Reply to Have you cut back from eating out?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We stopped going out almost 3 years ago, it is cost prohibitive to us. We used to grab Chopt salads regularly for lunch, and now it is $38 for two salads. No thank you. We only go once a year to a nice restaurant to celebrate each other birthdays. Economy sucks. [/quote]

[b]Except it isn't the economy, it's price gouging.[/b]

We cut back a lot. I feel bad about it because I really want to support our neighborhood restaurants when they are good, but it is so expensive to do on a weekly basis. We went above and beyond to support them through COVID, but feel a bit burned that they never brought the prices back to normal. Maybe they didn't realize we were sacrificing to support them and that it wasn't sustainable long term. When the cost of getting pizza for the family doubles, it has to change your habits regardless of your income.

[/quote]

No restaurant wants to charge extra and then lose customers.  It is not price gouging.

1) At the beginning of the Biden administration, energy policies drove up fuel costs, which raises the prices of all commodities;
2) The combination of high oil prices and the war in Ukraine drove up the price of fertilizer;
3) Due to government income support payments during COVID (and personal fears), it became very difficult to hire workers.  Starting salaries, even in fast food places, went way up.
4) Due to the above, farmers took acreage out of production because they would potentially lose money;
5) Therefore, the price of animal feed went up, so farmers reduced the size of their livestock herds;
6) So, prices for all food products, plus utilities, plus transport costs, plus labor costs have all risen during the last four years.  Restaurants cannot survive without raising their prices, and now the fact that inflation has reduced discretionary income, people are eating out less.  That equals more restaurant bankruptcies.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/casual-dining-chain-bankruptcies-highlight-industry-in-flux
[/quote]

Gas prices are down.
Workers are back.
Restaurants have not lowered their prices. Minimum tipping expectations has increased, adding significantly to a restaurant bill. [/quote]

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