Omperlodge said:

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I think how they have applied inflation has hurt their business more than anything else. They want to maintain their old margins at new higher costs. For instance, if your costs where $3 and you sold it for $10 you made $7. Now your costs are $6 and instead of going to $13 you go to $20. This runs off customers and you don't even notice it at first because those that do still come are covering the 50% drop in customers. Then those stop coming and you go out of business.

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Another problem is that many of them are looking at increased costs from the 3rd party companies and refuse to correct it. They all think that the 3rd party delivery companies are a necessity in today's environment and are scared to increase their pricing on the platform to discourage orders. They may go up a little to help cover some of the cost, but not the full 20-30%. This difference has to be made up by the dine in customers.

Pretty entertaining that the consumers that use DD/Uber the most are the ones that complain they have no money, yet can afford inflated pricing on the apps. As well hurting the entire industry by increase pricing across the board to cover the cost of the apps.

MemphisAg1 said:

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I travel a lot for business.

Restaurants are packed, no matter where in the US you go.

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THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE

and also to Infinity's point they are absurdly expensive.

as a single guy most of the time I am going to restaurants are business meetings and birthday lunches with the occassional date thrown in.

much happier when the company is paying!

prices of a POKE BOWL OF SALMON are near $18 in the DC suburbs!!

rice, some salmon, a few bites of pineapple, sauce

$18!!!

n_touch said:

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BonfireNerd04 said:

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US tipping culture needs to die.

Abolish the subminimum wage. Make restaurants fulfill their duty to pay their workers instead of guilt-tripping customers into doing it. Raise the price of the food accordingly. Be like the rest of the world.

I'm tired at being prompted to pay 20% or more just for someone doing their normal job. Especially when it's at a restaurant that doesn't even have waiters, but just gives you your food over the counter. Quit pretending that it's "too complicated" to disable the tip prompts on the card reader.

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Removing tipping all together would decimate the restaurant industry. Also, a good server can make more than an hourly wage that a restaurant owner would be willing to pay at a decent restaurant. Right now the issue is exactly what you are saying about tipping to do your normal job. It was never designed for the Starbucks barista making $15/hour or the Subway sandwich worker making $10/hr. Being hit with tips from every angle is what is causing the issue.

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This, you're not going to get decent servers working for minimum wage. To match what they make now restaurants would have to increase their prices to a point that you'd be spending more than if you just tipped 20%.

Eating at restaurants in Europe and Asia is very different in my experience and not typically a better one. It's really hard to explain, but the food and service is not really what you expect if you're used to American dining.

If people think getting rid of "tipping culture" in full service restaurants is going to save them money and not impact their service, then they need to rethink that position.

cab559 said:

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aggieforester05 said:

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cab559 said:

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aggieforester05 said:

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I took my wife to a nice restaurant for her birthday. We both got a ribeye that came with potatoes and asparagus. Chips/Queso for appetizer. She got one old fashion and I got one beer. $176 plus tip came out to $211. Date night has gotten a little steep to say the least.

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I'm curious which 'nice' restaurants offer chips and queso as an appetizer with the option for a ribeye entree? Sounds like absurd prices for a Chili's or Applebee's.

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Local restaurant - the queso had veggies and filet in it, plus chips made in house. It was like $20 and entrees pretty much started at $50 a piece which is where the real cost was. I haven't been to a Chili's or Applebees in years and don't plan to ever go to one again. I appreciate that you think so highly of me that you think I'd take my wife to one of those crappy chains for a her birthday. You really think it cost $176 to get two steaks, queso, and two drinks at Applebees or Chili's? Inflation is bad, but not that bad.

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I was making a joke hence the smiling the emoji... I didn't figure you actually went to a chain

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I get it, no hard feelings, I'll edit my former post. I shouldn't have taken it seriously and I apologize.

company taking us out for my birthday lunch to the best sushi west of Tokyo:

https://www.kemasushi.com/

very expensive!

MemphisAg1 said:

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I travel a lot for business.

Restaurants are packed, no matter where in the US you go.

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The data shows otherwise

500,000ags said:

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3. Restaurant operators are rarely business savvy.

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"Restaurant Impossible" with Chef Robert Irvine used to be one of my favorite shows.

One of the common themes of the show is that owners had no clue about food costs, labor costs, pricing, etc. And they invariably relied on frozen/ pre-packaged items that were simply heated up rather than actually cooked.

