restaurant. I hesitated on going because I haven't exactly been flush with cash lately. But there were a few people I really wanted to see, so I went. To set the stage...this resto is a nationally recognized James Beard Award nominee, and the only resto in Seattle still requiring men to wear jackets to eat in the dining room, etc. My friend orders a beer. I think: I'm cheap, beer's a safe bet. "I'll take one too." When I'm presented with the bill, my draft beer costs $16/glass! (not including tax & tip) I had 3 beers (over 3 hours) and we split some appetizers--7 ways. The food was so precious we ended up getting burgers on the way home. But get this. My 3 beers and share in the appetizers + tip nearly cost me $100!!! We could have gone to one of my favorite restaurants and I buy dinner for the whole table for that kind of money. Sheesh! I'm astonished. And still kicking myself.
So....what do you think of this? Last night I joined friends in the bar at a fancy
- Thread starter traca
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michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I feel your pain. A lot of high end places put their menus online, but without...
...prices, so you can't check ahead of time.
I know people enjoy fine food, and they don't mind paying for it, but it is really hard to be blind-sided like that. The VALUE just isn't there, as you pointed out.
Michael
...prices, so you can't check ahead of time.
I know people enjoy fine food, and they don't mind paying for it, but it is really hard to be blind-sided like that. The VALUE just isn't there, as you pointed out.
Michael
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
I feel your pain Traca
I am just so not into precious food.
It's not that I can't afford it, but I'm just frugal and don't waste money. That's what happens when you grow up with a depression era german grandmother.
The few times I have gone to these type places, I find myself thinking "what is so special about this" and I conclude that the price is an "exclusiveness" luxury tax.
And that, I do not need.
I am so much happier in a mom&pop dive serving great examples of their heritage than seeing prissy emulsions of spinach suspended in emulsfied bubbles of champagne looking forlorn on a far too large plate.
I bought tix for the the MET's 4-opera ring cycle. The cheapest seats were $400. The most expensive $16,000. Is the person in that beautiful $16,000 seat going to receive/hear/see $15,600 more value than I in my "cheap" seat? No. But they will feel very important.
But hey, that's just me.
I am just so not into precious food.
It's not that I can't afford it, but I'm just frugal and don't waste money. That's what happens when you grow up with a depression era german grandmother.
The few times I have gone to these type places, I find myself thinking "what is so special about this" and I conclude that the price is an "exclusiveness" luxury tax.
And that, I do not need.
I am so much happier in a mom&pop dive serving great examples of their heritage than seeing prissy emulsions of spinach suspended in emulsfied bubbles of champagne looking forlorn on a far too large plate.
I bought tix for the the MET's 4-opera ring cycle. The cheapest seats were $400. The most expensive $16,000. Is the person in that beautiful $16,000 seat going to receive/hear/see $15,600 more value than I in my "cheap" seat? No. But they will feel very important.
But hey, that's just me.
Once, when L & I were poor, we went out with a bunch of other teachers
to a happy hour. L & I ordered soft drinks and no food. Out of the 10 people there, 2 couples were very gregarious and kept ordering alcoholic drinks and appetizers "to share." L & I didn't eat anything because we didn't think it right to eat food bought by someone else.
When the bill came, one of the two gregarious husbands said something like: "okay, let's just split this up evenly. It will make it much easier."
We ended up paying at least $30 for "our share" of the evening's food/drinks/tip of which we had...softdrinks. And I'm pretty sure the "other" couples were just as stunned to pay their share.
Now, this was back in the 80's, when I could budget a week's worth of meals out of $30. Needless to say, that was the LAST time we went out with that group.
to a happy hour. L & I ordered soft drinks and no food. Out of the 10 people there, 2 couples were very gregarious and kept ordering alcoholic drinks and appetizers "to share." L & I didn't eat anything because we didn't think it right to eat food bought by someone else.
When the bill came, one of the two gregarious husbands said something like: "okay, let's just split this up evenly. It will make it much easier."
We ended up paying at least $30 for "our share" of the evening's food/drinks/tip of which we had...softdrinks. And I'm pretty sure the "other" couples were just as stunned to pay their share.
Now, this was back in the 80's, when I could budget a week's worth of meals out of $30. Needless to say, that was the LAST time we went out with that group.
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
Marilyn that happened to me once...
large group, no one thinking about separate checks, all I had was a cup of soup and a water (wasn't poor, that's just all I wanted as I was just recovering from being sick and everyone knew this). Several people ordered lavishly: appetizers, multiple high end drinks, wine, steaks, etc.
