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Wow. What would you consider a middle of the road restaurant for lunch? I work in some of the most expensive cities in the US and still find an average lunch to be under 20 bucks.
For 2 people?
Even going someplace like Smashburer or Panera is close to $20 for my SO and I. We went to Cracker Barrel last weekend, and it was probably around $25. So yeah, something a little nicer would easily be closer to $30-$35.
Prices are creeping up and we are trying to determine how much is too much and how to get more value. We normally go out to lunch, since it is usually cheaper than dinner (why, I don't understand. Your stomach can't tell the difference).
Lunches are a smaller portion, so of course they charge less.
If you eat at a lot of the same restaurants, see if they have a loyalty program. We like Smashburger, and will often get coupons for a free side or bogo entree through there app. Which Wich and Jersey Mike's both have points based rewards where you get a free sub after so many visits.
Buffets are fun but the tendency to abuse it is a bit too much for me, you might feel like you are stretching your dollar but what your doing is stretching your stomach.
Lately my friend and I split meals at the restaurant so a 12 or 15 dollar meal goes a lot further and we are healthier for it.
We're retired so unless it's a special event we usually take advantage of late lunches & happy hours. One place we like is Old Spaghetti Factory, lunch is around $8.00 and is served until 4pm, the servings are about the same sizes as dinner which is $13.95 except you don't get desert (a scoop of ice cream) with lunch. The other benefit is that they when you buy four week day lunches the 5th is free. I've pretty much given up on Groupon the restaurants that offer specials on there usually do so because they suck so bad they can't get customers without practically giving the food away
My wife and I go out to eat a lot, but like most people, we are on a budget. Prices are creeping up and we are trying to determine how much is too much and how to get more value. We normally go out to lunch, since it is usually cheaper than dinner (why, I don't understand. Your stomach can't tell the difference). For you out there is CD land, how much is too much to pay for a restaurant meal, especially for lunch? Do you prefer fast casual, casual, fast food, buffets, cafeteria style, or something else? For the restaurant haters, I know eating at home is cheaper, but I'm interested in restaurant diners specifically
If you can't afford it then it is too much.
Obviously prices will vary depending on where you live. The other day my lunch (just for me) was 39 dollars before the tip. Usually I don't spend more than 15. My friends and I like to try new places. Had that been a great lunch I would be OK with it, but it was just average so I won't return there.
One thing I have discovered is frequently DH and I can split a meal. Neither of us want leftovers. We each had a cup of soup and split an order of fish and chips the other day. At Mexican restaurants they frequently serve an obscene amount of food. Get creative about what you order if you want to keep the price down. Maybe you want to eat an entire 14 dollar burger, but I have found that neither DH or myself will finish one. We've taken to splitting that sort of thing rather than each throwing out half a meal.
My wife and I go out to eat a lot, but like most people, we are on a budget. Prices are creeping up and we are trying to determine how much is too much and how to get more value. We normally go out to lunch, since it is usually cheaper than dinner (why, I don't understand. Your stomach can't tell the difference). For you out there is CD land, how much is too much to pay for a restaurant meal, especially for lunch? Do you prefer fast casual, casual, fast food, buffets, cafeteria style, or something else? For the restaurant haters, I know eating at home is cheaper, but I'm interested in restaurant diners specifically
I can't (and don't want to) eat a lot at one meal. So for me, I dislike eating out simply due to the oversized portions and overpricing that goes along with it. My BF feels exactly the same way. Don't want to have to share a meal (although we sometimes do if we want the same thing) and don't particularly want to carry home a doggie bag as neither of us loves leftovers.
So, that said...when we do decide to eat out, for a "nothing special" dinner, we don't like spending over $40 for the two of us. It just doesn't make sense for us.
For lunch...I'd say $20 - $25 is our limit. One of our favorite places is Panera's - we get a bowl of soup with a baguette, and share a drink. That comes to about $18 - which frankly, is highway robbery. But, we do it occasionally.
I never eat out for lunch at work - have brought my own lunch for over 20 years.
Depends on what kind of place it is. I got fast last night from a hamburger place for me and DH. Two patty melts and two tater tots was $27. I think that is completely ridiculous. Won't be going there again.
But a nice restaurant I wouldn't hesitate to spend $30-$50 per person and for a special occasion maybe $100 per person.
One of the normal places we go for lunch on our occasional day off runs about $36 for 2 burgers (fancy with caramelized onions, mushrooms, brie and tomato jam) and a couple pints of craft beer, tip and tax puts it around $45. That's pretty normal for the resort area we live in at a "locals" restaurant, if we were eating slope side the same meal would be closer to $56 before tax and tip.
For a special occasion, I have no problem with a $100+ tasting menu plus wine. For example, Aureole, the Charlie Palmer place in Manhattan, has a $95 three course dinner menu, a $125 five course tasting menu, and a $148 seven course tasting menu. That's a once every few years event for me.
Expense report dining, the bean counters get crazed at more than $40 for dinner unless it's a major city. I'll happily tag along if someone else is expensing it but I try to keep it under $40 and if I have one expensive meal more than that, I'll try to offset it with several cheaper dinners.
When it's just the two of us, we're usually under $100. On a trip, we might do a couple of splurge meals.
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