How much is too much to pay to eat?

I feel that $50.00 a head(Tax and Tip included) is on the high end of the charts (at least for most places in this town) for good food and service....

Most of the time, for my wife and I, we spend on average about $65.00 for both of us when we go out ot eat. That usually will include a couple of drinks, two entrees, an appitizer or a dessert (I'm in the Bizz and lean toward tipping more than the norm)

I read a lot of these threads and wonder to myself ...What do most people feel is "Expensive"....

your scale doesn't go high enough Dan.


...or are we talking about regular everyday dining?

I wouldn't hesitate in the slightest at over $100 a head, pre-tip (if well warranted) for a sensational dinner/drinks...
(even though i can't afford to dine like this often, i still have no qualms spending that kind of money if it's worth it)


but i'm not going to drop the same for a casual/quick/simple meal either.

your scale doesn't go high enough Dan.


...or are we talking about regular everyday dining?

I wouldn't hesitate in the slightest at over $100 a head, pre-tip (if well warranted) for a sensational dinner/drinks...
(even though i can't afford to dine like this often, i still have no qualms spending that kind of money if it's worth it)


but i'm not going to drop the same for a casual/quick/simple meal either.

I'm talking about your normal, run of the mill, day off so I don't have to cook, without reservations kind of dining....

Most of us in the Bizz can't afford to go out and eat the food we make...In the environment that we serve it in....

A damn shame.....

[Robin Garr]

I read a lot of these threads and wonder to myself ...What do most people feel is "Expensive"....

I agree with Ethan: Your poll doesn't go high enough. I might not LIKE It that dining out has become an expensive proposition, but $25 a person or $50 a couple for dinner pretty much limits you to ethnic spots, neighborhood bar food or fast-food chains. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Having been, if but very briefly, in the food distributor biz I think $10 or $12 is too high if I recognize a food item that obviously was taken out of a bag and mic'd then put on a dish with some garnish. (And I know it happens.) But for food that is actually prepared I have no problem going $25 or $50 a head depending on some other things as well.

If a restaurant is going to charge these kind of prices I expect the servers to be well trained and the restaurant to be clean with a bit of ambiance thrown in. I prefer a full bar but with liquor licenses being what they are I can overlook it if there is no liquor served as long as the food is worthy.

$50 a head is about right for a nice night out. I 'd go higher, but the wife would yelp and then I'd have to deal with that. Maybe on very special occasions...

$25 a head is getting pricey for run-of-the-mill, $12 is better.

There really isn't a too high if it's a special occasion or an extraordinary meal. We travel alot - in fact we alter our travel to go to certain dining establishments. Some people buy boats and expensive cars. We eat out!

On occasion, I wouldn't hesitate to blow $150 bucks or so on a dinner date at Lilly's. However, I will point out to the clerk at Dairy Mart if their register overcharges me 15 cents on a Peppermint Patty. It depends on what I am paying for. The poll question is too vague.

Strange poll for a foodie board. If $25 dollars a head is too much, I would not be going to more than half of my favorite restaurants. You need a "no limit" option on the poll.

I am with Ethan & Mark here; I have no qualms about paying over $100 for an excellent meal, though I cannot always afford it. It is my hobby (if eating can be a hobby), and an expensive hobby it is.

25 bucks to a lot of people is high....that is why the casual dining places do so well...

25 bucks to a lot of people is high....that is why the casual dining places do so well...

Of course. I, for the life of me, can't figure out why folks spend $1500 or more on a television. They can't figure out why my bicycle costs so much or why I like my $400 flyrod so much more than my $50 flyrod. Only a few people can get the best in everything. The rest of us figure out what we love and spend our money there.

Both Charles and Robert make very good points. For a bunch of us eating out @$50-$100 a head means sacrificing something else... like a utility bill. IF and when I make such a sacrifice and then the restaurant doesn't live up to its reputation I get pretty cheezed. That's another reason why some chains stay so busy - they're pretty consistent with what they put out even if it frequently isn't all that great. So for me, when I go out and drop $100 on a meal it better be a culinary adventure. I like places like Havana Rumba, Oriental House, Baxter Station where I can have a great, out -of-the-ordinary meal and still keep LGE happy.