not as much as her attitude!

nellymoo · 12/02/2010 19:42

I agree with thisisyesterday though, it costs nothing to be polite, and good customer service should most certainly be included for that price!

KERALA1 · 12/02/2010 19:47

Thats how much stuff costs in pleasant cafes though? Doesnt sound extortionate to me. If you want cheap there are fast food places/fried breakfast caffs that do really cheap food. If you want a nice/funky environment you pay more thats how works surely [confused emoticon]

Aussieng · 12/02/2010 19:54

Well the extra chips not being £1 was "off" but I don't think £3.50 is that high. I pay £2.40-£2.85 for a cheese salad sandwich at most of the delis and sandwich bars where I live (Midlands) so an extra 65p - £1 to include toasting, plates & cutlery and waitress service hardly seems extreme.

ImSoNotTelling · 12/02/2010 19:55

kerala the prices sound quite normal to me too TBH...

Couldn't you have had the goats cheese though? if it was pasteurised?

thisisyesterday · 12/02/2010 20:00

£3.50 for cheese on toast isn't steep? really? for one slice of bread and a bit of cheese???

and £4.25 for a bog-standard cheese sandwch?

nellymoo · 12/02/2010 20:08

Ah, but it really isn't just one slice of bread and a bit of cheese, is it! But it would be at home

KERALA1 · 12/02/2010 20:09

It does sound alot when you compare it to how much it would cost to make yourself of course. But are you not buying an experience thats how I see it anyway. But then I am happy to pay £3.50 for a coffee and muffin in the most gorgeous cafe in town every other week its a treat and worth every penny. Makes my day!

thisisyesterday · 12/02/2010 20:10

well, there are 2 cafes near me that offer cheese on toast, one for £1.50 and one for £2.

so I still say that £3.50 is steep! trust me, i know about overheads etc etc, i used to work in a National Trust cafe, which was hideously overpriced.

thisisyesterday · 12/02/2010 20:12

ok look at it another way. i wouldn't mind paying £3.50 for some locally produced artisan bread, topped with a local organic cheese, accompanied by a side salad, served by pleasant staff in a nice setting

i would object to paying that for a slice of supermarket sliced bread with a couple of bits of cheddar thrown on the top

thehillsarealive · 12/02/2010 20:18

what sort of 'cafe' was it? obviously not a greasy spoon...

I get fed up being ripped off when out with children. The meals are either hideously expensive and the kids wont eat it, or a scrap of a sandwich at £4.00. Our local tea room offers a childrens menu with sandwiches with Jam, peanut butter or Tuna Mayo for £2.95 which is okish but the price of a drink is £2.00 so it is £5 before you even get to the adult food and drinks.

ImSoNotTelling · 12/02/2010 20:19

No side salad garnish or crisps?

Like cheese on toast in a caff type cafe rather than poncy?

Yes £3.50 too much then.

MadameDefarge · 12/02/2010 20:19

Come to my lovely cafe! I have a whole kids menu planned which will not involve prices over £2.50

ImSoNotTelling · 12/02/2010 20:21

Ok then! Where is it?

thisisyesterday · 12/02/2010 20:22

i'd love to start a cafe.
it would have a HUGE playpen right in the middle to put babies in, so you could sit and eat while they play.

and it would have nice food and homemade cakes, and it would have stuff that is dairy and egg free for poor allergy babies like ds2

UndomesticHousewife · 12/02/2010 20:33

thisisyesterday, I have a local cafe that is fab it has great food and a childs play area, fenced with latch, with chairs right around the area so you can see in. And they give free coffee refills.
I love it in there, we take the kids in for breafast after the school run and then sit there for 2 hours chatting while the kids play.