The other big issue was cleanliness. Most of the restaurants featured were nasty, both in the kitchen and the dining room. Very little attention to detail.

n_touch said:

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BonfireNerd04 said:

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US tipping culture needs to die.

Abolish the subminimum wage. Make restaurants fulfill their duty to pay their workers instead of guilt-tripping customers into doing it. Raise the price of the food accordingly. Be like the rest of the world.

I'm tired at being prompted to pay 20% or more just for someone doing their normal job. Especially when it's at a restaurant that doesn't even have waiters, but just gives you your food over the counter. Quit pretending that it's "too complicated" to disable the tip prompts on the card reader.

---

Removing tipping all together would decimate the restaurant industry. Also, a good server can make more than an hourly wage that a restaurant owner would be willing to pay at a decent restaurant. Right now the issue is exactly what you are saying about tipping to do your normal job. It was never designed for the Starbucks barista making $15/hour or the Subway sandwich worker making $10/hr. Being hit with tips from every angle is what is causing the issue.

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You argument is just like the "we don't have skills in America so need to hire H1Bs from India" that corporations dish out.

BBRex said:

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Yep. Also, Europeans brag about not having to tip, then come to the U.S. and are amazed at good service. I don't think the system is ideal, but there are some good points.

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Good service? In America??

Those days are long gone. Yes, in high end restaurants sure. But not in average places. I've been to places in Europe where service was very good. America isn't any better.

LMCane said:

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prices of a POKE BOWL OF SALMON are near $18 in the DC suburbs!!

rice, some salmon, a few bites of pineapple, sauce

$18!!!

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Bro...it's called a POKE bowl....that name is there for a reason, 'mano.

Going to Chops in Atlanta tonight for the girlfriend's 50th bday. The 35-day aged 40 oz porterhouse is only $195. Wagyu filet, 8 oz is only $312. Please say a prayer for my wallet tonight.

Probably get the bone-in filet for a bargain basement $85. You can get fish for $40, so that's not too crazy. We live in the boonies and rarely eat out and this is a big one, so I'm ok with blowing it out tonight.

https://chopslobsterbar.com/atlanta-chops-lobster-bar-menu/

LMCane said:

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company taking us out for my birthday lunch to the best sushi west of Tokyo:

https://www.kemasushi.com/

very expensive!

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That's not that bad.

Restaurants? I can't afford to pay for raw beef from the supermarket!

GeorgiAg said:

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LMCane said:

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company taking us out for my birthday lunch to the best sushi west of Tokyo:

https://www.kemasushi.com/

very expensive!

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That's not that bad.

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No, it's not. It's pretty much on par with PF Changs, though it looks infinitely better.

GeorgiAg said:

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Going to Chops in Atlanta tonight for the girlfriend's 50th bday. The 35-day aged 40 oz porterhouse is only $195. Wagyu filet, 8 oz is only $312. Please say a prayer for my wallet tonight.

Probably get the bone-in filet for a bargain basement $85. You can get fish for $40, so that's not too crazy. We live in the boonies and rarely eat out and this is a big one, so I'm ok with blowing it out tonight.

https://chopslobsterbar.com/atlanta-chops-lobster-bar-menu/

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Do us all a favor and post pics and your reviews of this place.

I have no problem shelling out that type of money for a meal, but more often than not, I've found the food to be good, but way overpriced.

Still, enjoy, may the gods have mercy on your wallet, and get back to us if you survive.

Took my wife to a decent/ok sushi restaurant last night. She had a nice rainbow roll and i had a shrimp and tuna roll plus a yellowtail handroll. We both had one glass of chardonnay. The total was just under $60. I left a 20% tip.

I didn't sound overly priced to me...I was trying to figure out how they covered direct cost and overhead - knowing those costs have skyrocketed too. Everything's expensive.

infinity ag said:

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n_touch said:

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BonfireNerd04 said:

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US tipping culture needs to die.

Abolish the subminimum wage. Make restaurants fulfill their duty to pay their workers instead of guilt-tripping customers into doing it. Raise the price of the food accordingly. Be like the rest of the world.

I'm tired at being prompted to pay 20% or more just for someone doing their normal job. Especially when it's at a restaurant that doesn't even have waiters, but just gives you your food over the counter. Quit pretending that it's "too complicated" to disable the tip prompts on the card reader.

---

Removing tipping all together would decimate the restaurant industry. Also, a good server can make more than an hourly wage that a restaurant owner would be willing to pay at a decent restaurant. Right now the issue is exactly what you are saying about tipping to do your normal job. It was never designed for the Starbucks barista making $15/hour or the Subway sandwich worker making $10/hr. Being hit with tips from every angle is what is causing the issue.

