‘The city is dead’: D.C. restaurant reservations drop amid federal crackdown

[Anonymous]

RIP, D.C. restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants ate dying because DC sucks and iripoff.

Entrees are running $30, 40, 50, even 70 a pop. Cocktails and wine glasses are costing $15-25 ea. $25 appetizers. But the worst are the service fees, liveable wage fees, equity fees, whatever BS they tack on. They always conveniently calculate those fees after taxes too. Then they stand over you while paying and try to tell you those fees are not tips that go to the waiter, insinuating that you need to tip 20% more on top of all of that. Ridiculous, I'm not paying 40% over price.

Even stupid burgers and tacos at fast casual places in DC tack on al these fees and expect tipping when you have to bus your own tables, get your own food, and get your own drinks. You can spend $60+ now buying a stupid lunch for 2 that are just tacos and drinks.

DC dining is a ripoff. It needs to all collapse and be re-started again once they readjust prices to be far more reasonable. We almsot never go out in the city anymore because of the ridiculous prices and tipping/fee BS. And now they want $25/h min wage yet will still.havr the gall to demand 20% tips when they are making min wage. Have fun spending $500 for a dinner for two at a medicore place.

Ya know what holds its value even though it’s gone up? Five Guys. But you have to go in person to get the fries right out of the fryer. So good and ginormous portions. A family of 4 could split one regular fries.

What? They were one of the worst offenders of "fast casual" or "fast food" rising out of control. I didn't think anyone would every say Five Guys and "value" in the same sentence. It's often more expensive than eating in a sit down generic American restaurant for meh quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants ate dying because DC sucks and iripoff.

Entrees are running $30, 40, 50, even 70 a pop. Cocktails and wine glasses are costing $15-25 ea. $25 appetizers. But the worst are the service fees, liveable wage fees, equity fees, whatever BS they tack on. They always conveniently calculate those fees after taxes too. Then they stand over you while paying and try to tell you those fees are not tips that go to the waiter, insinuating that you need to tip 20% more on top of all of that. Ridiculous, I'm not paying 40% over price.

Even stupid burgers and tacos at fast casual places in DC tack on al these fees and expect tipping when you have to bus your own tables, get your own food, and get your own drinks. You can spend $60+ now buying a stupid lunch for 2 that are just tacos and drinks.

DC dining is a ripoff. It needs to all collapse and be re-started again once they readjust prices to be far more reasonable. We almsot never go out in the city anymore because of the ridiculous prices and tipping/fee BS. And now they want $25/h min wage yet will still.havr the gall to demand 20% tips when they are making min wage. Have fun spending $500 for a dinner for two at a medicore place.

Ya know what holds its value even though it’s gone up? Five Guys. But you have to go in person to get the fries right out of the fryer. So good and ginormous portions. A family of 4 could split one regular fries.

What? They were one of the worst offenders of "fast casual" or "fast food" rising out of control. I didn't think anyone would every say Five Guys and "value" in the same sentence. It's often more expensive than eating in a sit down generic American restaurant for meh quality.

+1. Five Guys was so overpriced for the quality. Maybe if they didn’t give so many fries in an order their burgers wouldn’t need to be $15

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 90 closed this year. 70 last year. 2026 probably will close 100 more. They can't afford to pay the wages and stay open.

WFH is killing them.

Haven't WFH 2+ years. We don't go to DC restaurants anymore because of the price. It is simple as that. It is probably even more expensive than NYC, and DC can't even hold its water next to NY.

So, it’s obvious you don’t go to DC or NY restaurants because NY restaurants are far more expensive (that’s NY…always has been the case).

I go up to NY all the time. Of course NY will be more expensive if you're only talking about high end dining. NY has tons of mid range and cheap eats that DC simply doesn't have. NY is as expensive as ypu want it to be, unlike DC where everything is expensive.

NYC doesn't have tons of mid range and cheap eats at all. Let's stop just making shit up to fit a narrative. I was literally in NYC over the weekend, so if you are claiming you need to travel to the ends of the outer-boroughs to get these cheap eats, then that's not particularly relevant or useful.

Huh? Were you in Times Square?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants ate dying because DC sucks and iripoff.

Entrees are running $30, 40, 50, even 70 a pop. Cocktails and wine glasses are costing $15-25 ea. $25 appetizers. But the worst are the service fees, liveable wage fees, equity fees, whatever BS they tack on. They always conveniently calculate those fees after taxes too. Then they stand over you while paying and try to tell you those fees are not tips that go to the waiter, insinuating that you need to tip 20% more on top of all of that. Ridiculous, I'm not paying 40% over price.

Even stupid burgers and tacos at fast casual places in DC tack on al these fees and expect tipping when you have to bus your own tables, get your own food, and get your own drinks. You can spend $60+ now buying a stupid lunch for 2 that are just tacos and drinks.

DC dining is a ripoff. It needs to all collapse and be re-started again once they readjust prices to be far more reasonable. We almsot never go out in the city anymore because of the ridiculous prices and tipping/fee BS. And now they want $25/h min wage yet will still.havr the gall to demand 20% tips when they are making min wage. Have fun spending $500 for a dinner for two at a medicore place.

