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Should I mention the restaurant I worked at charged $18 for the salad... which I did make table side... a Cesar salad, with dressing made in front of you. It was the experience people came for.
Should I mention the restaurant I worked at charged $18 for the salad... which I did make table side... a Cesar salad, with dressing made in front of you. It was the experience people came for.
I believe it: as I mentioned back a little, we paid that much for an oriental salad with chicken at the Miami Airport Hilton a few weeks ago. It was really good, but not all that large. Without the chicken it was a little less. I think without the chicken it was about $13 or $14.
Maybe if there was gold in it. Or if it was really big, really good or really filling.
i am finding it hard to understand where some people eat if they are not accustom to seeing salads at $8 on a menu, even at places like TGIF or Denny's for that matter.
Jasper, you nailed it: we can always make it cheaper at home, but we go out because we enjoy eating out, we know we are paying for that pleasure. Yes, sometimes I do think the prices are out of line and no, I don't eat out as often as many, but if I find a place that is over our budget we just don't go back. The perfect example: PF Changs. I used to love to eat there, but lately the prices have shot up and the quality and quantity have gone down. We just don't go there.
i am finding it hard to understand where some people eat if they are not accustom to seeing salads at $8 on a menu, even at places like TGIF or Denny's for that matter.
I am going under the assumption that they are from a very small town. But then again my small town mom & pop burger place charges $8.00 for a burger (given it has everything on it) and that is not including fries or a drink. I went once and the bill was $13.00 just for me!
I wonder what the salad did look like. If it was just iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots, a tomato slice and few cucumbers in a tiny bowl I would be a bit irate paying $8.00 but if it was like we all have been saying bigger or entree size I do not see the problem in paying $8.00.
My sister walked out of a restaraunt while having lunch with some co workers because she refused to pay 8.00 for a tossed salad . would you pay 8.00 for a tossed salad ? I would'nt . She did explain before she walked out that she simply cannot afford to spend that much on lunch . How many of you would pay that for a tossed salad ?
Why would you embarrass yourself like that? If you go to a sit down restaurant, not a fast food place you should expect to pay $10 plus for lunch. Even if its just a salad and tea.
And most side salads are a lot smaller than what they serve as a salad for a meal.
Besides the fact that the dishes has to pay the rent, utility, products, advertising, labor and make profit - most people would think that $8 salad is outrageous expensive ( true), but have no problem paying for soda from the fountain that sells for 20 x the restaurant's cost ( more if the glass is full of ice ).
Other big time mark-ups: wine by the glass ( 300-400% mark-up), beer cost roughly 25 cents on the dollar, spirits even less - 22 cents on the dollar ( wholesale cost of the item, without factoring in labor and overhead).
Most restaurants sell their pasta dishes for 6 - 10 x more than cost, margin for a scramble is about 80%, large cheese pie that sells for $16 to $20 probably only cost $2.50 in ingredients, mixed green salads diners order for $8 - $10 cost the restaurant no more than $1.60.
Now when you think about the mark-ups ( including all overhead costs ) then:
Wine by the glass: up to 5 x
Mixed green salad: up to 8 x
Fountain soda: 20 x
Eggs: 5 x
Pizza: about 8 x
Some pastas: 6 - 10 x
are the profit makers
and
Steak: Restaurants break even or lose
Seafood: Break even or lose
Not always true. I had a $12.99 steak special on Fridays that was steak and baked potato. My cost was a box of 30 8oz ribeyes for $60 and a box of large potatoes at $25.
I would also sell a lot of grilled grouper plates with vegetables right at $15 and my cost was under $3 a plate.
My b-i-l has a high end restaurant and sell ribeye plates right at $30 and his cost is under $10 a plate, same with seafood.
Why would you embarrass yourself like that? If you go to a sit down restaurant, not a fast food place you should expect to pay $10 plus for lunch. Even if its just a salad and tea.
And most side salads are a lot smaller than what they serve as a salad for a meal.
busta
I am thinking that the OP must be someone who doesn't get out much, except maybe for McDonalds.
I am traveling in Kentucky and stopped at a restaurant where I haven't dined before. I thought of this thread when I ordered, because the side salads were $8.95 and $7.95. No meat, just leaf lettuce, tomato, cukes, red onions, feta cheese and house dressing.
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