I don't like going out for dinner.

I do all the cooking at home so for me it's nice to go out somewhere and have someone else take care of it. Same with ordering in tbh as well though we're doing that less these days. I do tend to venture to places I've been before though to minimise the potential disappointment factor.
 
I can feel your pain ;)
When I go out, with my wife and son(s), my wife says she prefers mine version whatever they serve, lol. The worse thing is, when I try something completely new that I've never tried before, but what I know is popular (in TV Kitchen's Hell counterparts, for example), it doesn't taste good. Like it was with scallops, I almost threw up. When I want to socialize, to take my wife for nice breakfast to some popular place with nice rating, I feel like I was doing better stuff many times for breakfast with completely no popularity gained ;) Don't get me wrong - this breakfast was good, but for me "only" good, with no whistles from ratings, nothing special like I've done many times with no bigger effort. Looks like I simply expect more. When I go with others, their statements "that's good" make me embarassed a bit (like: really ? mate, what do you eat at home usually). I think I broke myself, can't do what other people do for being happy :=]
 
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biuro74 said:
I can feel your pain ;)
When I go out, with my wife and son(s), my wife says she prefers mine version whatever they serve, lol. The worse thing is, when I try something completely new that I've never tried before, but what I know is popular (in TV Kitchen's Hell counterparts, for example), it doesn't taste good. Like it was with scallops, I almost threw up. When I want to socialize, to take my wife for nice breakfast to some popular place with nice rating, I feel like I was doing better stuff many times for breakfast with completely no popularity gained ;) Don't get me wrong - this breakfast was good, but for me "only" good, with no whistles from ratings, nothing special like I've done many times with no bigger effort. Looks like I simply expect more. When I go with others, their statements "that's good" make me embarassed a bit (like: really ? mate, what do you eat at home usually). I think I broke myself, can't do what other people do for being happy :=]
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I'm with you whole heartedly, The majority of the public though are on high process frozen foods, so a fair meal to them tastes amazing.

For me I think it's the cost that changes the taste, I went to TGI Fridays couple of weeks back with some friends, they had some hot wings or something and burger, I had the same burger, Mrs had some form of pasta dish, and boy had burger and chips. Just my half the bill was £60 we had a mains and a drink, (they ran out of kids puddings). Friends were like the food here is so good, we come here often..... Me and the missus was looking at each other thinking WTF.. even my 7 year old turned round and said, I prefer your burgers dad.

I know they've got overheads etc, but It just smacks in the face when it costs so much and a bitter disappointment at the same time.
 
sx_turbo said:
I'm with you whole heartedly, The majority of the public though are on high process frozen foods, so a fair meal to them tastes amazing.

For me I think it's the cost that changes the taste, I went to TGI Fridays couple of weeks back with some friends, they had some hot wings or something and burger, I had the same burger, Mrs had some form of pasta dish, and boy had burger and chips. Just my half the bill was £60 we had a mains and a drink, (they ran out of kids puddings). Friends were like the food here is so good, we come here often..... Me and the missus was looking at each other thinking WTF.. even my 7 year old turned round and said, I prefer your burgers dad.

I know they've got overheads etc, but It just smacks in the face when it costs so much and a bitter disappointment at the same time.
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TGI's used to be very good but it's really gone down hill recently, especially since Covid. it was never good value really, but the food was good. Now it's terrible value and the food is average at best. The JD ultimate ribs used to be huge, like 25cm long with loads of meat. Now they're smaller with less meat.
 
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sx_turbo said:
I'm with you whole heartedly, The majority of the public though are on high process frozen foods, so a fair meal to them tastes amazing.

For me I think it's the cost that changes the taste, I went to TGI Fridays couple of weeks back with some friends, they had some hot wings or something and burger, I had the same burger, Mrs had some form of pasta dish, and boy had burger and chips. Just my half the bill was £60 we had a mains and a drink, (they ran out of kids puddings). Friends were like the food here is so good, we come here often..... Me and the missus was looking at each other thinking WTF.. even my 7 year old turned round and said, I prefer your burgers dad.

I know they've got overheads etc, but It just smacks in the face when it costs so much and a bitter disappointment at the same time.
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TGI is pretty much the definition of chain restaurant that sells mostly ready made rubbish, it's like going to Wetherspoons and saying you could do better. You can literally buy their frozen food in Iceland.