They had the audacity to start dividing up the bill to split (notice it's always the people who ordered all the stuff doing the "let's just divide this trick"???). They told me my share and I just bluntly told them, "No, that's not right, I just had a bowl of soup," pulled out the money and put it on the table including a generous tip. Graciously said goodbye and said, sorry gotta dash...
Several others later said they were so glad I did that then they had the courage to speak up and say, "Here's what I had, here's my share and tip".
I don't feel embarassed about speaking up in situations like that where people are obviously trying to have others subsidize their restaurant tab.
large group, no one thinking about separate checks, all I had was a cup of soup and a water (wasn't poor, that's just all I wanted as I was just recovering from being sick and everyone knew this). Several people ordered lavishly: appetizers, multiple high end drinks, wine, steaks, etc.
They had the audacity to start dividing up the bill to split (notice it's always the people who ordered all the stuff doing the "let's just divide this trick"???). They told me my share and I just bluntly told them, "No, that's not right, I just had a bowl of soup," pulled out the money and put it on the table including a generous tip. Graciously said goodbye and said, sorry gotta dash...
Several others later said they were so glad I did that then they had the courage to speak up and say, "Here's what I had, here's my share and tip".
I don't feel embarassed about speaking up in situations like that where people are obviously trying to have others subsidize their restaurant tab.
Good on you Richard! My husband used to do the same - he got tired of certain people over ordering..
and drinking three times as much as everyone else and refused to divide - clearly said "separate checks to the waiter".
I do remember being so tight on money in Tokyo with a friend and going to the bar built by
Frank Llyod Wright because we so wanted to. We
each had a beer (the cheapest thing on the menu}
and that was our supper for the evening. But that was worth it!!!
and drinking three times as much as everyone else and refused to divide - clearly said "separate checks to the waiter".
I do remember being so tight on money in Tokyo with a friend and going to the bar built by
Frank Llyod Wright because we so wanted to. We
each had a beer (the cheapest thing on the menu}
and that was our supper for the evening. But that was worth it!!!
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
Yeah, I know people who pull that trick too, and I just pull out my wallet and take out
enough for what I ordered and a tip, toss it on the table and say "Here is enough for what I ordered and tip".
These people order "things for the table" and demand you try a morsel and eat the rest and expect you to divvy it up on the bill! Oh no thank you...
enough for what I ordered and a tip, toss it on the table and say "Here is enough for what I ordered and tip".
These people order "things for the table" and demand you try a morsel and eat the rest and expect you to divvy it up on the bill! Oh no thank you...
I've been in this situation too and it's infuriating. After a couple times I speak up and say no, I
was only prepared to pay for what I ordered. But there's a reverse trick. People put money down for what they ordered plus a dollar or so, which doesn't begin to cover tax and tip. Whoever is divvying up the bill gets stuck paying the difference. So sometimes saying "let's split it" avoids that.
As a former waiter, I beg of you not to ask for a dozen separate checks. It wreaks havoc with the service. Many restaurants don't allow it anyway because too many checks go missing.
was only prepared to pay for what I ordered. But there's a reverse trick. People put money down for what they ordered plus a dollar or so, which doesn't begin to cover tax and tip. Whoever is divvying up the bill gets stuck paying the difference. So sometimes saying "let's split it" avoids that.
As a former waiter, I beg of you not to ask for a dozen separate checks. It wreaks havoc with the service. Many restaurants don't allow it anyway because too many checks go missing.
That happens here all the time! It's someone's birthday so the group says
everyone is going together when I don't want to go, I end up buying a lunch out I don't want, spent an extra hour out I now have to make up plus chip in for Birthday Person's lunch.
And I barely know most of these people.
everyone is going together when I don't want to go, I end up buying a lunch out I don't want, spent an extra hour out I now have to make up plus chip in for Birthday Person's lunch.
And I barely know most of these people.
In Prague, I found out that "to invite," in Czech, implies that whoever extends the invitation pays.
It was a tough two years on my bank account. smileys/wink.gif
But I should say that this only happened among people my age--my college students (who were 10-12 years younger than I was) always insisted on paying their way when we went out for English-language Beer Night.
It was a tough two years on my bank account. smileys/wink.gif
But I should say that this only happened among people my age--my college students (who were 10-12 years younger than I was) always insisted on paying their way when we went out for English-language Beer Night.
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
Yup. It's always the bizarre assortment of strangers and acquaintenance stuck together because of
a mutual friend or social obligation.
a mutual friend or social obligation.