Am I just a cheapskate or has eating out gone really expensive?

Posted 2nd Jun 2022

We visited our local shopping centre today to see what they were doing for Jubilee. We went to find a bit to eat for lunch and went into Pret, Costa Coffee, Greggs, Waitrose and an independent coffee shop and we walked back out of all of them! I couldn’t get over how much they wanted to charge us for a sandwich, crisps and a coffee!I didn’t even think the food was worth the cost. I picked up a Brie baguette in Pret and I had to get a magnifying glass out to find the cheese. We went to Maccies in the end and it was ok but again not worth the money.

Next time I will bring my own stuff from home and find a park bench to sit on come rain or shine

29 Comments

sorted by

2nd Jun 2022
Well of course everything is more expensive now - Tesco Stockwell brand lemonade was 17p/L at the start of the year, it jumped to 20p & it's now 23p! I had a Whopper meal from Burger King recently and it was close to £8 for a regular. The cup size was small as was the portion of chips... Defo treating eating out as a treat now rather than a regular thing.
2nd Jun 2022
Eating an £8 Burger King meal is a treat !!
Just Think what sort of meal you could make for £8,
(and it would last more than 90 seconds)
2nd Jun 2022
I do think that fast food has become more expensive. The major cafe chains(Pret, Costa etc) as well as independent cafes are very expensive for food. Not sure what you mean about Greggs though as they're reasonably priced IMO. I would say anything under £4 a meal is pretty standard, but in terms of cafes you're probably going to pay that just for the sandwich. I usually stick to basic supermarket sandwiches as they're pretty decent for the price. Plenty of meal deals to be found.
11 m ago
What is better than a good old fashioned picnic?you choose the bread ,filling yourself not what the shop has to offer,we take a flask of hot water and coffee/chocolate/boveral sachets pkt crisps piece fruit and a choc bar.
Anonymous User
2nd Jun 2022
Cheaper to go for a pub meal. Many by me still do two mains for £9 or two for one.
8 m ago
Just had a steak pudding mash,carrots and peas at my local pub .cost for 2 with a small cider and a pint£50. Yes £50 quid.
2nd Jun 2022
you said Greggs were too expensive..

then went to McDonald’s
2nd Jun 2022
Cheapskate
2nd Jun 2022
Get a meal deal. Tesco is the cheapest, with a clubcard
4th Jun 2022
Yes your a cheapskate. When I read eating out I thought you meant somewhere nice, meal for 2 easily £100ish unless it’s a Indian at the end of a night and it’s about £60-70..
2nd Jun 2022
Yup all my local junk food restaurants prices are high, at least a reason not eat out now
2nd Jun 2022
Is it really a surprise?
Everything has gone up in price!!!
2nd Jun 2022
The very fact that everyone on this discussion is talking about morrisons cafes, mcdonalds and greggs is indicative that, yes, it is expensive to eat out now. I used to order Papa Johns and it was £11 for a small pizza, side and drink (delivered), now it's £15 delivered. Restaurants with the Mrs was usually £30 on a weekend and now it's £45 minimum. House prices have rocketed, Gold prices have rocketed. I'm warning you all of a recession.
2nd Jun 2022
You are lucky that you only have to pay for you and the misses when you go out to dinner. If you have a wife and teenage kids, then the price is much higher. (Teenage son is no longer happy with a happy meal - he wants a big mac large meal)
2nd Jun 2022
Since when is a packet of crisps is eating out? :/
Prices of everything has gone up so not surprising really.
2nd Jun 2022
eating out has always been expensive and it is going up in line with the rest of the stuff. i only eat out when i have to or when someone else pays for it
3rd Jun 2022
Coffee shops have never been a cheap place to get lunch
2nd Jun 2022
Yes definitely getting too expensive even with vouchers, I don't think I'll be eating out much for a while (edited)
2nd Jun 2022
I go morrisons as its cheap plus do a bit of shoping.
2nd Jun 2022
I don't feel Greggs or McDonald's is anymore expensive.
2nd Jun 2022
Tesco meal deal next time!
2nd Jun 2022
Wages higher energy prices higher. Temporary vat cut for hospitality has gone now too restaurants have no choice but to put prices up

Many places are simply no longer value for money
2nd Jun 2022
McDonald's & KFC are my limit when eating out nowadays.
2nd Jun 2022
Nothings cheap these days it seems! I usually pay about £4.20 for a coffee from Starbucks, noooo idea how much the food is but guessing if you wanted a sandwich, drink and cake you're talking £10 minimum
3rd Jun 2022
And drink prices are a killer as well.

I am quite social, but when you can buy decent larger in the fridge of a supermarket for the price of what one would cost you in a pub then it’s crazy.
4th Jun 2022
Tesco meal deal is £3
2 cheese burgers and a coffee at Mcdonalds is £3
I try and watch my slender figure. Ha.. I do think about calories though.
Pub meals can be bought for sensible money but some places it's got expensive. Yeah. Think many business are increasing prices above inflation. I'm happy to sit on park bench with £3 meal deal especially in summer or finding a sensible place to eat. Still think nandos is good but avoid the drink dispenser imo. (edited)
5th Jun 2022
I second that after almost a year i went to my local kebab shop,
Bought 2 portions of chips & a kids kebab and bill was 12.50 used to be £7 to the most