Maybe try some local, independently owned places with a focus on food, regularly updated menus, local produce etc. You'll get a much better meal for not much more.
 
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Rai200 said:
TGI is pretty much the definition of chain restaurant that sells mostly ready made rubbish, it's like going to Wetherspoons and saying you could do better. You can literally buy their frozen food in Iceland.
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The TGI range in Iceland is woeful and much of it nothing like what you get in the restaurant. Whether that's a good or bad thing though I will leave up to you! The Frozen Pizzas are decent through.
 
I cook all the time at home and do like a decent meal at a restaurant. However, I hate sitting around in a restaurant waiting for food. I am always uncomfortable and my back always aches. And I'm not a big fan of people. So I stay at home and order takeaway instead
 
Rai200 said:
TGI is pretty much the definition of chain restaurant that sells mostly ready made rubbish, it's like going to Wetherspoons and saying you could do better. You can literally buy their frozen food in Iceland.

Maybe try some local, independently owned places with a focus on food, regularly updated menus, local produce etc. You'll get a much better meal for not much more.
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Missed my point, though I may not have made it clear. I knew what I was signing up for, but doesn't make it any less disappointing from a taste to cost value.

I was using it as an example where my friends thought it tasted amazing, and so likely do the majority of UK public.

There is a couple of restaurants locally that I like to go to and serve good food, but aren't kid friendly, we recently attended a local garden centre steak evening (a rare no kids night out) they got a fancy chef in, the restaurant recently been renovated, and the food was incredible, considering it was 3 courses for £35 per head + drinks, thought was reasonable and was a pleasant evening with attentive staff.

The hungry horse near us is good for kids and the prices are much more reasonable, more in line with what they dish out, and I feel much less put out, at the very least I feel satisfied I've had a lot of mediocre food for reasonable value lol.
 
Rai200 said:
TGI is pretty much the definition of chain restaurant that sells mostly ready made rubbish, it's like going to Wetherspoons and saying you could do better.
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Yup, but unlike TGI Friday, Wetherspoons food is a bit cheaper, and they have good beer and their drinks are cheap.

TGI Friday have **** beer and it's expensive.

But yes, I get your point and do agree.
 
I do like eating out, but prices do put me off. Went to a quite well rated Italian in Manchester a few weekends ago. Not Michelin star, but also not a chain. I think that worked out about £170 for 4 of us to have starter, main and desert + 1 drink each. Food was nice, but when the mains are around £20pp you're just sat there expecting better.

I do half wonder now whether you're actually paying less on the food and more on the staff costs + premises just to be able to eat somewhere nice. You'd think it would put people off, but it was fully packed just as we were leaving and I reckon there must have easily been 100-150 tables spread across the restaurant.

At £100-200 a table they must be absolutely raking it in.
 
MissChief said:
TGI's used to be very good but it's really gone down hill recently, especially since Covid. it was never good value really, but the food was good. Now it's terrible value and the food is average at best. The JD ultimate ribs used to be huge, like 25cm long with loads of meat. Now they're smaller with less meat.
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I've never been actually, but I can imagine hard rock cafe being exactly the same. It certainly says one thing when they pick the prime tourist hotspots to open a restaurant.
 
Semple said:
I do half wonder now whether you're actually paying less on the food and more on the staff costs + premises just to be able to eat somewhere nice.
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This isn't exactly a secret, most places aim for a 15-25% cost on food, as in raw ingredients.

Some places, notably Michelin Star retaurants with very high prices can afford a higher % because 40-50% of £300 a head is enough to cover everythng else.

Keep in mind you have:

Staffing costs (15-25%)
Rent (often 15-20%, varies massively though on location)
Gas
Electric
Water
Internet, Phone, Web hosting etc.
Insurance
Cleaning supplies
Food (15-25%)
Booze
Equipment and maintenence
Bank/Credit card charges
Charges for booking software
Music License
Marketing
POS equipment
Furniture, gardening/landscaping for some venues
 
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Semple said:
I've never been actually, but I can imagine hard rock cafe being exactly the same. It certainly says one thing when they pick the prime tourist hotspots to open a restaurant.
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Yep hard rock and rainforest cafe, probably once amazing, but most definitely not now, over priced microwaved food. As you say rely on the tourists..
 
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