When you say a meal at a restaurant is expensive, what do you mean?

[RockAndRollBallerina]

When the cost outweighs the product value. To me, McDonalds is expensive.

I could not have said that any better myself

 

[hambirg]

For me, any entree over $20 is expensive. Not necessarily too expensive for what it is or too expensive to purchase, but a more expensive meal in my opinion. I'd say a moderate entree would be from 10 to 20 and inexpensive entrees would be under 10.

Maybe things are different in different parts of the country and we don't usually go to very high end restaurants that often.

This is pretty much how I see it too. Of course you have to look at the perceived "value" too. There is a local Mom and Pop place in my area that seems a little $$, but the portions are HUGE. The kids meal burgers are 1/4lbs with all the fixings and look like a regular menu burger anywhere else. So I think it's a good value. My DD15 ordered a $12 omelet and all four of us could have eaten off her plate and still had leftovers!

And I don't know if I'm the only one, but I do honestly think in terms of my grocery budget. . .I think things like. . .dang, that one meal was groceries for a week. Or my DD9 always likes to order mac n cheese. . .and when it comes I tend to think. . .gee, I just paid $7 for a portion of a $ box of Kraft and a few baby carrots. I guess I'm just cheap.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I'd say anything over $100 (with a bottle of wine) is expensive for us. We have a couple favorite restaurants in Seattle that we will spend $100-200 at, but that's a once a year thing for us. They both serve only local organic produce and meats and the food is extremely high quality.

For regular restaurant meals, we don't normally go over $20-25 an entree, we do sometimes order a bottle of wine, and we normally do not order appetizers or dessert... simply because we do not eat that much food!

 

[shortbun]

$100 used to be expensive. In the last 5 years, it's at the high end of moderate imho.
Expensive would be $150-250 and more than that would be 'outrageous.' I've paid an outrageous sum for a meal a few times. A glorious meal in San Francisco with my sister comes to mind and several meals in Europe, particularly France. So little time, so much wine, lol! Do we spend +$100 often for a meal? No. I'd say we do it maybe once a month or less. PD, you'd rather eat a cheeseburger even if it's all free? Do you prefer PBR too?
LOL! j/k honey but I thought you had a refined pallette. You DO know that cheeseburgers are bad for you?

side note: Once DH and I spent +$100 at a vegan spot here in Columbus. He had a 'study on turnips' and I had mashed potatoes and something else that I don't even remember. The food was fine but I'm afraid the owners have a highly inflated opinion of their cuisine. We've never been back, selecting instead an organic cafe where we can eat for $40.

 

[wvjules]

BCB, can you go update the Professor thread? Thanks bunches!

As for this topic, we love to eat good food. I haven't had a meal yet that I'd consider "too expensive" for the quality of the food received.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Interesting thread...

We are going out for Mother's Day set up by my brother/GF and think it is expensive and they do not. Going to be 30ish a person. We do not ever eat at "fancy" restaurants and they are few and far between here.

However my brother/GF are always trying to get a free meal, claiming to be broke all the time & then we find out they are taking trips....

I AM NOT paying for them or ANY of my brother's. Should be interesting this sunday.

We are paying for me, dh, dd and dh's mom. We are prepared to spend 150 for mediocre food. Blah.

Editing to say, maybe the food is good. I don't have much hope though. They are known for fresh walleye and so I look at the menu and they have it fried or blackened. Their salmon is listed as "BBQed"? Really?

I will post my review....here is the restaurant. What should I get? My brother loves the walleye and my dad did not care for the walleye. He thought is was gross but he did say maybe it was an off day for them.

http://www.lazyyellow.com/PDF/Yellowstone Menu.pdf

 

[nancycg56]

We have 2 high end restaurants that we like in our area and go to one or the other on our birthdays and anniversary. The tab usually runs around $230 for the 2 of us ~ including drinks, apps, entree, dessert and usually Irish coffee or something similar and tips.

We often go out for a burger or salad or something similar and if the total bill is more $30, I'm surprised.