Ya know what holds its value even though it’s gone up? Five Guys. But you have to go in person to get the fries right out of the fryer. So good and ginormous portions. A family of 4 could split one regular fries.

What? They were one of the worst offenders of "fast casual" or "fast food" rising out of control. I didn't think anyone would every say Five Guys and "value" in the same sentence. It's often more expensive than eating in a sit down generic American restaurant for meh quality.

The burgers, hot dogs and fries are delicious. I fed me and 13 year old DC for $15 each yesterday. Let me know where you do better than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 90 closed this year. 70 last year. 2026 probably will close 100 more. They can't afford to pay the wages and stay open.

WFH is killing them.

Haven't WFH 2+ years. We don't go to DC restaurants anymore because of the price. It is simple as that. It is probably even more expensive than NYC, and DC can't even hold its water next to NY.

So, it’s obvious you don’t go to DC or NY restaurants because NY restaurants are far more expensive (that’s NY…always has been the case).

I can still get a slice of pizza in NYC for $3.

Now add the bridge tolls and congestion pricing in.

Why tf would I drive in or to NYC? There’s your problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants ate dying because DC sucks and iripoff.

Entrees are running $30, 40, 50, even 70 a pop. Cocktails and wine glasses are costing $15-25 ea. $25 appetizers. But the worst are the service fees, liveable wage fees, equity fees, whatever BS they tack on. They always conveniently calculate those fees after taxes too. Then they stand over you while paying and try to tell you those fees are not tips that go to the waiter, insinuating that you need to tip 20% more on top of all of that. Ridiculous, I'm not paying 40% over price.

Even stupid burgers and tacos at fast casual places in DC tack on al these fees and expect tipping when you have to bus your own tables, get your own food, and get your own drinks. You can spend $60+ now buying a stupid lunch for 2 that are just tacos and drinks.

DC dining is a ripoff. It needs to all collapse and be re-started again once they readjust prices to be far more reasonable. We almsot never go out in the city anymore because of the ridiculous prices and tipping/fee BS. And now they want $25/h min wage yet will still.havr the gall to demand 20% tips when they are making min wage. Have fun spending $500 for a dinner for two at a medicore place.

Ya know what holds its value even though it’s gone up? Five Guys. But you have to go in person to get the fries right out of the fryer. So good and ginormous portions. A family of 4 could split one regular fries.

What? They were one of the worst offenders of "fast casual" or "fast food" rising out of control. I didn't think anyone would every say Five Guys and "value" in the same sentence. It's often more expensive than eating in a sit down generic American restaurant for meh quality.

The burgers, hot dogs and fries are delicious. I fed me and 13 year old DC for $15 each yesterday. Let me know where you do better than that.

1 single burger, 1 hotdog, 1 small fry, 2 small drinks = $32.07 in Fort Totten 5 Guys right now. No tip. Definitely not cheap.

[Anonymous]

We are busier than ever, but still losing money.
It's the $10 an hour for servers that is killing the business, and people drinking less than previous generations.
Food is time consuming with low margins.
Not that I've seen the numbers, but quite sure 50% goes to wages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 90 closed this year. 70 last year. 2026 probably will close 100 more. They can't afford to pay the wages and stay open.

WFH is killing them.

Haven't WFH 2+ years. We don't go to DC restaurants anymore because of the price. It is simple as that. It is probably even more expensive than NYC, and DC can't even hold its water next to NY.

So, it’s obvious you don’t go to DC or NY restaurants because NY restaurants are far more expensive (that’s NY…always has been the case).

I go up to NY all the time. Of course NY will be more expensive if you're only talking about high end dining. NY has tons of mid range and cheap eats that DC simply doesn't have. NY is as expensive as ypu want it to be, unlike DC where everything is expensive.

NYC doesn't have tons of mid range and cheap eats at all. Let's stop just making shit up to fit a narrative. I was literally in NYC over the weekend, so if you are claiming you need to travel to the ends of the outer-boroughs to get these cheap eats, then that's not particularly relevant or useful.

I live in NYC and it absolutely does. You’re insane or blind if you think it doesn’t.

[Anonymous]

you would have to be a fool to drive into DC to pay inflated fees and find parking to eat.

it makes no sense.

we went to a restaurant on the wharf, because we were seeing a show at the anthem, and it was not worth the money. glitter and glam and food was mediocre and way over priced and parking sucked.

contrast with Baltimore and parking there is easy, price is moderate, and food was outstanding .

DC restaurants have no one to blame but themselves, and possibly their client base since they want glitter and glam instead of good food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you would have to be a fool to drive into DC to pay inflated fees and find parking to eat.

it makes no sense.

we went to a restaurant on the wharf, because we were seeing a show at the anthem, and it was not worth the money. glitter and glam and food was mediocre and way over priced and parking sucked.

contrast with Baltimore and parking there is easy, price is moderate, and food was outstanding .

DC restaurants have no one to blame but themselves, and possibly their client base since they want glitter and glam instead of good food.

