Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Cost of a restaurant meal
Old 01-11-2015, 04:54 PM   #1
Gone but not forgotten
imoldernu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Peru
Posts: 6,335
Cost of a restaurant meal

DW and I just finished a really good laugh... remembering an incident from our middle working years... maybe the mid 70's.
BIL and SIL asked us to join them and some friends for dinner at a restaurant in Albany... (can't remember the name... Maybe Lighthouse or like that). Very nice decor etc, and nice view from the dining room.
Now ya gotta understand that we're plain folk, and an expensive meal is at places like the Outback. This place was a bit different. Before we got started, two waitresses brought an hor d'oerves cart, with some different (for us) foods..., including caviar, and some items we had never heard of.
Being curious, I tried a bit of everything...
The main menu had things like buffalo steak, ostrich, giraffe etc... I chose Whale meat, but they were out of that. We had a few bottles of wine and an after dinner cocktail... A nice evening...

Until the bill... all on one check. For six of us about $450 as I recall. To DW..
"You got any money?"... Like she had about $10 and all I had was $50. (no credit cards then)...

BIL bailed us out... Bless his heart! An OMG night burned into memory, and a "never again".

Our favorite place today is our great local Chinese Restaurant... Total bill before tip for two seniors is $11.56, and it includes AYCE Salmon, Shrimp, Crab, and 80 other selections, plus 30 desserts.

So, the question: What's the most you've ever paid for a restaurant meal?
imoldernu is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 01-11-2015, 05:00 PM   #2
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
38Chevy454's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 4,353
I am not into real fancy restaurants, so my max is about $150 for wife and me, nice dinner with some wine, dessert, and tip. Even that was pretty excessive, but it was an anniversary dinner at a 4 or 5-star place that has many awards. Food was good, but I just have a hard time with that amount of money for one meal.

My wife jokes that now I only go somewhere if I have a 2-for-1 coupon
__________________
The problem isn't artificial intelligence, it's natural stupidity.

You can't spend yourself to prosperity.

Semi-Retired 7/1/16: working part-time (60%) for now [4/24/17 changed to 80%]
Retired Aug 2, 2017; age 53
38Chevy454 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:02 PM   #3
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,401
In the early 1990s a friend who liked to "live well" suggested that we dine at a gourmet restaurant. We had a lovely meal with wine and the ambience was wonderful. My share of the bill was ~$100. That friendship didn't last. I wonder why?
Meadbh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:02 PM   #4
Recycles dryer sheets
SteveNU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 416
My most expensive meals were the ones where the bill didn't come until 9 months later, still payin for those
SteveNU is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:03 PM   #5
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Sarah in SC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 13,566
I once spent $100 on booze at the rotating restaurant (at the top of some hotel) in downtown Atlanta. By myself. Good thing we took a cab back to the hotel, though honestly it was the prices more than the number that put my tab that high.

I can't think of any time I've been to a super expensive restaurant that someone else wasn't paying for it.

Like you, I'm a fan of the local, cheap place. Ours is a Mexican joint that we go to once a week.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
__________________
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching.”
Gerard Arthur Way

Sarah in SC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:25 PM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,983
After 37 years I can not recall DW and I breaking into three digits on a meal for two. As a corporate traveler I've been drug into more than a few high priced wine and dine affairs. However at this stage of the game I mostly just decline these invitations. I don't enjoy them and really resent the actions of some participants.
__________________
Took SS at 62 and hope I live long enough to regret the decision.
foxfirev5 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:36 PM   #7
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 2,745
About $250 for two in a Las Vegas hotel restaurant. We ordered a steak dinner for two plus a drink or two. These days, our dinner for two ranges from $30 - $70 using coupon where available.
robnplunder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:39 PM   #8
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
audreyh1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 38,007
We've been undershooting our budget!

So we're trying to spend bit more when we eat out, as we enjoy eating out. This includes tipping more for good service.

But we still never seem to cross $100 even though we ate out at a pretty fancy grill the other night. We don't order drinks other than a glass or two of wine occasionally.
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
audreyh1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 05:40 PM   #9
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
freebird5825's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: East Nowhere, 43N Latitude, NY
Posts: 9,037
Many moons ago, my husband and I were "told" that we would join the rest of his family at this upscale restaurant in upstate NY.
The Horned Dorset Restaurant in Leonardsville, New York
We had just bought our house (1984) and were kinda short on cash.

