topic Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees in Community Chat

Restaurant Quality and additional fees

LTT1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:46:50 GMT

When I eat out lately, it has been with family members as a treat.

Yesterday, I took the grands out for lunch.

We went to my favorite Subway, at the mall, and I was very disappointed.

Both of the children ordered 12" subs (this will change in the future...these are too much food for them)

So the bill for all of us with drinks, an order of a churro and tip was

$51.00

And the bread was DRY!

So, poor parents!

Good luck getting caught out with the kids on trips, etc, and being able to afford a fast meal out.

I believe my spending habits will need to be "reined in".

OMG

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

sunshine45 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:57:15 GMT

subway has lots of coupons available (i get them in the mail almost every week) AND they have a loyalty program. if you go there frequently you may want to consider using coupons and their loyalty program for better deals.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

cheriere — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:59:25 GMT

@LTT1

I know just what you mean. Fast food costs as much as a sit down restaurant these days. My Subway alone with tip is around $20. Just the other day, I went through Hardee's and picked up a few breakfast biscuits, one coffe and hash rounds and total was almost $30. That's just ridiculous!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

lynnie61 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:06:52 GMT

We eat out a few times a month. I was looking to pick up at Panera earlier this week, almost $10 for just a bowl of soup. I do try to go when I have coupons if it's fast food places. I don't know how families with hungry teenagers do it. Lots of places have cut their portions.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

haddon9 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:19:33 GMT

I never liked Subway. Many years ago (20?) one opened up in my local shopping center. I went in to order a sub and just couldn't get over the bad smell in there so I left without buying. I went back at some point thinking that I was just a fluke but it still stunk and I never went into a Subway since. That Subway has been gone for a long time.

I don't tend to do fast food. I can understand when taking the grands out by my only grandson is still a baby.

When we go out either as a family or if I do lunch with friends I tend to go to a "farm to table" type of restaurant or an independent mom & pop one that offers quality food.

The last time that I went out for dinner was on Monday. I went with a friend to a local Italian place. Good thing I made a reservation! The place was packed!...on a Monday at 6pm! They do have really great food and all of their waitstaff are Italian. Makes me feel for a moment that I'm in Italy!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

beckyb1012 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:33:18 GMT

I look for specials when buying fast food. KFC last week had their chicken sandwiches on sale through the app at 50% off. In my town they are $4.99 and KFC sandwiches are much bigger than Popeye or Chick-fil-a. Freebirds which is similar to Chipotle and I do prefer our Freebirds over Chipotle also overs specials all through each month. Last Friday I picked up a huge burrito with their Prime Rib meat for only $7.00 and lots of extras added in. Had to be ordered on the app. Half of the burrito is still in my freezer it is too big to eat in one sitting.

Order on the app and take the grands to picnic table in the park when the weather is much cooler. It is not the same as fine restaurant eating in doors but for fast food I would prefer the outside with money saved.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

RespectLife — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:35:32 GMT

@LTT1

It is sad, isn't it?

That's why we almost never eat out anywhere anymore.

You are more generous than me though.....I would not tip at a Fast Food Place when I have to order it myself, fill my own pop often, get my own utensils and napkins, trott around with a tray of food and clean up my own mess!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

millieshops — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:40:09 GMT

From the time I was a little kid, I was aware eating out cost more even if portions were smaller than on our kitchen table. Ever the joker about what we could not afford, I still remember my father asking once if we wanted to go out for dinner. When we excitedly said yes, he offered we could go Take-a-Peek Inn. That was a restaurant just a few miles out of town.

We ate dinner in our kitchen that night.

Eating at home now has gotten prohibitive enough. In the years before the pandemic, I lived within easy walking distance of a Subway shop. Didn't like the food then even when I had coupons or sales. No reason to try again at any price.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

We rescue cats — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:41:43 GMT

I think the costs for dining out are ridiculous, and you are right it is not just for sit down served dining, it's all of them. We have a local eatery that was just sold and reopened, we went with friends for dinner Tuesday. DH had a mixed drinks, a cheesesteak sandwich with fries and I had an Italian salad and water. . . our bill was over $50. We had been to Panera's on Saturday for lunch, I had soup and a small salad, he had a sandwich and soup with iced tea, almost $50. Neither included the tip!

I guess I live in a bubble. I guess if we want to eat out we will start going to all these senior citizen sales programs that include a meal! LOL!!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

LTT1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:42:20 GMT

I won't tips any more there.
In fact, next time (if there is one) I will ask to be sure to give me fresh bread?

Extenuating circumstances:

The man who was working has been very good to me in the past (also giving me a free cookie every now and then). I have always tipped there.

But I was always a very regular 2X/week customer.

Have not been there since March (have been ill).

Probably my imagination, but I think he was miffed because I had stopped coming there.

I need to speak with the DGC about the importance of buying smaller portions of food...and getting more if they are still hungry.

I notice that at home they seem to be running low on food ...for a variety of current reasons.

