Food and drink prices in Dublin

Dining out in Dublin much less the rest of the country is a rob at the minute and the quality of food out is abysmal.

Went out for lunch at a new Italian place in Dalkey a few months back. A small enough lasagne, some other small plate for the wife and one glass of wine cost us the guts of €60. Decided then it's just not worth it anymore. Can see a lot more places closing down if those are the kind of prices they need to charge to stay in business, people just won't bother or won't be able to afford it.

Minimum wage is over €14 an hour come January. That's a 4.8% increase in 1 year. Plus pension auto enrolment with an employer contribution.

The cost has to come from somewhere.

Min wage is up 50% since 2018, plus an extra bank holiday.

It's also used as a benchmark where a lot of peoples would be earning €X above min wage, so increases affect those employees too.

Plus statutory sick pay, increased employer PRSI rates and now compulsory employer pension contributions.

Effectively cost of employing someone has doubled in about 7 years.

However people can obviously afford to pay it. Everywhere serving food is busy, there's more choice than ever, can't get a dinner reservation in any sort of reasonable time frame.

prices in England are similar or worse to Ireland and usually worse quality in my experience

And outside of Dublin it’s cheaper? Apart from property the price of break and milk etc is the same all around the country if not more as not everyone has a SuperValu, dunnes etc so more than likely buying from a spar etc so paying more

Was in Liverpool city last year, the group I was with enjoyed pints @ £3 each.

Some smaller towns can be cheaper. https://www.thesun.ie/travel/15429039/cheapest-wetherspoons-pubs-pints-99p-list-towns/

Cheaper to get a Ryanair flight than buy a round of drinks in Dublin.

Dub myself and gave up going into that city long ago unless I have the misfortune to have to travel through it. Don't wont to go into bashing it as that's another story.. that aside I just don't find value for money anymore when it comes to restaurants / bars have no issue paying a reasonable price for a reasonable product and service but the quality and service is not there.. anyway I'm sure its still packed most nights with people willing to pay the prices.. just my tuppence worth.

There is a pub on South Ann St where a pint of Guinness is €7, and on Camden St for €6.50.

Curious, where would you get a pint for 2.60, in Dublin, a good pub is a profitable business

It's €2.10 in the three Spoons pubs in the suburbs!!!

In 2025, it is possible to buy a pint of beer in a pub for €2.10.

In Swords, Blanchardstown and Dún Laoghaire.

Min wage 2018 9.55> 2026 wil be 14.15

2018 employee prsi 8.6%> Employer prsi is now 11.25%

Introduction of 5 paid sick days

2026 auto enrolment 1.5%

Extra public holiday for employees

Sugar tax was introduced

Electricity prices increase

Supplier costs increased

And so on and on

Margins are smaller, price increases happen

It's bloody expensive out there now to run a food business id imagine