Yooper Culvers today: Cheeseburger, medium drink and small pretzel bites.
$12.79

I work at a small mom and pop pizza place. The price of chicken wings from the supplier went up by over two dollars a pound MORE than what the restaurant was selling them to the customer. The price of pizza flour went up 25% in two weeks. The price of cheese is crazy. I can assure you that price increases and labor cost increases are making life difficult in the retail food business.

Worst part is, when a few people stop going, they go up a little more. And so on and so on. The spiral that we hope doesn't lead to a bonafide depression.

Almost half the nation is deadly stupid.

You all need to check the chain restaurants that you like for apps. Most will get you deals.

Heck, for a few weeks, I got a free Crispy chicken from MCD with a $1 large coke on their mobile app. Easy quick lunch on the go.

Culver’s..get the kids meal. It’s the same burger as their old snack pack deal. And you get a free scoop of custard.

Yep.

Gave my dog his allowance, and found the dollar is only worth $3.50, in dog money...

quote:

Originally posted by 83v45magna:
The spiral that we hope doesn't lead to a bonafide depression.

People are whining and crying that we're heading for a recession. We're already there and nearing a depression that'll make the '30s look like child's play.

I have a favorite place for a bowl of clam chowder and some fish & chips. Unfortunately, it costs $46 for the two. Add in a tip...

With the price of gas what it is, I'm surprised so many are still dining out.

I can't think of a shittier time as an adult since January 2021.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
With the price of gas what it is, I'm surprised so many are still dining out.

I can't think of a shittier time as an adult since January 2021.

Honestly, it's a great time to go out and enjoy life. Who knows what is coming next...

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
Honestly, it's a great time to go out and enjoy life. Who knows what is coming next...

I believe this is quite true. Next year we will be looking back at today as the good old days!

It's not just the restraunts..food in general now getting stupid. Most stuff at our local Kroger is at least double what it was a year ago. I've got 4 kids, and it adds up pretty fast. Add to that the idiotic gas prices, and it's hard to even leave the house. I had to gas up my truck and the suburban this week, and both were well over $100, even with $0.30 off per gallon from the local Kroger fuel center. Even the little tank in our run around town Mazda is taking $50 these days. I can't wait until our garden starts producing...at this point I can barely afford to feed the family at home, much less eat out.

This recession is hurting a lot of extra activities. My wife runs bingo once a week for the recreation center in town here. Attendance has been dropping ever since price of gas, food, and every day life necessities began to rise. We used to have 80+ people per week and are now lucky to get 50.

There is a nice little sports bar with multiple locations in Orlando, it's called Froggers. The main one is located in a suburbs (Oviedo) and I used to go there 20+ years ago after softball games for beer and wings. And to this day when we are over on that side of town we try to stop by and grab some wings. While their wings are good, their blue cheese is homemade and I have never had any other that even compares.

We stopped in a few weeks ago and the wife and I got 30 wings for ourselves. One appetizer, fried pickles. And a cheeseburger for the kid. I also had two margaritas which were $5.50 each. The total bill, after tip, was over $90. Wings and a burger, over $90.

That was the moment I said to her that our eating out days are numbered.

I don't eat out very often, only for special occasions or delivery occasionally when working late. I do get lunch out often at work. Fast food is now nearly $10 for lunch, a deli is $15+, Chinese/vietnamese/Thai $12-15+, $12+ for a chipotle chicken burrito with guacamole. 'Nicer' lunch places are $20+.

Even cooking the vast majority of my own food, grocery prices are 20-30% since 2020 prices. My salary is up 9% in the same period.

We live in a nice mountain resort town. During the lockdowns we did takeout a couple times per week from really nice restaurants. We bought really nice steak or scallops from the grocery store once per week.

Now we can't afford any of that. We've become "people of WalMart". It's worth the drive to save greatly on the groceries, but the mid-level quality items now cost as much as the premium cost in town a year ago.

We recently spent time in the UK and found their restaurant prices lower than equivalent in the USA. Even in London we ate cheaper than we can locally.

It's rough even if you want to cook it yourself. I'm fixing soft-shelled crabs for supper. I'll post the 'after' photo in the What did you have for dinner thread. (If I screw them up, I might have to shoot myself.)

It's not just the food prices, it's also the labor. A buddy of mine owns an Italian place. Mostly take out pizza, but they also offer sandwiches and such. They have a small indoor dining area well, nothing fancy.

He's paying his kitchen help $25 - $27 per hour. He has to keep raising their pay because he has to pay NEW folks $23 - $25 per hour. If the existing employees find out the new guys are making as much as them they get pissed off and quit. It's an endless cycle of giving raises.

Small carry out thin crust pepperoni and onion pizza at my favorite hole in the wall pizza joint.

Last year - $11 + tax.
Currently - $16 + tax.

Do the math on that one. Yeah, inflation is only 8%. Honest injun it is.

Slight thread drift......I got a haircut yesterday at my usual(40+ years) place. Last haircut was $17.....this one was $27!! Damn...That is healthy money for 20 minutes of work.

Egg Mcmuffin and senior coffee at Mickey D = $6.40. Used to be just under four bux.

Starting pay for help at this McD is $14.00 an hour.