We ordered reasonably priced meals. His sister and her then BF considered themselves wine "connoisseurs" and proceeded to order several bottles of wine, top of the line. Then appetizers up the wazoo for everyone "to share". A lot of it went uneaten. I wouldn't go near the escargot.

We did not have any wine. We ordered beers and then water to go with the meal.

When the check came, everyone but us decided the bill would be split equally. I cannot remember the exact amount we were assessed ($75 or so ?) but I do remember that it made my eyes roll.

I cannot imagine what the same group check would come to today.
__________________
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney
freebird5825 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:10 PM   #10
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Fair Lawn
Posts: 2,940
Boy this rings a chord with me. DW and I are both small eaters (we almost always take doggie bags home from restaurants), AND we both prefer simply cooked foods. But nearly all of our friends are still working, and they enjoy going to a fancy restaurant on Saturday night.
We space out our "double-dating" and I just chalk up these high cost dinners to cost of socializing. Years ago we went to some French restaurant with 4 other couples and I can't remember the exact cost, but wow it was high, and typical of the cliche the portions were miniscule. From that experience, we do temper our friends' restaurant selections to somewhat reasonable prices.
mystang52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:18 PM   #11
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Nemo2's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
If we don't carry our own trays from the counter to the table...we don't go there.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."

The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
Nemo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:25 PM   #12
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 349
I've spent $200 or so in the city for two, bottle of wine, desserts and so forth. Here's my favorite story though. This is from a former client of mine and occurred about 25 years ago . . . you can adjust the prices.

He and his wife went to a REALLY expensive restaurant in NYC for some big celebration. They started by ordering a $300+ bottle of wine. The waiter comes out with the bottle goes over to my friend (the male) and starts to do his thing. Before he could get into it, my friend shakes his head and directs the waiter over to his wife. So the waiter looks at his wife and starts the process. My friends wife does her schtick and after tasting the wine shakes her head and tells the waiter it's just a bit off and that he should take it back. The waiter does so.

A $300+ bottle of wine (and it's just a bit off) and she tells him to take it back? So the waiter comes back out with another bottle. Repeat the scene. After tasting the 2nd bottle she shakes her head and tells the waiter it's still not right. So the waiter takes the bottle back. Meanwhile my friend is getting nervous. He doesn't know squat about wine and his wife just sent back 2 $300+ bottles of wine. These are not well-to-do people. They were just out for a once in a lifetime celebration.

So now the waiter comes back again with the 3rd bottle. This time the maître d is with the waiter. Same process as before. My friends wife smells it, takes a sip and shakes her head no. My friend is sweating bullets. The maître d smells it and takes a sip . . . he concurs with my friends wife. It's just a little off.

It turned out the whole case was bad. My wife's friend had experience as sommelier and could tell. The restaurant was quite grateful and comped the whole meal!
aim-high is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:25 PM   #13
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
Ten bucks, but I supersized .
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:26 PM   #14
Full time employment: Posting here.
ProspectiveBum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 927
I think $100 per person is the most we've paid for a meal out. I could count on 1 hand the number of times we've done that in our 20 years of marriage. If it's just us, we're much more likely to choose Chili's or a local Mexican place than somewhere "fancy".

Even with our relatively simple tastes, restaurant meals with our 2 youngish kids typically run $55-$60, including tax and tip.

I wish I enjoyed cooking at home more. We'd save a ton of money if we ate out less, but with both DW and I working full-time, we're often not in the mood to cook at the end of the day.
__________________
I can't complain, but sometimes I still do.
- Joe Walsh
ProspectiveBum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:30 PM   #15
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 233
I work in the food service industry in Las Vegas so I have seen some very large checks. I've had people order a bottle of wine for $1000 and they offered me the last glass. 1 of 3 times the wine was incredible. I think the most I spent was for my former girlfriend's bday. $350 for two tasting menus with two sake flights and that was off the strip at a high end Japanese restaurant. It was very good but my best food experience was two weeks in Thailand where the average meal for two was $6.
retirementguy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:39 PM   #16
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 605
My favorite story goes back at least 15 years. I had a very well-to-do friend with whom I would occasionally go to lunch. She would usually grab the check and even though I knew she could use it as a business expense it made me uncomfortable. So the next time we went to lunch at a nice, upscale (but not outrageous) restaurant I waited until my friend excused herself from the table and flagged down the waiter. I told him to be sure to bring the check directly to me.

