What is the real cost of eating out .

I would say that the cost of eating out now with out any drinks added to your meal would be about £15 per person for a starter main and sweet. On a average I would say that that is what it would cost and I know that some times it will cost you less and some times more but the question is , is that a reasonable price.

Well let us just think about what it could mean, if you have a member waiting staff a chef and a bar person you will probably looking at a yearly wage bill of say £60 thousand pounds, divide that by 52 and you have a fixed wage bill of  £1153.84 .  Take in to that days off that will need to be cover if you are open seven days a week that could go up to £480 on top of that.  So your weekly wage bill could be £1633.84 so if you say that wages are 30% of your over all cost then you need to take that before you pay the wage bill , at £15 pound a head that is 7.7 customers each lunch and dinner. Or the price of the starter if the average price of a starter is just £4.

Now you might think that that all sounds a lot but the fat is it is probably more after all £60 thousand split 3 ways is only twenty thousand each and also it is not just the wage that they get but all the national insurance and income tax as well to consider.  

Then the cost of the food , every one know that inflation is on the up and up so looking at the cost of the food is on the up all the time.  Every one know that the cost of the food on the plate is only a fraction of the cost of the meal , once more about 30% but add that to the cost of the wages to give toy the service that is the pudding at £4 to pay for all the food.

So then, you have all that profit from the main, but with VAT at 20%, that is a big hole in that, heat light and power, mortgage or rent, rates, insurance, licences the list goes on and on. Therefore, what would you have left, the truth is not a lot really.  Now I know that you will all say yes but you have drinks and then some wine and the bill is a lot more than that,  and in some ways that is right but you have to get the customers in threw the door and keep them coming back. Now doing that is more difficult than any one can think.  If only it was as it is on the television when you just redecorate and re-launch and the cameras see the great and the good all in for a half price meal and a glass of champagne promising that they will be back.

But what happens when the cameras go What happens then when your famous guru is no longer there to tell you what to do.

The truth is that eating out is not that expensive in the country not if you really think about it so pleas next time you go out for a meal think about what it actually cost to get the food on the plate and served in front of you.  Hopefully that your surroundings are nice safe and comfortable and that the service is good.  I do not think that £15 pounds on average is that much to pay for a meal out, but you might disagree.  I know that I see things from the side of the restaurateurs, but I am sure you will forgive me that.  No I think that if that is the price then on average, the price of a meal out is worth the money and you should enjoy it and not moan about its cost.

Or if we do not then al we will be left with will be large chain mass produced and no skill entertainment restaurants that will herd you in feed you up and spit you out, and I do not thing any of us want that.