The most you've paid for a meal

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Jack
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The most you've paid for a meal

Post by Jack »

Weekenders' comment about a 284-GBP meal made me wonder. What's the most you have paid for a meal?

The most for me occurred the other day. I was out with some friends who are more well-to-do than I am, and they took me to a restaurant in Lexington, where the chef and most of the staff were from Italy. I ordered something with goat cheese and vegetables, plus bread, and my total came to $63.00. :boggle:

The prices were not on the menu, and when I asked I was told "if you have to ask you can't afford it," so I ordered one of the only vegetarian things I could find, and didn't know it was going to be so expensive.

Luckily I had just received my housing check and I could pay for it. One woman's total was over $100, but she drank wine there which I think was really expensive.
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BillChin
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Post by BillChin »

The most expensive meal I paid for was at Windows on the World, at the top of the World Trade Center in New York City. Obviously this was some time ago, but even some time before the tragic events. I think it was about $130 including the tip for two people. Again, many moons ago. Today's top New York restaurant prices are about double to triple that.
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Post by emmline »

Yeah, that $63 would be dear on a tight budget.
I'm trying to think of a time that my per person cost has been more than that. Very occasionally two of us go out and end up paying around $120 (including tip and wine,) and when we do this we feel quite profligate.

So that doesn't happen much. I think when I've spent more for a meal it has really been for a fund-raising event where the ticket price was really going to pay for the cause, not the meal. The kid's school, for example, or the Community Center.

My budgetary problem isn't so much that we make luxurious choices so much as that meal-planning throws me into a panic, and we eat out often as my means of coping and that, I realize, in itself is a luxury.
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Jack
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Post by Jack »

emmline wrote:My budgetary problem isn't so much that we make luxurious choices so much as that meal-planning throws me into a panic, and we eat out often as my means of coping and that, I realize, in itself is a luxury.
Yeah, it is a luxury and I should be more thankful, too. One time when I was homeless I used to steal food from delis in grocery stores. You'd go ask for tater wedges, macaroni salad, and a fork, or something, and just walk through the store naturally and eat it as though you've already paid for it. So I know I got free food those days but I know somebody had to pay for it.
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Post by jkwest »

Gibson's in Chicago...

5 people...
steak, alcohol, lobster, alcohol, did I say alcohol?

grand total...$875..after $100 tip...thank God for business credit cards... :lol:
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Post by Flyingcursor »

jkwest wrote:Gibson's in Chicago...

5 people...
steak, alcohol, lobster, alcohol, did I say alcohol?

grand total...$875..after $100 tip...thank God for business credit cards... :lol:

Holy gravy Batman!!!! I thought the $30.00 prime rib I put on the expense card in New Orleans was too much.

I try hard not to spend too much going out to eat. It sounds like Cranberry got sucked into a situation he wouldn't have chosen on his own.
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Post by FJohnSharp »

Ruth's Chris steak house was about $140 for two with minimal alcohol.

A local 5 star Italian restaurant was $125 for two about 12 years ago--so I'm guessing the same meal is near $200 today.

They were both totally worth it.
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Post by missy »

about 8 years ago - K.Paul's in New Orleans.
$75, including a glass of wine and dessert.

And worth every penny.
It was on an expense account - so we all ate "cheap" the rest of the week and this was our one big splurge.

But we aren't big spenders for meals - we'll go "nice", but we do not go "gormet". We'll have a glass of wine or beer (and I'll have a magaurita if I know it's a good one), but usually don't go for dessert.
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Post by Congratulations »

I live in Charleston, SC, apparently a city with one of the highest ratios of fine dining restaurants to people in the country. I could very easily spend a thousand or more for a meal for two people, at any number of restaurants. Being a student with limited means (and wind), I haven't exploited the opportunity.
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Post by FJohnSharp »

Please describe to me what you would be getting for $500 a plate, with approximate prices. Thank you.
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Post by chas »

I took my wife to the Inn at Little Washington for our wedding night. The flat price was $144 apiece, add a couple of beers and a glass of wine and tip, it was somewhat more than that. Honestly, if I had to choose between that and a $350 flute, I'd choose the flute every time. But it was memorable and worth it.

I recently received an award and took my folks plus brother-in-law out to a really really nice Italian place afterward. The total for five grownups and one kid was about the same as the wedding night. I thought that meal, the waitstaff, etc., were almost as good.

I don't like to go out to eat. It's expensive and most of the time (not the two cited above) I can cook just as well as the restaurant. Plus I really like cooking. I am in a minority in my house; fortunately the majority is not very vocal.
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Post by dwest »

:boggle:
Last edited by dwest on Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by I.D.10-t »

Most likely it was not one that we went out to eat.

We once invited four friends over for a seven-course meal.

Salad homemade vinaigrette, bread with cheese and olives and spread, French onion soup made from scratch including the stock, Roast (lamb with Cabernet sauce?) with mixed veggies, mixed berry cobbler with ice cream, several bottles of wine (fortunately those were brought by the guests), and A few other things I cannot remember. It took about two days to make and we spent what we normally would for two weeks of groceries (I think) and about three hours to eat.

Usually if i cannot remember the price it was money well spent. The $400 to fix a coolant leak in a lemon of a car I will remember for quite some time. but on the rare occasion that I can go to a nice restaurant, I am rarely disappointed.
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Inthewind
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Commerce Street

Post by Inthewind »

I was drinking with a young lady (good Irish girl, of course) and we wandered into the Commerce Street Grille at the Rennaisance Hotel in Nashville, TN.

Our meal there (2 Jack Daniels Filets + drinks) came to about $125 before the tip. Fortunately we made it worth it by generally making fools of ourselves and having a great time picking on the stuck-up waiter.
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Post by mutepointe »

When I'm eating lunch by myself while i'm on the road, I try to stay below $2 (not including tax). When I'm at the office, I spend less.
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