Posted on 05/15/2008 6:27:23 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
Restaurants are feeling the pinch in two directions. With money tight, consumers are cutting back on how often they dine out. Meantime, food costs more. Way more.
Egg prices have doubled in the last six months. Dairy, chicken, beer and bread crumb prices are all climbing higher. Even when the core commodity escapes the trend, packaged ingredients and other restaurant supplies are more expensive as the costs of transportation climb due to higher fuel prices.
When people do go out, they are ordering less. "Appetizer sales are down. Dessert sales can almost disappear," says Dan Simons, principal at Vucurevich Simons Advisory Group, a restaurant consulting firm. "And the most expensive items on the menu aren't sold as much."
Restaurants know there's a limit to how much they can raise prices without driving off already broke customers. So for now, many are looking for ways to raise prices and cut costs that won't be too obvious.
(Excerpt) Read more at walletpop.com ...
“Appetizer sales are down...”
You betcha. I’m not paying $8.00 for an appetizer.
When I get to the window I ask how can something $5.29 be over $6 with tax?
She says 5.29 is for the small, but they are told by management not to offer that as an option when taking an order. I told her I wanted the small.
Yes, our portions are too large. But if I'm getting a smaller portion, I expect to PAY LESS for it.
liver and onions as old school comfort food?? Writer lost credibility right there!
From the article:
“People easily see the prices and start shopping by price. Price should be the last consideration. People on budget are going to do that anyway but you don’t want to force it on them.”
Anyone NOT living on a budget - regardless of how much money one has - is foolish.
Have the wait staff constantly circulating to keep drink glasses full. Water, lemon water and ice tea are cheap, filling and great to push as healthy eating. Soda is even better because, even though it is more expensive, the carbon dioxide help customers feel full and leave sooner.
Even if the friendly drink pushers encourage people to stay longer, it will be to consume inexpensive liquids rather than expensive plates.
Best of all: There's no customer backlash because they love the added service.
Restaurant here charges $8.00 for a piece of cake.
Skip the appetizers and the desserts...
Somebody needs to tell these people that we don't GAF about "the way it is in the rest of the world". This is America, we are different, we are, yes, EXCEPTIONAL.
They did this to me at Village Inn the other day. Dinner salad had 3 crutons, 4 pieces of grated cheese (literally) and no wedge of egg or tomato like they normally do.
that writer has never had liver and onions. I hate it.
Comfort food consists of meat loaf mashed potatoes, macaroni cheese, and other things that most people actually like.
Skip the drinks too. I always get water.
Excellent point.
I’ve said before that I have no problem with restaurants serving smaller portions - it’s part of our obesity problem that portions are so big.
However, economics usually takes the lead and I can’t see spending only a dollar less but getting half the food for a smaller portion size.
That’s pathetic.
I go to a restaurant to eat, not just to experience the “ambience.”
Absotively! And chocolate - brownies, cookies, ice cream, whatever!
Way back in the olden days, Weight Watchers required liver once a week - my husband and I discovered chicken livers are actually palatable. Not delicious. Just palatable.
“This is America, we are different, we are, yes, EXCEPTIONAL.”
AND exceptionally large (yes, including me).
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