Just reading over Fredric’s post about Equestria and it brought to mind a conversation I recently had with friends. We were talking about a prix fixe dinner at Per Se in New York–$250. Of course that’s expensive and no one argued. It could even be said to be obscene, frankly, when many families can’t afford to spend that much on food in a month. But then we got in the discussion of what is expensive and what’s just to be expected.
Is a $20 entree pricey? $30? $40? Where does it break for you? Let’s get some talk going on this and then I’ll weigh in with my opinion, too. There’s more to it than just the price of the food.
Restaurant business
Responses to “What is expensive?”
November 27th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
There is going out to eat, which covers most everything from Ryan’s to the local Chinese buffet, and then there is going out for dinner. The later has an entirely different expectation, at least for this writer. I expect to pay more, but for two people with two appetizers, two entrees and maybe a desert (notice no drinks) I think that $100 per couple is pressing the limit. We love to have dinner out, but the economics of it makes it a once in a while thing.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
It depends; McAlister’s is too expensive for the flavorless mess they serve at 8 bucks a sandwich. I would pay $50 for a nice prix fixe and call it cheap.
On an everyday “just filling the tank” basis I don’t want to pay more than about $10 a person for lunch and $25 for dinner, inclusive of appetizers and other stuff. Anything more expensive is “going out to dinner” as Neil put it. My upper limit for normal going out is about $50 a person, higher for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
I agree with Allie about prices, but I do find things I enjoy at McAlister’s better than the sandwiches, like the baked potatoes & salads.
November 28th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Can’t agree with you, Carole; a potato the size of a shoe is pretty flavorless compared to a normal-sized potato, and even their salads are boring. 
November 28th, 2007 at 10:21 am
There are a number of areas to factor in for this question? Location (memphis or new york - would not dream or paying more than $30 for an entre here), ingredients (truffles or pasta - truffles make everything wonderful - even dessert), etc. I don’t mind spending money on a great meal, with outstanding service in a wonderful setting. However, I have certain limits. For example, pasta, unless homemade, is dirt cheap and I refuse to pay more than mid teens for it.
Incidently, my husband and I recently had the best lunch bargin in NY at Jean Georges - $28 for two courses at lunch. The final bill with tip after 3 hours was $225 (what happened I was thinking!!!). Of course we had cocktails to start, extra courses, desserts and wine with each course. And in my mind that was still a bargain and can’t wait to do it again.
Totally agree with Allie, refuse to pay anything for “junk” food like McAlister’s or other of that type.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Well, it’s generally potato as substrate and delivery vehicle for more flavorful ingredients, because eating large spoonfuls of bacon and green onions and sour cream is not considered healthy. But then, I don’t really eat at McAlister’s either.
My general rule is that a meal becomes expensive when I can’t discover why I’m paying the extra money: A $35 filet, while a fixture on many menus around town, is anatomically identical to the piece of meat I pay $10 for at Costco, and I can’t see the extra $25 in kitchen prep to leave it in the closet for a month and throw it under a salamander for a few minutes. Perhaps my palate is unrefined, but I can’t taste the difference between that and what I can cook at home. Often, it tastes worse. I’ve not developed a taste for strange and rare parts of animals, either, so generally a $30 entree is more than satisfying.
November 28th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Last weekend I was going with a friend for burgers. We had planned on the Belmont, but another friend said the best burger in town was at Houston’s. So we went there and I didn’t look at the menu. A burger, fries (granted, hand cut very good ones and plenty of them) and the least expensive glass of wine on the list was $28 with appropriate gratuity. That’s expensive.
November 28th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Just for a price breakdown on Alyce’s experience, I checked the Houston’s menu, and the burger (ground chuck) was $11, the fries (that’s a cut, deep fried potato) $4 and the cheapest red on the menu is $8 a glass.
The same meal at Encore would have been $2 cheaper, but their cheapest red is $11 a glass. (Still expensive compared to Belmont, and enough to make one long for a restaurant that serves Appellation Charles Shaw.)
