Call me cheap, but since when did a basic breakfast for 2 cost $30?

[JoeP]

Maybe it's a regional thing, but the price for breakfast has gotten out of hand. Perhaps I have a bad memory, but going back just 7 years, a basic breakfast for 2 at the local family restaurant used to run maybe $20 after tip. Nothing fancy either: a couple eggs, toast, sausage, hash browns, the obligatory weak coffee. Now we're very close to $30 for the same thing. It's BREAKFAST, no tablecloth, no cloth napkins, no wine pairing, no intimate seating with a good view, no candlelight, no specialized culinary skills or techniques, no soft music in the background, no atmosphere. You're in a BOOTH and there's a lot of noise and flannel.

I get it. Businesses exist to Make Money, Make More Money, and Make Even More Money. It's not a charity. If they want to increase prices to cover expenses and make a profit, good for them, they should do that, no question at all. But there must be a balance. Raise prices too high, and people won't come. It seems to me like the prices are distorted high because "everyone else is doing it" and they can get away with $30 breakfast for 2.

Our solution has been to simply dial back on going out for food. We want to support our local businesses. We want to save for retirement and control our expenses. The latter will always win out in our household.

Curious if others are doing the same, cutting back on non-essentials like $30 breakfasts.

[kork13]

Oh yeah, 100% agree. It's a challenge to find a decent meal for less than $10 ... Sometimes tough even to get a good meal below $20 (mostly in big cities/HCOLA). I try to minimize eating out, normally keeping it to <2-3 nights a month. Especially with kids, the cost gets exorbitant very fast. We use discounts/promos to mitigate the cost. Even though I know we can afford to eat out more often, the high cost bothers me. Plus, I love to cook, my food is often better quality than a restaurant's, and it's almost always significantly more healthy/wholesome.

[Fishindude77]

We go out to breakfast once or twice per week and that is about the going rate at local inexpensive diners.
It's just reality these days.

[ua_guy]

But, from the labor to the poultry, pork, and grains, it's Made in America! You want someone else feed you here? You're gonna pay. But truly, it all goes back to the price of food, housing/RE, goods and what it takes to sustain a standard of living that most Americans find acceptable. The restaurant owner isn't going to run a restaurant to barely make ends meet in an apartment. Wait staff could be more transitory, but they have to afford $1500/month in rent in HCOL areas and they're not going to drive 2 hours to get to work. They can't-- probably because they have a 2nd job, or are going to school, or are trying to raise a family. $20/hr doesn't go very far in these areas - the cost of breakfast out for two being a single data point.

This is the game of capitalism. Stay ahead, stay afloat, or sink.

I'll add my own data point. There's a restaurant up the street, a local chain that bills itself as a casual neighborhood place, and it has a pretty basic menu with sandwiches and burgers, your basic breakfast items, nothing crazy. Quality/experience is solidly middle of the road. You would expect it to be on the cheap side, and years ago, it was. Now you're paying $20 for a basic ol' burger and fries, $4 for a soda, $12 for a drink (single shot). For a couple of people you're not getting out of there for less than $100. It is what it is, and the place is still busy...

[EasyMoney00]

That's been the going rate for years where we live. And it's a LCOL area. We don't eat out a lot. When we do, for the most part it's at local places/non chain.

I don't blame these places for charging a premium for food. People continue to pay it. In reality, they should increase the price even more. People will still go.

[bjl584]

We've cut back on eating out for health and financial reasons.

A local place we used to frequent would be around $60 for the two of us to eat dinner. And that was "bar food" and a couple drinks. Nothing too high end.

[JoeP]

Agreed on all points. When a business owner increases prices, some people will be alienated, whether it makes logical sense or not. Maybe customers simply don't have the budget, or maybe they don't feel the extra price for the same product is worth it for them.

The underlying conditions that drive the prices up are outside of anyone's direct control. The good news is that eating out is not a necessity. Due to prices increases, we're going to simply dial back going out, and save those outings for special occasions rather then a more frequent option.

[disneysteve]

Eating out is pricey. When DW and I go out to lunch, I always expect it to be $40-ish. For dinner, $60-ish. We never go out to breakfast at home but do sometimes when traveling and I figure $30 or so for that. All pretty standard numbers these days.

We enjoy dining out so we continue to pay the prices.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

dinner out for less than $100 for a family of four is not really possible at anywhere sitdown where we live. I'm not talking fancy, but family restaurant. Tomorrow night is our red robin night and I am guessing we spend $100 as usual.

[Fishindude77]

Spent a few days w/ one of our children, their spouse and two kids in Traverse City, MI which is a rather upscale tourist town.
Examples of meal costs:
Breakfast for two $50
Pizza & drinks for four and two kids $200
Chinese carryout for four and two kids $90

[disneysteve]

dinner out for less than $100 for a family of four is not really possible at anywhere sitdown

Exactly.

Two apps for all to share at $12 each: $24
Four entrees @ $19 each: $76
Sub-total: $100
20% tip: $20
7% sales tax: $7
Grand total $127

You may have some leftovers from the entrees and get a couple of lunches from that which helps a bit but a pretty modest meal adds up quickly. And $19 for an entree is being generous. That's assuming pasta or chicken. If you get into red meat or fish you're into the $20s. This is also with no dessert and no beverages other than water. If mom and dad each want a cocktail, add another $30+. If anybody wants a soft drink like soda or iced tea or lemonade, that's another $5 each.

[EasyMoney00]

Now you know why pizza joints are so popular. Still affordable for a family of 4. Two large pies are more than enough to feed the family. Sub $40...unless you live in a major city where it's hip to spend $40 for a single large. One bite, everyone knows the rules.

[Fishindude77]

Now you know why pizza joints are so popular. Still affordable for a family of 4. Two large pies are more than enough to feed the family. Sub $40...unless you live in a major city where it's hip to spend $40 for a single large. One bite, everyone knows the rules.

We have a little country tavern nearby that runs a pizza special on Monday nights, $12 for any large pizza and $2 domestic beers.

[ua_guy]

There's a difference between good pizza and bad pizza. Sometimes it's $12-$15 for a large pie, or sometimes it's $40. Most of the places I've had $40 pizza, it isn't in a midwest tavern, and that makes it worth every penny.

[disneysteve]

Now you know why pizza joints are so popular.

Sure, but you can't compare going out for a couple of slices of pizza with sitting down to a full meal.