Going out with my wife isn't what it use to be

2 burgers with chips and 2 coffees at Macca's cost $27.?? yesterday.
As an ex chef I hate eating out as its usually very disappointing (didnt like the maccas but I was hungry)
Many years ago general menu pricing was the cost of the food had to be around 34% of the selling price, when I retired it had to be around 28%, if you climbed above this then you started loosing money.
I dread to think what the percentage is today when you factor in the phenomenal costs of all the overheads a business is under, particularly all the extra licenses and insurances.
 
finsruskw said:
When I started driving interstate back in Dec '66 the Co I was with was hauling eggs to the east coast from the Midwest, Iowa and Minnesota, for $.90/case, 30 doz, 790 cases per load and diesel was how much back then??
Basically, pennies compared to today.
I remember, at least I think I do, buying fuel for $0.44/gal then.
The current price of fuel must figure into the cost of everything.
Therein lies part of the answer.

Just checked with my old dispatcher and the going rate for fuel surcharge now for truckload carriers is $.59/mile!
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And..... How much did you make a year?
 
I don't believe in short-changing the service staff at a restaurant. Sure, if I have a very expensive meal, I may rethink the tip amount, but not very often. Most of you guys wouldn't put up with the crap that customers dish out (no pun intended) or the hours servers put in. The wife and I routinely went to a Mexican joint with really good food. We got the same waitress every time, and we would routinely tip her between 30% and 50% of the bill.
Think about... a $50 bill at a restaurant:
15% tip = $7.50
25% tip = $12.50
Obviously a $5 difference in that scenario.

One of my pet peeves is cheap ba3t@rds. We had a guy (probably 65-ish) in our woodworking group that owns a medium size electric motor repair, sales, and service shop. He has done well. One evening we met at a local restaurant for burgers and beer. He left a $1 tip on a $15 bill. It ****** me off so bad I went back and put more money on my tip to make up for his curmudgeon-ism. Give me a break...

EDIT: One common theme here is alcoholic drinks. The wife and I hardly every order alcoholic drinks when we are just due to the extreme cost of them.
 
7milesup said:
I don't believe in short-changing the service staff at a restaurant. Sure, if I have a very expensive meal, I may rethink the tip amount, but not very often. Most of you guys wouldn't put up with the crap that customers dish out (no pun intended) or the hours servers put in. The wife and I routinely went to a Mexican joint with really good food. We got the same waitress every time, and we would routinely tip her between 30% and 50% of the bill.
Think about... a $50 bill at a restaurant:
15% tip = $7.50
25% tip = $12.50
Obviously a $5 difference in that scenario.

One of my pet peeves is cheap ba3t@rds. We had a guy (probably 65-ish) in our woodworking group that owns a medium size electric motor repair, sales, and service shop. He has done well. One evening we met at a local restaurant for burgers and beer. He left a $1 tip on a $15 bill. It ****** me off so bad I went back and put more money on my tip to make up for his curmudgeon-ism. Give me a break...

EDIT: One common theme here is alcoholic drinks. The wife and I hardly every order alcoholic drinks when we are just due to the extreme cost of them.
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I eat out upwards of 15 times a week and no fast food either. A lot are working lunches/ breakfasts so at least I'm productive but starting with alcohol I am cutting back. I've quit going to several of the pricier restaurants period. Entrees have doubled in price.

And I'm at least a 15% tipper.
 
When I was in business I would have 3 guys cleaning up a job site at $10/hr. Raise their pay to $15/hr and now I have 2 guys cleaning up the job site. It's not rocket science. If I raise my prices to pay for exorbitant minimum wages then my bids don't get accepted. Everybody loses.
 
My wife and I still eat out once a week. I do all the cooking now and sometimes I just want someone else to bring me the food! We usually bring home part of the food for a second meal. Makes it hurt less. I won't do most fast food any more. It's just not worth it.

If all else fails there's always generic peanut butter.
 
My wife and I like to go out now and again. It's healthy. But I am very sensitive to this inflation, and it does not help that I remember useless details like how much I've paid for things over the decades. I never ever forget when I cry, right? So those numbers stick. And it outrages me, riles me into foaming rants. As if I am being told month after month, year after year, that I'm worth less than I was the year before, because I sure as chit haven't gotten any cost of living adjustments in my check. But then my wife kicks me and reminds me that we both have good jobs, no kids, a 480 sqft house that costs pensioner's pocket change to power and heat, we wallpapered with diplomas... I can order whatever I'd like, she says. I know I don't need her permission, but I kinda do- or so she keeps telling me.
 
Just for fun said:
Yep, It's expensive to go out these days. I never pay the 15% tip; I do tip just not the 15% that is recommended. I have a niece who is a bar tender, she let it out of the bag that last years she made over $100K with tips and wages. I was working in what I called a skilled job and never made that much money and never got a tip.
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Have you noticed how many times their suggested 15% is calculated on the total bill which includes tax? My tip is only 12% and calculated on the pre tax amount.
 
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