November 28th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
$28 for a burger, fries and a single glass of wine is nuts in my opinion. I’m with Randal on the steak issue as well. I don’t eat steak in restaurants anymore.
I’d say, in Memphis, the upper limit of a nice “dinner” would be $50 a person including a glass of wine each. For a special occasion meal I’d up that to around $75 a head, considering you’re probably going to order that once-a-year indulgent menu item that’d cause an infarction should you eat it every day.
For the average casual dining chain though, a person should be able to get out of there for $30 or less a pop including appetizer and a drink. I know we’ve gotten out of a few, as a couple, for under $45 bucks with an appetizer, 2 entrees, and 2-4 drinks on the ticket.
November 28th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Alyce just mentioned the wine prices which have become a sore spot with me. I understand that the taxes are outrageous so there’s a whopping chunk of change from the start, but folks are getting greedy on their wine prices. $12 is too expensive for a glass of cheap chianti sold as a house red wine.
November 28th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Off-topic, but I am in need of a good pastrami and a quart of half sours. I was going to have it shipped from NYC, but the shipping alone was more expensive the food.
Is there a deli in Memphis that has good pastrami and half sours?
November 28th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
I have to weigh in on the Houston’s bill. I have lived in Memphis for 20 years, and I have always found Houston’s overrated and overpriced for what you get. I have co-workers who travel to Memphis just to eat at Houston’s. I don’t get it. Give me a Zorba burger from Cafe 61 any day over Houston’s. When I need a burger out, though, you can’t go wrong with Huey’s.
As for what is expensive, I think, as others have said, it depends. I don’t mind paying more if the food quality and more importantly the service quality warrant it. I have paid as much as $100 for one person for a superior experience. I have also been highly upset over the poor service in a casual dining establishment where I was having lunch.
November 28th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I almost didn’t make a comment on this thread because I thought that Neil, Allie, and Kristi said it so well. I’ll gladly pay well for a great meal but often feel ripped off at moderately priced places in Memphis because the food quality is so poor.
November 28th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
As others have said, “expensive” really depends on food quality, service/ambiance, and intent of the meal to me. I’ve dropped $60 per person for a Saturday dinner at La Tourelle before seeing a play and thought it was a bargain at the price, but in general I feel either guilty or robbed (depending on the quality of the meal) if I shell out more than $25 pre-tax for dinner when it’s not a special occasion. More than $10 would probably qualify as an expensive lunch in most cases.
One thing I’m admittedly eccentric about is sandwiches—I’m very resistant to spending double digits on a lunch sandwich, given that the city’s best in my opinion (Automatic Slim’s BLT & BBQ shrimp) costs just under $9 and can make two modest-sized meals. I’ll order a dinner style entree and side for a few dollars more to avoid feeling taken advantage of by high sandwich prices if I’m eating lunch in a nice restaurant.
November 28th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
This is a fascinating thread. As reviewers for the CA, Jennifer and I talk about the expense issue frequently and so do LL and I, since we eat out a lot. Thinking about the restaurants I have reviewed in say the past five years, it amazes me how expensive the core of fine dining places is in Memphis. There are 15 or 16 prominent restaurants where appetizers are typically $12 to $18, entrees $22 to $36 (and steaks are more, like $42), desserts $8 and $10. Add wine (from increasingly expensive wine lists), tax and tip and you’re talking $90 or $100 a person. This is pretty expensive for a dinner on a worknight when you don’t want to cook or even on a Friday night that’s festive for some reason. Of course the occasion and the quality of the restaurant can mitigate or at least soften the blow. We and another couple ate at French Laundry three years ago in October; the final tab (food, three bottles of wine, tax, tip) was about $1,100 and worth every penny. A bad meal, however, ain’t worth a dime no matter how cheap it is.
November 28th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
We don’t quibble about spending a little extra money on a nice dinner or lunch, but I’ve really become disappointed with “The Cupboard.” The last few times I’ve been there I’ve shelled out $11 for lunch, and the portions were very small and served cold. It’s a shame, because that restaurant was always a staple for us, but we no longer feel that we’re getting our money’s worth.