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You argument is just like the "we don't have skills in America so need to hire H1Bs from India" that corporations dish out.

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For that to be the case your argument would be that only big companies are using tips to stay in business and keep prices where they are. Removing all tipping and forcing restaurants into paying what their servers are currently making now with tips would skyrocket cost and actually kill service as we know it. If you think a cashier making $10/hr at HEB can care less about the service you get, wait till you get a server handling your food for $10/hr that knows that is all they will get.

No Spin Ag said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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Going to Chops in Atlanta tonight for the girlfriend's 50th bday. The 35-day aged 40 oz porterhouse is only $195. Wagyu filet, 8 oz is only $312. Please say a prayer for my wallet tonight.

Probably get the bone-in filet for a bargain basement $85. You can get fish for $40, so that's not too crazy. We live in the boonies and rarely eat out and this is a big one, so I'm ok with blowing it out tonight.

https://chopslobsterbar.com/atlanta-chops-lobster-bar-menu/

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Do us all a favor and post pics and your reviews of this place.

I have no problem shelling out that type of money for a meal, but more often than not, I've found the food to be good, but way overpriced.

Still, enjoy, may the gods have mercy on your wallet, and get back to us if you survive.

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I've been there a few times, back in less expensive times. Also been to Lobster Bar (sister restaurant below) a few times. Took a Tinder, Match, Bumble whatever date there one time about 9 years ago and she turned out to be an ex-stripper from the Cheetah. Shocking, they don't list that on their profile. That was the end of that date. (Well not immediately, but there wasn't a next date.) She took me to the Cheetah afterwards. Fun night, but not the kind of girl you can take home to momma. At least she didn't have a pet monkey.

The steak tartar is awesome. They bring out a cart and make it in front of you.

No Spin Ag said:

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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If you're a half-way decent cook going out just isn't worth it. Just wasting money on food that isn't as good as what I make at home.

Now I will gladly spend money at the local taco shop becuase i don't have a shawarma grill to cook al pastor on.

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Ditto, but for me it's more for good ME food, like Shawarma, Kibbeh balls, or Baba Ghanoush.

Throw in homemade Hummus and pita chips, and I'm so there.

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apart from Tel Aviv, a great place for what you wrote in Dallas is:

BABOUSH

on McKinney Avenue

the decor is very Middle Eastern, the wait staff kind of sucks but it's laid back and not too crowded if you go early.

No restaurants are not dying. Below average restaurants charging too much are. HTH.

Perhaps it's just me, but I'm surprised delivered prepared foods from restaurants are as popular as they are.

The few times I tried it back during COVID mania, the food disappointed, because it was just not very hot.

Hell, I even drive up the street to pick up pizza, not because I'm too cheap to pay for delivery and tip (although I am fairly cheap), but because I can be there when it comes out of the oven and get back to my house in a flash.

As pizza cools, it just loses its appeal. Even pizza on one of those pizza buffet lines is marginal if you don't get it as soon as it's put out.

But again, that's probably just me.

Ribeye-Rare said:

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Perhaps it's just me, but I'm surprised delivered prepared foods from restaurants are as popular as they are.

The few times I tried it back during COVID mania, the food disappointed, because it was just not very hot.

Hell, I even drive up the street to pick up pizza, not because I'm too cheap to pay for delivery and tip (although I am fairly cheap), but because I can be there when it comes out of the oven and get back to my house in a flash.

As pizza cools, it just loses its appeal. Even pizza on one of those pizza buffet lines is marginal if you don't get it as soon as it's put out.

But again, that's probably just me.

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Ooni pizza oven FTW. Super easy and inexpensive to make. We do that pretty much every Sunday for dinner. 700-800 degree oven. Can't get much hotter than that!

I make the dough, Kitchenaide mixer with dough hook. Let it rest and rise for a few hours, divide it, roll it out, add your toppings, cook for about a minute or less and boom.

Rarely do I eat out and think "yeah, that was worth it."

Here's some Whataburger and Chipotle receipts from 2017. Significant price increases.

Whataburger Sweet and Spicy combo in 2017 was $8.09. It is now $11.89.

Chipotle's chicken bowl in 2017 was 6.50. It now $9.50. Kid's quesadilla is now $5.

I have plenty of receipts and can pull pricing for many years.

lil99chris said:

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Here's some Whataburger and Chipotle receipts from 2017. Significant price increases.

