aTm2004 said:

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We have 3 kids and rarely eat out at an actual sit down restaurant, and when we do eat out, it's usually grabbing a couple of pizzas or fast food due to running around for kid's events, and even then, we go where we have coupons or some kind of incentive. We went out and had Mexican food a couple of weeks ago for my birthday and our bill was almost $90 before tip, and that was with 2 kids meals, a queso, no fajitas, and everyone drinking water (outside of the drinks that came with the kids meal). No alcohol or anything. While walking back to the van, my wife said "we won't be doing this too often." It's insane. When you start looking at the cost per person of going out vs cooking at home, spending 20 minutes whipping something up real quick looks really appetizing.

And to couple that with property taxes and homeowners insurance costs stupid expensive, I just don't know how sustainable this is. What I put away each month for taxes and insurance is almost as much as my mortgage payment on a 15 year loan.

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My Christmas present to myself this year is a rolling suit bag and paying property taxes on 3 properties

My son and I went to Chicken Express during the holidays.

3 piece mixed with two sides and a 4 piece tender with two sides, no drinks.... $26.

LOL, crazy!

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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Wife's bday is in a couple of days and I'm sure the dinner will be north of $200.

Prosperdick said:

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I watched that segment and they totally nailed it. These pizza places all source their ingredients from Sysco and as a result, they all taste the same...crappy.

I live in Prosper and the only pizza place I'll go is Mama's Pizza in Plano, which is a long drive for me (but I work from home so not that big a deal). Is it more expensive, definitely, but it's 100 times better than the chains. What's ironic is they actually are a chain, just a small one. I think there are around a dozen of them left, mostly in Dallas and Fort Worth and surrounding towns.

I seriously doubt they source their ingredients from Sysco, which is why they are more expensive but actually taste good. We don't go often (which is good because it's certainly not healthy) but worth it.

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Mamas is the best. Started on Berry Street by TCU. I actually ate there about two week ago. Great pizza

agsalaska said:

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Prosperdick said:

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I watched that segment and they totally nailed it. These pizza places all source their ingredients from Sysco and as a result, they all taste the same...crappy.

I live in Prosper and the only pizza place I'll go is Mama's Pizza in Plano, which is a long drive for me (but I work from home so not that big a deal). Is it more expensive, definitely, but it's 100 times better than the chains. What's ironic is they actually are a chain, just a small one. I think there are around a dozen of them left, mostly in Dallas and Fort Worth and surrounding towns.

I seriously doubt they source their ingredients from Sysco, which is why they are more expensive but actually taste good. We don't go often (which is good because it's certainly not healthy) but worth it.

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Mamas is the best. Started on Berry Street by TCU. I actually ate there about two week ago. Great pizza

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There actually used to be on in College Station and that was the first time I ever had it all the way back in the fall of 1989. It eventually closed down (likely because it is more expensive) but I wonder if it would do well there now as times have definitely changed in B/CS.

I remember it well in CS, was good Pizza. I knew someone that worked there and it was some kind of real estate issue that forced them to close. I think it only lasted about 18 months.

aggieforester05 said:

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Fuzzy Dunlop said:

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One thing to consider here is DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc. Many people pay a premium to stay home and let a driver bring it to you. This drives up the cost of the food. I believe that many restaurants have added to the price of food becuase they have to pay these delivery companies a portion of the price.

We don't use DoorDash, but a friend of mine spends hundreds of dollars a month to have food delivered. It doesn't make any sense to me. If we order out, I'll go pick it up.

Now, I may be wrong about some of this (I probably am), but I think these delivery services are making restaurants look less busy, while in fact, they are just as busy, maybe busier. The patrons are not at the restaurant, though, and price of food for people who do eat there, is going up.

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When I was in the restaurant business we had a location in DFW briefly that had Uber Eats. Uber Eats would charge us 35% of the order total before charging the customers whatever fees they charged them. We were not allowed to increase our prices for those orders. Typically restaurants make nowhere near 35% profit, so we'd lose substantial money on every Uber Eats order. Those companies are a total ripoff for the consumer and the restaurant.

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Makes sense. I've never used Uber Easts or Door Dash one time. If I'm not cooking and picking up food, I'd rather just drive to go get it myself. 1)I don't think I'd trust the people delivering it anyway and 2) what if I'm not the first drop off spot on their route and my food comes cold.

txyaloo said:

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No Spin Ag said:

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YouBet said:

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The fast food and fast casual places have all reported large drops in business from younger people and those under certain income levels. All part of the K economy.

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Very true.

I frequent fast-casual places for lunch since they're healthier than fast food, and I've seen there be fewer and fewer people in them as time has gone by.

It says a lot when an increase of a buck or two for a meal can make things too expensive for people.

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I've ordered the same meal fairly consistently at Whataburger since 2010. It was $12 back then. Today it's $25.

