Here is a “gift” link to the article. Fingers crossed that it will work.
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Thank you! Interesting article. I know there are shipping containers stuck lots of places but, judging by the number of trains running through our town from 4:00 AM to late night, some things are definitely getting through.
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Worked for me… Thanks!
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The average pretax profit margin for the typical restaurant with annual sales of $900,000 has dropped to around 1 percent from about 5 percent, according to the National Restaurant Association.
Insane. What other industries are expected to run on so little profit?
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I think grocery stores run on even less. I’ve heard they typically are in the 2-3% margins range. I guess there is always a sensitivity to that line when food is involved, between what is high end and we can safely target those in a particular income range and that which is the general population needs me for basic sustenance. And I don’t mean the redonkulous show off dishes like gold flaked wagyu hamburger BS.
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LOL… remember the Denny’s 2+2+2+2 breakfast for $2.22? Just saw an ad on TV and it is now $8.99 (with them bragging about the value).
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NYT interactive article:
That Dinner Tab Has Soared. Here Are All the Reasons. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/09/dining/dinner-bill-restaurant-costs-inflation.html
" When the check hits the table at Good Food on Montford, an upscale yet casual restaurant in Charlotte, N.C., all the headlines about inflation suddenly add up to a hard number — and serious sticker shock. "
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- An window of opportunity for companies to boost profits thanks to inflation is shrinking, experts say.
- Consumers are likely to spend less moving forward, potentially stamping out “greedflation.”
- Other experts say companies won’t be able to absorb higher input costs and thereby inflate prices.strong text
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There’s an identical thread here. The cost of dining out - #12 by ScottinPollock
Do we need a duplicate?
To keep spending about flat, those who find their dining out now costs fifty percent more will go out twice instead of three times during the “billing period”. If your dining inflation rate is a one-third increase, then it’s out to eat three times instead of four.
When I worked third shift, that was my supper.
I was just at a new Mexican place with my dearest. Things are up a few bucks; but the food was good and the service was EX, so I was generous with the tip. Even then, $30 for lunch. I’ll still patronize any place that serves up the goods, consistently, and with fine service. What a nice, family run, little place.
More money at every turn.
All I can say is that it’s a good thing we know how to cook! I feel sorry for restauranteurs who are stuck between a rock and a hard place. They need to raise menu prices to cover rising costs but doing so will drive away customers. I love to dine out but will be doing it less often and will be going “downmarket”
Restaurants.
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It’s an interesting order – starting with three different cocktails. Bread, 3 sides, 5 presumably small plates that seem a bit awkward for sharing, and three desserts. No wine?
There are a lot of high end places in Charlotte. It’s a banking center and the big banks pay their Charlotte employees the same salaries as their NYC and SF employees. The joke is that new hires in NYC live i 1 br apartments and those in Charlotte buy 5 br houses.
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I took up home cooking on an advanced level 6-7 years ago, because I was tired of paying high prices at pretty fancy restaurants for dishes I felt I could make better at home.
Inflation has only made my original drive to cook at home even more strong.
I also in general hate the waiting times at restaurants - I get easily bored and drink too much wine/beer while waiting for my meal at restaurants.
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Imho this is the most fun part of going out for dinner… 
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I’m not good at waiting for meals out. Reminds me too much of my time in the Army standing in long lines at the mess halls. Or Oliver Twist standing there with empty bowl in hands, “Please Sir, I’d Like Some Food” (manufactured quote, of course).
So we either get reservations or go at less trafficked times.
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I don’t mean waiting for a table. That I hate too. But once I’m seated, I always try to extend my stay a bit.
Especially since restaurants seem on a mission these days to turn as many tables as possible per evening. Meaning they usually push me into ordering asap, so that they can sell the table later on.
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Really makes ya wonder how the rest of the world’s restaurants survive. If you reserve a table at almost any restaurant in Berlin, for example, say at 8pm… that table is yours for the evening if you wish to linger. Maybe you want to order another bottle of wine after dinner? Maybe a digestif?
According to the US idea of absolutely having to turn over tables more than once per night, everyone else should be going broke. Staff is generally paid better wages, too.
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I generally agree, but (although I’ve only had lunch in Berlin), in Frankfurt or Hamburg or Munich or Zurich or Geneva, the cost of dinner is significantly higher (even despite no tip) than in many large cities in the US for a similar level of restaurant.
As long as I’m on an expense account, I do love those no-rush, all-evening dinners.
I get what you mean, Damiano and I also get the slight sarcasm, but unless I’m in a really positive mood that evening or the restaurant has spectacular surroundings, the waiting time between courses is dreadful for me and I’m either getting myself drunk or going through my phone or both at the same time.
When I go to restaurants where I know one of the chefs, I seriously call him up first and order on my way to the restaurant so I avoid or minimise the waiting time between the courses.
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