When going out to eat, does price make a difference?

[pearlieq]

I don't pay attention to menu prices when I'm ordering unless something is outrageously expensive.

I prefer to make the money decision before we even walk through the door. When we're choosing a restaurant, I'll factor in how much I want to pay and we'll either go somewhere inexpensive, average, or pricey. Once I'm there, though, I order solely on taste. Luckily I don't care for steak or seafood, so I'm usually not that expensive to feed!

I do order water, and I'm on an aggressive campaign to get us to stop ordering appetizers! They're almost always expensive and unhealthy!

[Ima saver]

I don't think i have ever ordered an appetizer in my life, except to subsitute it for an entree. I do not order steaks very often, I prefer them cooked on the grill at home.

[cschin4]

We ALWAYS get our own check when we dine out with others. I am just not interested in subsidizing someone's liquor bill. And, once you get used to doing that, it is just natural and the others start to ask for their own bill as well. And, we tip on our portion. The others can tip or not however they want.
When we do eat out, we never get appetizers or dessert. And, we usually just order water. I pretty much get what I want but I don't like large portions of food so I will get the smaller steak, etc. And, if I am really hungry for dessert, I will occassionally spluge for dessert and coffee. But, sometimes you can just stop at the market and buy a whole pie, etc for what one slice costs at a restaurant.

[cschin4]

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. DH and I were just talking about going there for our next vacation. We have been there once and had a great time. A bit of a long drive for us though. But, the kids really would like to go to Dollywood.

[Koppur]

Sometimes. When I go out I usually go to what I am craving (a salad, a hamburger, chicken, pasta, etc) and the peruse the prices. If I'm torn between 2 things, I'll get the cheaper of the two, or if I'm really tight on money, i'll get the cheaper one.

[tabbycat31]

cschin4, thanks for the advice. And when it's social situations (ie birthdays) you look bad if you do not go.

I will be asking for my own check whenever I go out now. However many times in a group, appetizers and the like are split.

[Ima saver]

We sometimes do that too, stop and buy a whole pie for dessert. That way we can have a piece later ,when we are not so stuffed, and then we have enough for two more days. I am all with you for seperate checks!

[cashqueen]

We almost always do separate checks. It just takes the guesswork and frustration out of it!

[Thrifty Ray]

DH and I do not go to expensive restaraunts unless weve received a gift certificate.

We rarely eat at fast food.

When we do eat out, we eat at family priced restaurants and thoroughly enjoy ourselves...since it is just an occasional treat.

We usually go to a nice little pizza place that cooks the pizza in open flame ovens, a little mexican rest on the river, nice view...a steak house that lets us throw our peanut shells on the floor and you can watch them grilling all the meals through a window...

They are all fun places to go, and depending on the mood- offer the ambiance we are looking for.

I could never pay $100 for a meal for 2-3 people. ...no matter the reasons.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by pearlieq

I prefer to make the money decision before we even walk through the door. When we're choosing a restaurant, I'll factor in how much I want to pay and we'll either go somewhere inexpensive, average, or pricey.

We definitely do that, but still consider money once we are inside the restaurant. At most any restaurant, there can be a pretty wide price range between items. One thing we are always extra careful about is daily specials. Many restaurants don't tell you the price for them unless you ask. One time I ordered the special and it turned out to be about $10 more than the priciest item on the regular menu. I learned my lesson after that.

The other thing we always consider is portion sizes. Most restaurants serve entirely too much food. So for both cost and health reasons, we'll often share our meal, so we take that into account when deciding what to order also.

[Staceyy]

We usually go to casual dining restaurants and buffets. I always order water and neither dh nor I order appetizers, and very rarely desserts. Our bill is usually around $20 for the two of us. Occasionally we'll go to a higher priced restaurant and spend double our normal expenditure.

[Ima saver]

Staceyy, that is about how much we spend for a meal. Fortunately, we live in a small town and they just can't charge big prices. Plus we can brown bag, so drinks are free!

[abowers]

I do pay attention to the price...
but it means if we get more expensive entrees, we won't get an appetizer or dessert.

[scrava]

we do. I like mid priced places, anyway. I seldom get the most expensive. I do like a good cut of steak, though. But, I've got it before and paid 22-25 and it just isn't tasty. THAT I hate!!

[kealina]

Originally Posted by Thrifty Ray

DH and I do not go to expensive restaraunts unless weve received a gift certificate.

When we do eat out, we eat at family priced restaurants and thoroughly enjoy ourselves...since it is just an occasional treat.

We usually go to a nice little pizza place that cooks the pizza in open flame ovens, a little mexican rest on the river, nice view...a steak house that lets us throw our peanut shells on the floor and you can watch them grilling all the meals through a window...