Whataburger Sweet and Spicy combo in 2017 was $8.09. It is now $11.89.

Chipotle's chicken bowl in 2017 was 6.50. It now $9.50. Kid's quesadilla is now $5.

I have plenty of receipts and can pull pricing for many years.

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It is annoying but on the other side of things, it is demand and supply. We can choose not to go there. I have reduced my restaurant eating. Healthier anyway.

If they price themselves out of the market, then it is their problem. Not mine.

rocky the dog said:

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Great menu!

I've got my order...Lobster Bisque, Caesar Salad, and the Tomahawk for 2.

Ol_Ag_02 said:

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If you're a half-way decent cook going out just isn't worth it. Just wasting money on food that isn't as good as what I make at home.

Now I will gladly spend money at the local taco shop becuase i don't have a shawarma grill to cook al pastor on.

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I've read that more and more restaurants across the country buy their food frozen from Sysco or other similar countries. The more they do that, you get the same mediocre crap wherever you go.

I used to go to one local restaurant for chicken fried steak on occasion, but their chicken fried steak quality suddenly plummeted. It had the look of being premade and frozen patty and all they had to do was to drop it in the deep fryer.

If they can't cook it at least as good as I cook it, why go?

Amen.

GeorgiAg said:

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Going to Chops in Atlanta tonight for the girlfriend's 50th bday. The 35-day aged 40 oz porterhouse is only $195. Wagyu filet, 8 oz is only $312. Please say a prayer for my wallet tonight.

Probably get the bone-in filet for a bargain basement $85. You can get fish for $40, so that's not too crazy. We live in the boonies and rarely eat out and this is a big one, so I'm ok with blowing it out tonight.

https://chopslobsterbar.com/atlanta-chops-lobster-bar-menu/

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Speakin' of the emboldened....




....you better get your bone in for them prices.

sam callahan said:

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went to a local italian restaurant last week. nothing fancy. mediocre food. entree's started at $30.

$30 for a plate of spaghetti

$4.95 for a soda/tea

It was during peak meal time and only 20% of the tables were occupied.

and I had the same thought as the OP...I'm sure they had to raise prices, but the value just isn't there anymore

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$30 spaghetti is out of hand. You have 50 cents worth of pasta, maybe $1 in sauce, 50 cents worth of parm, so about $2.00 in product costs. 20 percent occupancy tells you what everyone else already knows - that place is WAY overpriced.

eric76 said:

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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If you're a half-way decent cook going out just isn't worth it. Just wasting money on food that isn't as good as what I make at home.

Now I will gladly spend money at the local taco shop becuase i don't have a shawarma grill to cook al pastor on.

---

I've read that more and more restaurants across the country buy their food frozen from Sysco or other similar countries. The more they do that, you get the same mediocre crap wherever you go.

I used to go to one local restaurant for chicken fried steak on occasion, but their chicken fried steak quality suddenly plummeted. It had the look of being premade and frozen patty and all they had to do was to drop it in the deep fryer.

If they can't cook it at least as good as I cook it, why go?

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Everything in America is in a race to the bottom. That is very sad. Companies are in a rush to "do more with less". What that means is they give you quantity by very poor quality and at a cheaper price. Nothing seems to be getting better overall, everything seems to be degrading.

It is a problem in our culture or maybe a normal part of life.

infinity ag said:

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eric76 said:

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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If you're a half-way decent cook going out just isn't worth it. Just wasting money on food that isn't as good as what I make at home.

Now I will gladly spend money at the local taco shop becuase i don't have a shawarma grill to cook al pastor on.

---

I've read that more and more restaurants across the country buy their food frozen from Sysco or other similar countries. The more they do that, you get the same mediocre crap wherever you go.

I used to go to one local restaurant for chicken fried steak on occasion, but their chicken fried steak quality suddenly plummeted. It had the look of being premade and frozen patty and all they had to do was to drop it in the deep fryer.

If they can't cook it at least as good as I cook it, why go?

---

Everything in America is in a race to the bottom. That is very sad. Companies are in a rush to "do more with less". What that means is they give you quantity by very poor quality and at a cheaper price. Nothing seems to be getting better overall, everything seems to be degrading.

It is a problem in our culture or maybe a normal part of life.

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Yeah, I heard something like that from a German back when I was in college.

In Germany, stores like to advertise "the best quality". But the USA, they prefer to talk about "low prices" instead.