Isn't eating out an expensive restaurant really a waste of time?

Question

My wife and I were given as a gift a gift certificate for $100 at one of the most popular but expensive restaurant in town. We easily spent our $100 and had to pay a little bit more for tips and extras. The place was jammed and it was good we had a reservation because there was an hour wait to get in otherwise.

The food was fine and the service very formal and efficent. Everyone in the place appeared to be getting wine, desert and extras along with their main course. I estimate the average couple spent far more than us, maybe $150.00.

As the country goes into a recession I wonder if the people will wonder how they could have been so extravgent back in December 2007, when they are unemployed and broke in 2008.

Do you ever feel cheated after you spend good money to go out to dinner?

Answer 1

honestly, a lot of you sound like you have 100% zero taste.

How about touring chefs in marquee restaurants?  How about new dishes with different approaches from restaurants on the cutting edge of both technology and quality?  

I don't mind spending 500+ on a meal for me and my wife if it means a meal that is worth it.  Eating food that has a tremendous amount of thought and preparation to it is probably one of the things I enjoy most out of life, hands down.  

Maybe its just me being a snobish metro area New Yorker, but I tell you what.  

If I was from the south, i would tour the BBQ circuits religiously, as I love that too.  If i lived in California, I would visit sonoma and other wine counties that have phenomenal restaurants.   No matter where I've ever lived in life, I always find that the most enjoyment, the biggest bang for my buck, regardless of the price, was a great plate at a new restaurant.  

If you can afford it of course.  I make around 45K a year as  a post grad and I can still easily afford to go out one or twice a week.  You don't have to order the whole menu you know and you can visit certain restaurants for just desert, or just a drink, or just an appetizer, it all depends.

Answer 2

Its a waste of money.

It depends on the company. You can have a GREAT dinner at McDonald's if you have the right company!

Answer 3

Something terrible is always going to happen. You might slip and fall and die tomorrow, or you might go on for another 100 years, you just don't know. You might as well enjoy what is available to you while you have the opportunity to do so. Life is short.

Answer 4

It all depends on your reasons for being there. If you are starving and just want to eat as if you was at an all-u-can eat place this is not where you really meant to go. If you are planning something nice you would go here for a taste of the upperclass or high society life an a chance to live it up.

Ex: Romantic setting, special occasions

Answer 5

Most of the people eating in that restaurant were expensing their meal to a business or expense account.  Is this a great country or what?

Answer 6

We only go to expensive restaurants for special occasions.  I agree that the food is overpriced and probably not worth the money spent, but at the same time it's nice to have a ritzy night out once in awhile.  Getting dressed up and spending a classy night on the town is a nice break once in awhile from our usual ballcap-and-sneaks sports bar nights out, heheh.

Answer 7

I hope you actually relaxed and enjoyed your meal instead of thining about the cost the whole time.  Everyone has a hobby or enjoyment that you spend more money on that may seem crazy to the next erson.  You might enjoy spending your extra money on expensive shoes, or at sporting events, another person might spend all their money on collecting model trains or fixing up their car which to me is senseless.  Eating out is how another may choose to enjoy their extra money so for them it is not a waste

Answer 8

the food really isn't good enough to justify the price.

Answer 9

i think expensive resteraunts are kind of silly, food that costs 20 times more than it should, but if you feel like being serviced better than a fast food joint, and want to be pampered, and have the money, then go for it. if not, don't worry about what people are blowing their money on. they will be the ones to pay, not you

Answer 10

A great deal of the people that eat this way have the money to burn this year or any other

Answer 11

Well hopefully if you're spending that much money, the food should be something better than you're normally going to be having, and the service should be exceptional as well. I regret going to a mid-priced restaurant and having the food be salty and the service bad MUCH more than spending twice the money and having a friendly and knowledgeable waiter/waitress, and a unique and well prepared dish.