They are all fun places to go, and depending on the mood- offer the ambiance we are looking for.

I could never pay $100 for a meal for 2-3 people. ...no matter the reasons.

those family restaurants sound nice... i'd enjoy them too..
i agree with your other comments even tho i think you might be referencing my post with your last comment and would like to take a second to defend my frugalite nature... we don't go out to expensive restaurants unless we have a gift certificate just like you guys...
it's just after we got married earlier this year we somehow ended up with 3 different $100 certificates to 3 different restaurants... one was part of a wedding gift and the restaurant was at the hotel we stayed at, and the other two were given to me for my birthday because my mom didn't have any use for them as my dad hates eating out...
we tried to sell them online but because they were expiring relatively soon (within a month or two) nobody wanted to buy them... so we used one to take my MIL out to dinner for Mothers day because we knew she would get a big kick out of it... and we used the other one since May...
for a romantic dinner out.... honestly, after using those three cards within 3 or 4 months of each other we had our fill of eating out and haven't really gone anywhere since May...

[Thrifty Ray]

Originally Posted by kealina

i agree with your other comments even tho i think you might be referencing my post with your last comment and would like to take a second to defend my frugalite nature...

I know plenty of people who see no problem spending big money on meals..and more power to them....I just cant do it.

I didnt mean to put you in a position to defend your post (so sorry)...I would definately use a gift certificate to enjoy a great meal...hands down... so you and I are totally in agreement. (nor would I sell the GC if it was purchased for me to enjoy...I think that is disrespectful to the givers intentions.)

but out of pocket...no way....again, no matter what the reason.

[lrjohnson]

I try to get good value; for me that means local places, usually Mexican, for "regular" dining out. I drink water, and usually get something in the middle or low end of the menu.

I am willing to pay more for fancy stuff, sometimes. My Guy and I love sushi. I'd rather splurge twice a year than order the smallest amount of the least costly items more frequently. A dinner I had in Oaxaca at a place with a well known chef was incredible, even though it cost me $30 in a town where most food is pennies. Having the made-at-the-table caesar salad was an iunforgettable experience, backed up by the flavor. In September I'm going to a place in London that is pretty pricey; I think I'll spend over $50 or $60 bucks, and I don't drink.

That said, I have no debt, and pinch pennies really hard in other areas to free up money for these things. And aside from my "off the Challenge" Croatia trip this year, I won't be splurging from March 1 2006 to Feb 28 2007.

[kealina]

Originally Posted by Thrifty Ray

I know plenty of people who see no problem spending big money on meals..and more power to them....I just cant do it.

I didnt mean to put you in a position to defend your post (so sorry)...I would definately use a gift certificate to enjoy a great meal...hands down... so you and I are totally in agreement. (nor would I sell the GC if it was purchased for me to enjoy...I think that is disrespectful to the givers intentions.)

but out of pocket...no way....again, no matter what the reason.

no problem ray, i wasn't offended or upset at all but i did want to clarify... in fact, from your previous posts that i've read your thoughts are similar to mine in several instances...
and we did enjoy ourselves with those gift certificates... one place had great fusion food...the place we took MIL has a great view of the ocean and waikiki, and the last was for a place we had never heard of but it actually turned out to be the most elegant place... think dim lighting, wood and paintings, etc... the only place i've ever been to that was fancy enough to have cherries jubilee on the menu so of course we splurged for that...

lol at your "just can't do it" comment... that's what i say about our friends and family and their unconcerned spending... occasionally i think it would be nice to just spend and not think about it but then i realize that I just can't...

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Thrifty Ray

I could never pay $100 for a meal for 2-3 people. ...no matter the reasons.

I guess you won't be dining here anytime soon:
http://www.lebecfin.com/index.cfm

Dinner is prix fixe at $138 per person. Of course, that doesn't include drinks or tip or valet parking, so dinner for 2 can easily be $400.

And yes, I've dined there several times and it is spectacular. Fortunately, each time was a business function where someone else was picking up the tab.

[Thrifty Ray]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I guess you won't be dining here anytime soon:
http://www.lebecfin.com/index.cfm

Dinner is prix fixe at $138 per person. Of course, that doesn't include drinks or tip or valet parking, so dinner for 2 can easily be $400.

And yes, I've dined there several times and it is spectacular. Fortunately, each time was a business function where someone else was picking up the tab.

cough, cough, choke....could you WARN ME before tossing out a post like that palease!

excuse me, but I am laughing too hard at the absurdity of a $400 meal (ok, thats like almost two months worth of food!!!!!) for ONE MEAL.

And Disneysteve, certainly no offense intended, I do not know if Ive ever had a meal experience that qualified as "Spectacular"...so 'good for you' especially when it was on someone elses tab!