Hi Ben, RE: "My family of 5 dines at home for about $23 for three squares a day, tax and tip included <g>. One single dinner at our local burger joint is $30"
Burgers are probably one of the dinner items that are cheaper to make at home. Probably between $1.50 and $2/person, depending upon volume.
RE: "65-70 at the local Mexican place"
That's on the high side. I live in the Bay Area, where restaurants are plentiful so possibly cheaper.
RE: "100 dollars at the great seafood place on the waterfront"
Fish has gone up around 10% to 15% to say $6.50. For that amount of money (which doesn't include side dishes), a person could get the same amount of fish that's cooked but costs less at $6.00 (also excludes side dishes.) Meats have also increased.
RE: " Restaurants otoh had continued inflation due to labor, energy, leases, and insurance"
That's how I remember the early 90s too. With one exception, the 90s showed no significant real increase in grocery prices that I noticed but restaurant prices were increasing. Things like chicken were even getting cheaper. You got out at a good time. The grocery business has been walmartized. It's also one of the reasons why it's increasingly cheaper on a per person basis to buy for 5 than for lower volume. When I first moved to the Bay Area, the stores sold meat for a family of eight, I swear. Then they started providing smaller sizes. But now they are back to increasing their sizes again in an effort to grow revenue, which doesn't do me any good. Restaurants can buy their food in high volume, I do not.
RE: "The gap may be closing some this year, but it escalated for many years."
This is probably true. The reverse is happening from the 90s. We are now seeing grocery prices increase, but the local restaurants don't have the pricing power due to the over supply in our local area and restaurant was the first item from people's budgets to be cut during the downturn. This might be one of those rare moments where certain dishes at restaurants are cheaper than groceries. Should probably enjoy it and take advantage of it. Though tend to prefer meals at home, since restaurant food more or less is what you get during business travel, and that's always plentifully available.
Regards,
Amy J |