November 28th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Randal - Interesting point of comparison on Encore and Houston’s. Who would have thought? Brings up an interesting point. Would love to know places in memphis where you can BYO - with or without corkage. I know Guadaulapna and siagon Le no corkage. And I’ve heard that Interim is only $8 - what a deal if true. Any other “dining” places that anyone knows of.
November 28th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Kristi, I’m glad you brought up the subject of the corkage fee. We’ve been talking about including that in the dining info box on reviews. Would anyone else find this helpful?
No corkage at Lou’s Pizza Pie in Cooper Young, either. I’ll start a posts about corkage fees and everyone, diners and restaurateurs, can post there.
November 28th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Susan, I’m sorry I don’t have a source for the pastrami and half sours for you. But I’m going to be watching for a response because I miss the half sours that Blockman’s Deli used to serve. They were sitting on the tables at all times and I almost went into withdrawal when Blockman’s closed. They were also my source for wonderful corned beef and H&H bagels. Let’s hope somebody knows of a place where we can get our fix.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Well, Fredric, there you have it: the reason it’s so hard for “fine dining” places to stay afloat in Memphis and chains abound; the fine dining places want to charge about twice as much as people are willing to pay for a normal meal.
Memphis cuisine reminds me of a statue with feet and a head, but no torso; we have delicious BBQ and wings and fried tomatoes, and we have truffles and ostrich and whatever which has nothing to do with Memphis. Build a statue like that, and wonder of wonders, the head falls to the ground. Real “food” cities have the whole statue. Residents learn to appreciate good food on an everyday basis, and chefs have a cuisine which is grounded in the local culture.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
I agree with some of what is being stated on this post. Allie, there is a reason that prices at most fine dining restaurants are high in Memphis. The people of Memphis support chains. Look at the places that win best Italian (olive garden), best seafood (red lobster)…..I can go on and on. The local restaurants do not have the buying power of the chains. We do not use the same b.s. ingrediants so we special order to try and put the best plate on the table. So instead of going to Huey’s, Belmont, or grabbing a great sandwhich at Quick Check, We go and pay the same price or more from a chain. All we do is fuel big money and make it a little more difficult for our neighbors to stay afloat.
As far as steaks go, I have watched the price of prime beef go from $19.89 a pound to 24.72 for usda prime filets. Since this has happens alot of place have go to choice or select. If one of you favorites has stuck by his standards and continued to use prime, then you should a filet around 36 to 42 dollars. That is running a 33% food cost on the plate. You do not make much money like that.
The point is…………..there are some great chefs in Memphis doing great things. We do not have the per capitia income to support all of them. Sometime we support or try places multiple time because of mass produced propaganda. This industry like all other is filled with politics. When that happens all we are doing is help close a restaurant that is trying to do something in Memphis…………So support Memphis chefs
November 29th, 2007 at 11:21 am
I took a group of locals and foreigners who were looking for a good Memphis-centric dinner and a nice wine list to Hunt Phelan last night — they were blown away. What I really like about Hassinger’s menu — aside from the local, seasonal flavors — is the price point. Starters run from $7 or $8 to $11, and most of the entrees are under $30. Come warm weather, you can’t beat sitting out in the garden with a cocktail and a few starters for the table before a night on the town. For my money, along with Equestria and Encore, one of the best bargains — and, unfortunately, best kept secrets — in town.
November 29th, 2007 at 11:55 am
Andria, the Hunt Phelan website lists appetizers from $6 to $12 and seven entrees, one priced $27, two at $28, two at $32 and two at $34. Equestria is more expensive than that. the bargain in your list is Encore, though the last time we ate there, the food was sadly indifferent; I will go back and try it again though.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:13 pm
I suppose I shouldn’t judge a restaurant I’ve not dined in, but Equestria’s prices have frightened me away with sticker shock on the several occasions I’ve considered going there. If I *knew* the meal was going to be as excellent as ones I’ve had at Erling Jensen’s or La Tourelle, it’d be worth it for a special occasion, but I’ve not heard any firsthand feedback about the cuisine.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Hey, wow, look at the comment above me. Is this our first piece of spam?
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