 

[AndreaDM]

Again, it's what I'm getting for the money. $60 at Applebees is too much, $100 at a locally owned "upscale" place isn't. The most we ever spend is about $150 at a local place that we only go to maybe once a year. That includes drinks and tips. If we splurge and go out it is to eat foods that I can't/don't cook at home, especially pricier seafoods and ethnic foods. I refuse to spend my money on crap at Olive Garden when my pasta is 10x better and 10x cheaper and I don't end up in the bathroom all night!

 

[MusiqChic99]

Considering that I cook 99% of our meals and I can feed my family of 3 for cheap...anything more then $20 a person would feel a bit much for me. I love when we order out and my DH says..."yours is better". Even if he is lying. *wink*

 

[Handbag Lady]

Here's my chart in my head, per person:

$1-25 Cheap
$25-50 Reasonable
$50 + Expensive

 

[scrapquitler]

We don't like to spend more than $50 when we (DH and I) go out together for a meal. Once in a great while (like on our anniversary) we will spend more than that, but honestly, we don't enjoy it so much, we think it's too much.

 

[LIDisneyFan]

However, restaurants are expensive around here. I love to eat in Florida where I can have an amazing meal for a fraction of what we pay here.

Where? I am a Long Islander who now lives in SW Florida -maybe it is because it is a resort area, but dinner for 2 at a nice place is $150+. You can easily go to the $200-$250 range for 'very special'

 

[marcyinPA]

An expensive meal to me is in the neighborhood of $100 plus, for 2 entrees, one dessert, salad and a glass of wine each. For that money, I expect the food to be really good.

 

[Pakey]

Expensive for me is over $100 per person, not including alcohol.

 

[NotUrsula]

We're a bit cheap about eating out. Generally, we tend to consider an entree that is above about $36 as splurge territory.

Above $50 is too expensive to do as a general rule -- we could afford it occasionally, but it's just not in our comfort zone in our home city. We'll tolerate it when traveling in a more expensive city, but we don't like paying that much, and doing so will usually make the meal less than enjoyable, no matter how good it is.

My personal issue is paying for presentation. I absolutely hate it when a meal is prepared with an emphasis on looks rather than flavor. Any time I see a REALLY flashy presentation on anything other than a dessert, I'm always distrustful that someone is trying to compensate for something.

 

[MomofKatie]

We are a family of 3. I consider a meal to be getting "expensive" when we pay anything more than $20 per person, including tax and tip. We tend to pay in the neighborhood of $40-$45 for a sit down meal at a local Italian, Thai, or other mom & pop type restaurant. We usually share 1 appetizer, each get an entree, and skip dessert. I always order ice water, and DD and DH get soft drinks/tea- we very rarely get an alcoholic drink.

DH and I went to a Brazilian barbecue place a few weeks ago and spent $85 for our meal. It was a fixed-price menu, and DH had a beer. That is the most (outside WDW) we've paid for a meal in a looooong time.

 

[disneyfreakk]

Expensive for me is over $100 per person, not including alcohol.

I agree with this.

OP, While I would not think that $100 for two is expensive, I do realize that alot of people think it is. I would never ask friends to dinner with a cost like that unless I was paying for everyone. Actually, when DH and I do invite others to dinner we always pay. Mostly because we like nice food and don't want to go to a "cheap" meal, and it is always nice to be able to take friends out for a good time.

 

[SC Minnie]

For us 'expensive' would $75 - $100 per person before drinks, salad- main course- and dessert.

I have a coworker that thinks anything more than $25 for the 2 of them is expensive.

 

[cluvsdisney]

For us 'expensive' would $75 - $100 per person before drinks, salad- main course- and dessert.

I have a coworker that thinks anything more than $25 for the 2 of them is expensive.

My aunt and uncle were like that. My father used to send them Be My Guest* cards for Christmas and he never received a bill for more then $20 and most times it was less then $15.

*A Be My Guest card was like an Amex dinner gift certificate but you could designate the dollar amount or the number of people in the party. He bought one for 2 people.

 

[JessicaR]

Where? I am a Long Islander who now lives in SW Florida -maybe it is because it is a resort area, but dinner for 2 at a nice place is $150+. You can easily go to the $200-$250 range for 'very special'

We go to Orlando often. Mostly enjoy a great meal at CityWalk. Emerils especially. Tchoup Chop, Mama Della, Mythos, The Kitchen are a few that come to mind. Excellent value compared to what we're used to.