Eating Out becoming a Luxury?

IngazZagni

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121645849#Comment_121645849

This is not necessarily out of the norm. Lots of restaurants close in January having made that decision the previous year but operating through the profitable Christmas period.

Having been out in Dublin midweek this week I was pleasantly surprised how busy it was. Considering I had heard a lot of the negativity about the cost of living and dry January etc. Buzzing!

Of course some businesses may struggle in this high cost environment even if full most nights.

Cyrus

Restaurants and bars in Dalkey are all busy 7 nights a week from what I can see, a lot of what people are saying they have given up because of price sounds like a health boom, cigarettes, alcohol and chipper food.

eating out has always been a luxury but everything is expensive now I think with COVID people just realised and got out of the habit.

Quitelife

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121646742#Comment_121646742

One of the richest parts of Ireland so no great surprise the restaurants are full there to be fair

lbunnae

I feel a bit sorry for some of these posters solutions. Don’t go out anymore. Don’t go to pubs , coffee shops or restaurants. That sounds fun.

lbunnae

Extreme wealth there, same as everyone else’s example of thriving -Ranelagh.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121647058#Comment_121647058

Madd002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121645680#Comment_121645680

Nope,starter main & dessert tea/coffee.

Nevens is €123 taste menu but quite small. Will look into this one further.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121645867#Comment_121645867

There's a huge difference between a business closing that's been viable concern for decades, and a new pop up that will probably close itself within a year. The fact of the matter is that whenever people go into town these days there's numerous changes to the shops in there and it's not just restaurants and pubs. That's a really bad sign. You have long term businesses can't make it work and new pop ups that are on borrowed money and borrowed time.

China Blue, a shoe shop that's been around for as long as I can remember had to close its doors last year. They just weren't getting the footfall they used to, which is a common trend these days.

Pubs may do great on weekends, because people will still want to go out an blow off some steam, but even with that I know plenty of people that just don't go into town much, if at all, now. For myself it's a very rare occasion and the reason is the price. 13 Euro for 2 Guinness in Mulligan's isn't good value for my money as far as I'm concerned and in other places it costs even more. Sod that...especially when I can get a pint for 5.40 down in my local.

BraveDonut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121639735#Comment_121639735

I tip for waiter service. You don't?

downtheroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121649828#Comment_121649828

Most places seem to now have a service charge, so definitely no tip where that is in place.

combat14

there have been about 280 restuarant closures in the last 6 months with more predicted to come with increased minimun wage, sick pay, pension and covid ware housed revenue debt

enjoy your favourite restaurant while you can some of them may not be there much longer

esker72

Minimum wage in 2017 was 9.25 then 9.55 in 2018 and up to 9.80 in 2019 then 10.10 and 10.20 in 2021 so less than a euro across 4 years. Then 10.50 in 2022 still tracking at 2% or so each year. The big jump (7%) at the start of 23 to 11.30 was then followed up this year by a 12% increase to 12.70. So in five years to end 2022 it had increased by 1.25 but in the last two years alone it's gone up by 2.20 (over 20%). There's no choice but to hike prices in industries that have most of their costs sunk in wages, or energy which has also spiralled. You would think that increases in wages would allow for these price hikes but I don't think people on minimum wage and zero hour contracts are dropping 70 euro on a meal for two. I'm also not sure if those slightly higher up the food chain have been getting 20% pay increases over the two years and if they have, they are handing that and more straight back to the energy companies or their landlords/mortgage providers. I think we're in the part of the cycle where the number of people that are able to eat out will drop off but it's been that way lots of times before. In a year or two if interest rates fall back and energy comes back a bit things might improve but small businesses can't keep getting hit with huge pay increases and be expected to hold prices steady

combat14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121650433#Comment_121650433

thats all true but customers cant be expected to indefinitely pay for the incessant rises either something will eventually give

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121650433#Comment_121650433

I don't blame businesses for putting prices up. I think they're just trying to stay afloat. It's not gouging.

It's a competitive environment so I imagine they're doing their best to keep prices down and offer value.