In 2010, I'd eat there 3-4x a week. In 2025, I eat there maybe 4-5x a year. I refuse to pay $25 for "fast" food, that isn't fast, and always has something wrong or missing. Might as well go to a real restaurant for that price and time commitment.

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No offense, but I sure hope that is for multiple people. $25 at Whataburger gets you 2 of their meal deals.

used to be a great BoneDaddy's in Plano!

you guys whining about restaurants down in Texas need to get a clue. it's twice as expensive in north Maryland.

Dallas is one of the most insane restaurant scenes I have ever observed.


The Dallas-Fort Worth metro area has approximately 16,000 restaurants as of recent data from 2024/2025.

What bugs me about DD and UE abd GH is that the prices are different over the app than if call them and order. Why the F will I pay more? "We have costs to pay for" is not good enough, that is for the company to figure out. I am not paying $18 over DD when I can get $16 by calling in.

I never have them deliver, so this would make it convenient to order so I can pick it up and they can use it to funnel in promos etc. Canada does it well. Here we try to nickel and dime people so they are put off.

I almost never find these apps useful for my particular use case.

infinity ag said:

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What bugs me about DD and UE abd GH is that the prices are different over the app than if call them and order. Why the F will I pay more? "We have costs to pay for" is not good enough, that is for the company to figure out. I am not paying $18 over DD when I can get $16 by calling in.

I never have them deliver, so this would make it convenient to order so I can pick it up and they can use it to funnel in promos etc. Canada does it well. Here we try to nickel and dime people so they are put off.

I almost never find these apps useful for my particular use case.

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The difference is the fee to cover DD's delivery. It's not going to be free.

You can order DD and pick it up.

Basically DD and UE act like a broker to drive business. More like a credit card where people can get "deals". It is generally a slight lower for the actual restaurant.

texagbeliever said:

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You can order DD and pick it up.

Basically DD and UE act like a broker to drive business. More like a credit card where people can get "deals". It is generally a slight lower for the actual restaurant.

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Well, that's f'ing stupid.

Out of all the threads on this forum related to the economy this one scares me the most.

If you guys are really this focused on food pricing and it is affecting you that much, we are about to get screwed in the economy.

I assume everyone here is basically in the top 20% of earners, so I can't even imagine what is happening to the bottom half if you guys are having an issue.

Uber Eats and Door Dash have cornered the market on online restaurant transactions. Sure a big chain can compete but smaller ones likely have a clunky / outdated system not to mention that the credit card is already setup through DD / UE.

Tom Fox said:

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Out of all the threads on this forum related to the economy this one scares me the most.

If you guys are really this focused on food pricing and it is affecting you that much, we are about to get screwed in the economy.

I assume everyone here is basically in the top 20% of earners, so I can't even imagine what is happening to the bottom half if you guys are having an issue.

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Yeah, I didn't want to sound like an elitist ahole, but I've had the same thoughts. When I see some of the numbers on here that people lament about, I realize I have no context and/or I'm out of touch. My wife and I have always spent a lot on food whether it's grocery or restaurants. I bet our average meal out is $75 and we rarely get out of anywhere for less than $50. And she hasn't drank alcohol in 6 years on top of that. I still do although not nearly at the pace I once did.

We average $1,400 per month at HEB which I'm sure is a shocking number to most people since it's just the two of us.

When we were in Dallas and both drinking, our food+drink bill was something to behold. I'm guessing our monthly spend on food is still higher than most on here even living in a small town with few restaurants to choose from because we just don't buy crap food, generally speaking.

Tom Fox said:

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Out of all the threads on this forum related to the economy this one scares me the most.

If you guys are really this focused on food pricing and it is affecting you that much, we are about to get screwed in the economy.

I assume everyone here is basically in the top 20% of earners, so I can't even imagine what is happening to the bottom half if you guys are having an issue.

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I'm amazed that the bottom has not fallen out on demand already at these price levels.

I found that segment pretty lame. They just did some sort of quasi (fake) debate about restaurants... Each guy trying to one up other that they know better for some reason..... The discussion on here is a lot better...

Logos Stick said:

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Tom Fox said:

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Out of all the threads on this forum related to the economy this one scares me the most.

If you guys are really this focused on food pricing and it is affecting you that much, we are about to get screwed in the economy.

I assume everyone here is basically in the top 20% of earners, so I can't even imagine what is happening to the bottom half if you guys are having an issue.

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I'm amazed that the bottom has not fallen out on demand already at these price levels.

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I think like a lot of things it's going to be gradually then suddenly for some of the food chains. All of the fast casual places have already issued major red flags for their sector as the prices are now out of reach for the demographic they cater to.

Food costs are an everyman cost. We all have to eat.

We don't all have to:
drink alcohol
wear Prada/Gucci/name brand here clothing
drive a Bentley
wear jewelry
etc.