Oh well...at least I tried!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

LTT1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:44:51 GMT

@cheriere

@We rescue cats @millieshops @RespectLife @beckyb1012

And I can't help but get this feeling...

people become miffed at the higher prices and fees, then quit going....then the business cuts back on hiring and quality of food...

THE BOOMERANG EFFECT

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

LTT1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:47:22 GMT

@haddon9

Yum!
Sounds as if you have found a really good restaurant!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

beckyb1012 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:49:38 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
@cheriere
@We rescue cats @millieshops @RespectLife @beckyb1012

And I can't help but get this feeling...
people become miffed at the higher prices and fees, then quit going....then the business cuts back on hiring and quality of food...
THE BOOMERANG EFFECT

I saw an article about this about KFC and Pizza Hut who are owned by the same company that both restaurants are way down and starting to feel the pain. The company also owns Taco Bell but it is going to have to be really bad for people to give up a trip to the Bell. That is the cheap of the cheap but oh so good.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

LTT1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:51:43 GMT

@beckyb1012

I was introduced to Freebirds in College Station Texas when DD was there!

That place was like a "cult-classic" back then and WOW do I ever miss those burritos!

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

LTT1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:56:58 GMT

@beckyb1012 @We rescue cats @millieshops @RespectLife @haddon9

I just wanted to add a bit here.

This Subway at our mall became my "go-to" for the past four years...I began to know all of the workers and my tuna salad was always fresh.

I have lots of trouble with food allergies, and this was a treat I knew I could count on.

My 12" Sub they cut into 4 pieces and I brought it home and at 1 per day.

Things change...I eat that.

On "Nextdoor" the newsletter, someone posted that they took the family to a restaurant and were charged A TABLE FEE🫤

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

Venezia — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:11:11 GMT

DH and I have two local, independently-owned restaurants that we eat at each week. In fact, we just went to lunch yesterday.

Good, fresh food, reasonable prices and great service.

We have a couple of chain restaurants that again, even though they're chains, serve fresh (not frozen) food.

That's it. There's only the two of us and we no longer travel, so this is our form of "entertainment". If the day comes that we can't comfortably afford it, we'll stop.

I do miss Ruby Tuesday with its extensive salad bar.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

lynnie61 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:03:09 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
I won't tips any more there.
In fact, next time (if there is one) I will ask to be sure to give me fresh bread?
Extenuating circumstances:
The man who was working has been very good to me in the past (also giving me a free cookie every now and then). I have always tipped there.
But I was always a very regular 2X/week customer.
Have not been there since March (have been ill).
Probably my imagination, but I think he was miffed because I had stopped coming there.
I need to speak with the DGC about the importance of buying smaller portions of food...and getting more if they are still hungry.
I notice that at home they seem to be running low on food ...for a variety of current reasons.
Oh well...at least I tried!

@LTT1 . I am very blessed and I have a full pantry and freezer. I have a friend with a family, and they don't typically have a week of food in the house. She does not want excess, but at times to me appears they maybe just can't afford to keep extra. It's very sad indeed for many. I don't think her kids go hungry, but the choices and extras just aren't there. Many Americans are really feeling the pinch of inflation, especially when many costs have gone up way more than the inflation rate. Many on fixed incomes just can't do it. It's very, very sad to me. Although,I enjoy going out, I just really don't want a $50 fast food day. Prices are skyrocketing.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

Venezia — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:05:08 GMT

@LTT1 - I don't tip at places like that, where you order at the counter, pick it up, get your own cutlery, etc. and pick up after yourself.

And, if the bread was dry, I'd take the sandwiches back and ask them to remake them. (I know it was likely difficult for you with your grandchildren.)

No excuse for that. BTW, what happened to "the $5 foot-long" that they used to advertise? I haven't been in Subway for years.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

Ainhisg — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:37:46 GMT

We rarely eat out. I can cook and bake better than most restaurants and enjoy doing so. We do order pizza through the restaurant's app once in a while but go pick it up and eat it at home. We do tip, because well...they see it on the ticket whether we do or not, so we're kind of afraid to not do so in case they might do something to our pizza. lol We accrue points that can be used on future meals. On our birthdays/anniversary, we have one local restaurant with a beautiful view and great food to which we go, and we spend what we want, because it's 2-3 times a year at most.

Re: Restaurant Quality and additional fees

Seannie — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:26:58 GMT

In my area, several restaurants add 5% onto your bill to pay a "Living Wage" to their staff. We were shocked the first time it happened, but if we like the place we will probably go back.

DH and DD and myself eat mainly at fast casual places and we belong to their rewards programs. The meals are generally in the $12-14 range, but one, Tokyo Joe's is very generous with rewards. So fairly often we get a free meal there.

At Old Spaghette Factory we order from the senior menu so we get our meal, dessert and beverage for a low price. (We are over 65.)

Early bird dinners at Texas Roadhouse are $12.99 where we live.

Also, I like to buy dining gift cards at Kroger on 4x point days. I get Panera, Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden there.

Seannie