Well, my friend would drink and eat pretty heavily even at lunch. Like at least 3 glasses of wine (I lost count), appetizer, soup, etc. along with an entree. I eat simply and not that much, and don't drink at lunch. So, when the check came to me and was $125 (before tip) I almost fell off my chair! Fortunately, I was still working and could afford it, but boy did that shock the daylights out of me. I did manage to keep my composure and quietly placed that check on my credit card.

To this day I maintain that my SO and I have never spent that much at a restaurant, even at dinner.
ksr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:47 PM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Midpack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,204
We were into "fancy restaurants" on an exception basis. Our record is $650 for two. We've spent over $600 several times, but at truly world renowned restaurants. Obviously we knew what we in for, and don't regret those experiences one bit. We didn't make a habit of it by any means, but you only live once, and we all have our priorities/weaknesses. But we've outgrown the need to experience really cutting edge restaurants now, been there - done that.

While working I had several meals that were far, far more expensive per person, but ordering and paying were not my call on those occasions. Customer expectations/negotiations can be pretty ridiculous...
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57

Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
Midpack is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 06:54 PM   #18
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Dash man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Limerick
Posts: 5,637
This year we paid for our son's wedding, so the bill just for the meal and open bar was around $18K. It was for about 125 people...never again.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum
Dash man is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 07:06 PM   #19
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
MooreBonds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 2,179
Quote:
Originally Posted by imoldernu View Post
The main menu had things like buffalo steak, ostrich, giraffe etc... I chose Whale meat, but they were out of that. We had a few bottles of wine and an after dinner cocktail... A nice evening...

Until the bill... all on one check. For six of us about $450 as I recall.
I assume they didn't have prices on the menu I know enough about restaurants that "if you have to ask, you probably don't want to pay the price"

Apart from a few corporate outings where someone else was picking up the tab (which easily went to the $100/person range with drinks, appetizers, etc.), the most I ever paid for on an 'average' date was about $180 for 2 for dinner, with wine/drinks, etc., at fancy schmancy places in New Orleans area. Of course, the bad thing was that it wasn't a celebration - just an "ordinary" Friday night out. Repeat on Saturday. And repeat the next few times I was down there. Needless to say, I started to realize we weren't quite on the same page financially. When I heard her make a comment about how her father would let her use his credit card in college to go out to eat with her brother (since they went to the same school far away from home), she would intentionally pick out an expensive restaurant and order filet, etc.....I kind of saw the type of person she was.

There may have been another time, like a New Year's Eve event a number of years ago, where a multi-course dinner included a band and open bar for maybe $100-$120/person, which would have been the most for my record.

If I had complete control over restaurant selection, I'd go where the food is excellent - decor and ambiance be damned! Of course, there are some high falutin' places that have excellent food, and I do splurge a few times a year on those...but I'd rather have 10 meals out at a lower price (but great tasting) restaurant than have the same money pay for just 2 meals at a place with food that might taste marginally better (but could also easily taste less appealing). And for 1 or 2 romantic nights out, I suppose I could fuss through a certain setting with higher prices just to mix it up a little bit.
__________________
Dryer sheets Schmyer sheets
MooreBonds is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2015, 08:05 PM   #20
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,342
I am in awe of these numbers. I don't think i've ever spent more than $40 at a meal and that was for two people. A couple times a year i'll pay for my share of a meal out with family for a cost of $10-20. That's a splurge for me. Usually if I eat out it's McDonald's dollar menu- $3 max.
aaronc879 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Restaurant recommendations for the Oregon coast? CourtneyC Travel Information 3 08-30-2007 08:36 PM
Restaurant recommendations in Miami donheff Other topics 7 02-13-2007 06:19 AM
Work as a prep cook in a restaurant during time-off? soupcxan Other topics 16 10-15-2006 09:00 AM
Restaurant Gift Certificates MJ Life after FIRE 9 02-26-2006 07:36 PM
Favorite Restaurant and Favorite Dish Eagle43 Other topics 71 02-19-2006 12:39 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:20 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.