The Wharf is the absolute worst place in DC for both parking and decent food. I can't think of a worse neighborhood to hang out in and would never recommend it to anyone EXCEPT if they were forced to go there for the Anthem-- seriously.

You need to explore DC more.

[Anonymous]

Like everything else costs for restaurants are going up and not everyone can or wants to pay $25+ for an entire at a “mid-tier” restaurant. I applaud restaurants for paying workers a livable wage but the reality for the customer is it costs a lot more to dine out. I used to eat out at restaurants 1 - 2x a month, sometimes but not always in DC. But I got tired of $60 per person checks for food that isn’t out of this world or that much of a delicacy. That on top of the hassle of finding parking, etc.

A week’s worth of groceries costs me $150 and that includes meat, fish, and fresh veggies and fruits. I’ll cook at home and suspect that’s the mindset of all but the very wealthy or Gen Z who will put down their whole paycheck to eat out. This affects restaurants everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 90 closed this year. 70 last year. 2026 probably will close 100 more. They can't afford to pay the wages and stay open.

WFH is killing them.

Not anymore. I just no longer want to go into DC since the National Guard has occupied it. It's just too depressing, between that and half the white house torn down.

Some of my coworkers, who are foreign nationals and here legally, are afraid to go into DC as well, since they are brown.

I’m not a trump apologist at all, but frankly find this ridiculous. I live in Logan Circle and there aren’t that many national guard walking around.

That's fine. But I don't live or work in DC and used to come from the suburbs on the weekends to eat out or go to an event. Just find it too depressing now and want to hunker down at home.

I live and work in DC and now I go out more often. I used to hunker down when I was much more likely to get car jacked in broad daylight.

You are full of shit. Those of us who actually live and work in DC haven’t been afraid to do anything within reason (yeah, I will admit that I am not walking or driving around Anacostia at 2am).

This whole forum is just suburbanites who lived in DC proper maybe 10 years ago, at best. Oh, and lots of trolls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurants ate dying because DC sucks and iripoff.

Entrees are running $30, 40, 50, even 70 a pop. Cocktails and wine glasses are costing $15-25 ea. $25 appetizers. But the worst are the service fees, liveable wage fees, equity fees, whatever BS they tack on. They always conveniently calculate those fees after taxes too. Then they stand over you while paying and try to tell you those fees are not tips that go to the waiter, insinuating that you need to tip 20% more on top of all of that. Ridiculous, I'm not paying 40% over price.

Even stupid burgers and tacos at fast casual places in DC tack on al these fees and expect tipping when you have to bus your own tables, get your own food, and get your own drinks. You can spend $60+ now buying a stupid lunch for 2 that are just tacos and drinks.

DC dining is a ripoff. It needs to all collapse and be re-started again once they readjust prices to be far more reasonable. We almsot never go out in the city anymore because of the ridiculous prices and tipping/fee BS. And now they want $25/h min wage yet will still.havr the gall to demand 20% tips when they are making min wage. Have fun spending $500 for a dinner for two at a medicore place.

Ya know what holds its value even though it’s gone up? Five Guys. But you have to go in person to get the fries right out of the fryer. So good and ginormous portions. A family of 4 could split one regular fries.

What? They were one of the worst offenders of "fast casual" or "fast food" rising out of control. I didn't think anyone would every say Five Guys and "value" in the same sentence. It's often more expensive than eating in a sit down generic American restaurant for meh quality.

The burgers, hot dogs and fries are delicious. I fed me and 13 year old DC for $15 each yesterday. Let me know where you do better than that.

1 single burger, 1 hotdog, 1 small fry, 2 small drinks = $32.07 in Fort Totten 5 Guys right now. No tip. Definitely not cheap.

Right, $15 bucks each. Not cheap but cheaper than other options and really delicious if you order in person. (The fries don’t travel well.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 90 closed this year. 70 last year. 2026 probably will close 100 more. They can't afford to pay the wages and stay open.

WFH is killing them.

Haven't WFH 2+ years. We don't go to DC restaurants anymore because of the price. It is simple as that. It is probably even more expensive than NYC, and DC can't even hold its water next to NY.

So, it’s obvious you don’t go to DC or NY restaurants because NY restaurants are far more expensive (that’s NY…always has been the case).

I go up to NY all the time. Of course NY will be more expensive if you're only talking about high end dining. NY has tons of mid range and cheap eats that DC simply doesn't have. NY is as expensive as ypu want it to be, unlike DC where everything is expensive.

NYC doesn't have tons of mid range and cheap eats at all. Let's stop just making shit up to fit a narrative. I was literally in NYC over the weekend, so if you are claiming you need to travel to the ends of the outer-boroughs to get these cheap eats, then that's not particularly relevant or useful.

I live in NYC and it absolutely does. You’re insane or blind if you think it doesn’t.

+1

I don’t actually live in NYC but travel there somewhat often and can always find really delicious cheap eats at the order at the counter type places. Obviously sit down restaurants tend to be more pricey especially if you’re near a touristy area.

But I’ve found plenty of affordable places to grab a slice of pizza, coffee/bagel, gyro, noodles, etc.