The Grange pub in Deansgrange has Sunday Carvery for €19 now. It's decent but no better or worse than any other carvery I've had.

Not too long ago a good carvery would be €12.

esker72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121650452#Comment_121650452

Something is giving. Businesses are finding that large amounts of people are not able/willing to pay the prices that those businesses need to charge for their products meaning a lot of those businesses will have to close. The people that produce the food, sell and deliver it to the restaurant, cook the food and bring it to your table all get paid a good deal more than they used to in December 2022. The price point gets pushed to a point where many customers who may not have had the same increase in disposable income just decide it's a luxury that they can't afford. Increases in minimum wage are admirable as an incentive to work but not much use to people if it closes the doors of vast numbers of the industries that have to operate at that level, taking away the opportunity to work.

Madd002

You'd buy a home roast and feed a family of 5 at that price. Now that's price gouging at its finest.

Madd002

You'd buy a home roast and feed a family of 5 at that price. Now that's price gouging at its finest.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651350#Comment_121651350

Do you mean the €19 for a carvery?

You could buy a chicken, potatoes, veg, gravy etc for €19 easy and feed 5 no problem.

I still don't think it's gouging though.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651350#Comment_121651350

Yeah, but YOU would have to do it. You would have to plan and shop and spend half the day cooking and cleaning.

You're paying for the luxury of having someone hand you a plate and do all the cleaning, in the comfort of their establishment.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651944#Comment_121651944

Exactly.

You could grow your potatoes and veg also.

You could brew your own beer instead of going to the pub.

cj maxx

Eating out was always a luxury did for special occasions . People here seem to think they're in Friends or something were they go out to eat and don't make dinner at home.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651973#Comment_121651973

People used to spend a fortune drinking but consider a meal out a luxury.

The Europeans will eat out regularly as just a normal part of socialising.

esker72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651351#Comment_121651351

Of course you could. But you'd also have to spend probably three hours of your time cooking and cleaning after it. That's 40 euro of your time right there even at minimum wage rates. There'll always be a desire for people to go out and treat themselves, it's just a case of can they afford it.

Madd002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652001#Comment_121652001

@orangerhyme and @Padre_Pio, I was merely saying in the context that 19€ is a rip off for carvery hence the comparison to a home cooked meal. I eat out every weekend cause I'm at the stage of life where I can and after cooking Mon - Friday it's my little luxury.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652085#Comment_121652085

Sure, but it's not a fair comparison since you're not giving value to the time and convenience of eating out. I would say that €19 is expensive but it's not price gouging. I remember the local centra doing a carvery for maybe €7 or €8, the take away ones in foil containers, and the restaurant next door doing it for €12.

That was a good few years ago though.

orangerhyme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652093#Comment_121652093

€19 is a bit expensive for a carvery but I don't think it's gouging. I think they're just trying to survive. Keep staff on and pay them fairly. I'm sure they'd prefer to sell it for €14.

You can get a cooked pizza in Dunne's deli for €5. Now that's value.

Strumms

Business won’t think twice about passing on increased costs to the public/consumers but if they save money you sure as shït know the public/consumer won’t get the benefit of that. Any menu get cheaper when energy costs declined ? Did they fûck…

charging 6 euros for a soup is miserable, the cost of a good bowl of soup has to be no more than a euro.

water, stock, probably a quarter of a kilogram of vegetable tops…. Pub I go to…

soup… 6

main…18

dessert… 7

pint… 6

tip… 5

42 euros a head… for 3 courses and a drink in a local pub..

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651992#Comment_121651992

Most people neither spend a fortune on drinking or going to restaurants . Going out to either tends to be a rare occasion .

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121645849#Comment_121645849

I’m not surprised seeing as most restaurants in Cork cut their opening hours in winter . I was there a few years ago during winter and it was impossible to find somewhere open to eat inthe evening. .Ended up in fast food joints on Patrick Street . A very strange place and I lived there for a few years before this .

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651281#Comment_121651281

Lots too can afford it but now are making a stand against paying it.

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651992#Comment_121651992

I mean in this country . I have gone to restaurants in Europe and had great meals , at a fraction of the price it costs here .