But the one unifying factor of life? We all need to eat/drink.

Food costs are ridiculous and nothing is really being done to combat it. In fact, a lot is being done that exacerbates the issue. And, food costs absolutely will be an item of concern during next year's midterms.

YouBet said:

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infinity ag said:

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What bugs me about DD and UE abd GH is that the prices are different over the app than if call them and order. Why the F will I pay more? "We have costs to pay for" is not good enough, that is for the company to figure out. I am not paying $18 over DD when I can get $16 by calling in.

I never have them deliver, so this would make it convenient to order so I can pick it up and they can use it to funnel in promos etc. Canada does it well. Here we try to nickel and dime people so they are put off.

I almost never find these apps useful for my particular use case.

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The difference is the fee to cover DD's delivery. It's not going to be free.

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I am not doing delivery. I always pick up myself.

The only time I'll use the app is to order. Now if they charge me for the convenience of ordering via their app, then I'd rather call. Some restaurants even give me 10% off if I pay cash, so I get some discount as well!

Either way, it is bad business to have different prices for the same item, people feel cheated. Just be upfront and add a "service charge". But no, they want to mislead people who don't check prices.

Tom Fox said:

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Out of all the threads on this forum related to the economy this one scares me the most.

If you guys are really this focused on food pricing and it is affecting you that much, we are about to get screwed in the economy.

I assume everyone here is basically in the top 20% of earners, so I can't even imagine what is happening to the bottom half if you guys are having an issue.

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You are right that we are screwed, but not for the reason above.

It is being smart to check prices before paying. Some are okay paying a markup just because they order through the app. I am not, even though it is just a few dollars and I can easily afford it. But that is not the point.

The Bottom half in America is totally screwed and it will only get worse. No job, no savings, no health, no future. Bleak.

You guys must be terrible at ordering. I've got a friend that is too. Favorite pizza place has a giant slice, salad and drink for $9.95. Somehow he's always at $15 or more because he can't figure out how to find the deals in the menu. I go to some nice places for lunch 2 or 3 days a week and I never spend the amounts I'm seeing here.

jja79 said:

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You guys must be terrible at ordering. I've got a friend that is too. Favorite pizza place has a giant slice, salad and drink for $9.95. Somehow he's always at $15 or more because he can't figure out how to find the deals in the menu. I go to some nice places for lunch 2 or 3 days a week and I never spend the amounts I'm seeing here.

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I don't go out to eat but maybe once a month, or so, with my son, his mother (my ex) and his siblings (my stepkids). It's just too expensive, and I'd rather just eat stuff at my place. I'm not lazy, so I make bfast, lunch and dinner for myself.

Food prices, in general, are just too high. That's what happens when you elect fiscal liberals for decades.

No. Next topic.

You know what would solve this?

More foreign aid.

We eat at home six days a week. Cook 5 of them and pizza on fridays. This probably sounds old school to the young's but I like the process of making dinner and eating as a family at the table every night. Gives us a chance to sit down away from distractions and recap the day.

You should be. I went to Costco yesterday and our usual $350 buy is over $500 now. The coffee we buy went from $60 to $76.

The interesting thing is that energy is not a contributor. I can't wait to see what happens next summer!

texagbeliever said:

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Uber Eats and Door Dash have cornered the market on online restaurant transactions. Sure a big chain can compete but smaller ones likely have a clunky / outdated system not to mention that the credit card is already setup through DD / UE.

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This is what I do for a living with restaurants. The problem is that even when you show them a better system that will save their customers money and them as well they don't care. Customers are fine paying these prices so the restaurants themselves don't care.

To many people that have been a server or "know how to cook" open a restaurant and they are business people or understand how to truly run a business. Margins are tight and they should be squeezing every little bit they can.

DD/Uber have a place in all restaurants and when used effectively are great for building business.

Queso1 said:

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You know what would solve this?

More foreign aid.

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Our politicians always have the bestest solutions everrrrrrr!

I haven't eaten out at night but twice the last 3 years. I go out for lunch 4 times a week or so and it's not that expensive if you know how to order. Never drink in a bar because it's stupid expensive.

BoneDaddy's was okay BBQ but made up for it by being a breastaurant. When they decided to cover everyone up and have regular servers, but not lower their prices or improve their quality of food, they started having to close most of their locations for some reason.

jja79 said:

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I haven't eaten out at night bet twice the last 3 years. I go out for lunch 4 times a week or so and it's not that expensive if you know how to order. Never drink in a bar because it's stupid expensive.

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I work evenings/nights managing a team in a factory, and I don't drink alcohol, so got you beat. ;-)

2 Beef Fajita plates at the Alamo Cafe = $60...Now, I just order off of the ala carte menu, and simply don't eat as much....and that is good for the old waistline...