Average Priced Meal

What do you consider to be an average priced meal at a sit down casual style restaurant?
What about a full buffet?
Please specify what state you're in..
Thanks for any input!

I put this in the wrong forum...and didn't know how to change it...I'm sorry!

I tend to frequent restaurants where I can eat for around $12-14. This is true in both the places I call "home"--San Francisco and Tucson, AZ. Generally, these places are "ethnic", mostly Mexican or Asian. Thai and Indian are usually a bit more--up to $20 or so. Chinese and Mexican a bit less, around $10 or $11. I almost never go to buffets--they are rare in SF and the ones I know about in Tucson aren't close by.

Houston, Texas

Sit down about $12 to $14 including drink. Usually includes one meat and two vegetables and salad.

Buffet usually Chinese $8 to $10 depending on if it included Sushi

joe

In the Louisville area, Typical sit-down CASUAL LOCATION (read- not fancy or Yuppie) will run $10-12 or slightly more...includes drink (tea) but not dessert.

Buffets run about the same or slightly less.

Exceptions--
Moonlite BBQ Buffet is $13 on Friday and Saturday- includes Oysters and other seafood those evenings.
Claudia Sanders Dinner House Buffet is $15 on Sundays, but worth it.

The District of Columbia:

Depending on what you get, a sit down casual place meal will run $8.95-$25 for the entree alone. I usually aim around 9-14 for lunch entree and 12-20 for dinner. It seems silly to me to buy the most expensive item at a casual restaurant, when that item is not likely their specialty- it's just the most expensive. IF you can get out the door for lunch for four with say one beer per person and an entree with tax (10%) and tip (20%) for under $75, you've done well. (itemized math- $10 entree plus $1 tax and $2 tip, plus $5 beer plus $.50 tax and $1 tip = 19.50. multiplied by four people is $78 - so to come under $75 means you're either getting the cheapest entree or skipping the beer)

Buffets run the gammut. Sunday champagne brunches typically run from 17.95-22.95 but can go as high as 29.95 - which usually means you'll have the smoked salmon and other higher end dishes and skipp the eggs. Not champagne (when offered) will run a few dollars cheaper. The same Sunday brunch on Saturday is usually $5 cheaper.

Chinese buffets are all over the place in terms of price. From $7.95-~$20. But the quality of the type of food and the quality of how it is prepare is drastcially different in the higher range. I won't go to a cheap chinese buffet anymore. The better buffets, simply put, have MUCH better food.
But, the local Mongolian Buffet is the best and that is ~$16-ish.

Jacksonville Fl.... I only do casual dining (except for social functions) If socks or a tucked in shirt are required... Im not interested.
Local BBQ Pits, Perkins, IHOP or any of a number of other chains and a couple of momNpop ethnic places, the Mrs and I usually spend $20-$25 dollars for the 2 of us. Local seafood joints may be a bit higher depending on whats ordered but usually not more than $10. That of course doesn't take in the tip.

Of course we can do an "evening out" at Waffle House, a walk on the beach and a stop at DQ for about $15. Stopping at the corner adult emphorium to lift a few would most likely double that

Huntsville, AL

Sit down meal around $12 - $14 (this can be any thing from steak to chicken)

Chinese Buffet - Weekend buffet w/crab legs around $12 - $14

Regular Buffet - Around $9 - $11

There is one place where I can get a large wings meal (12 wings any flavor I want, wonderful cheese fries and ice tea under $10). This is my fav. and very filling meal and try to order this at least twice a month.

Nothing is average for us :-) Even when well priced we are hard pressed to spend less than a fortune anytime we go out. We went out tonight, one sampler platter for two and 6 hamburgers with sides of onion rings for kids....$106.00 and some change, before tip. Sounds unholy don't it? lol That's about 17 a plate for me and dh and 11 for the kids.

That's about a normal range here....give or take a couple of bucks either way. That was in the Greater New Orleans area.

Bham, thats more or less the reason that going out to eat while the kids where still home usually ment Mc'D's or the occasional IHOP/Shoneys/Dennys or buffett restaurant.

Ci Ci's Pizza $3.95, great place to take allot of kids. They can have their favorite... Mac & Cheese pizza.
Joe

$10-15 per meal when the wife is involved in the decision making
$9.00 with drink for our local chinese buffet
$12.00 with drink on wknd chinese buffet with seafood

Of course there was the time I went to Jeff Ruby's in Cincy with friends, wife and I and another couple, Drinks, Aps, Dinner, Desserts, Drinks, Drinks, Drinks $3200 total with tip.... making it my 1 and only time I went to Jeff Ruby's. Plus I am not the kind to get totally dressed up (required at Ruby's)


PJ8

I have never been to a CiCi's, I have heard about it but there is not one close, the M&C pizza sounds good.

quote:

Originally posted by cajunking

$10-15 per meal when the wife is involved in the decision making
$9.00 with drink for our local chinese buffet
$12.00 with drink on wknd chinese buffet with seafood

Of course there was the time I went to Jeff Ruby's in Cincy with friends, wife and I and another couple, Drinks, Aps, Dinner, Desserts, Drinks, Drinks, Drinks $3200 total with tip.... making it my 1 and only time I went to Jeff Ruby's. Plus I am not the kind to get totally dressed up (required at Ruby's)


PJ8

I have never been to a CiCi's, I have heard about it but there is not one close, the M&C pizza sounds good.

$3200?????

how many drinks did you have? $2800 dollars worth?



and, IMO, you can skip CiCi's. There's a reason it's $3.95 pizza buffet.

Score, CiCi's has the best Mac & Cheese pizza I have ever tasted! Oh, it's the only M&C pizza I have ever tasted. Of coarse it's not a great pizza place, but not a bad spot to take a car full of hungry kidos, especially if a few of them are teenage boys. They can eat like... well allot!

Maybe they will open a CiCi's near you someday CK?
Joe

Casual style N. FL / S. GA $05 to $12
Casual style Metro GA areas $10 to $17

Not a big fan of CiCi's. Not big fans of pizza really. We never eat out at fast food places. We just refrain from eating out much at all lol Draw back to having lots of kids. I'm a slave to my kitchen and the raging appetites of my raptors. lol

quote:

Originally posted by cajunking

$10-15 per meal when the wife is involved in the decision making
$9.00 with drink for our local chinese buffet
$12.00 with drink on wknd chinese buffet with seafood

Of course there was the time I went to Jeff Ruby's in Cincy with friends, wife and I and another couple, Drinks, Aps, Dinner, Desserts, Drinks, Drinks, Drinks $3200 total with tip.... making it my 1 and only time I went to Jeff Ruby's. Plus I am not the kind to get totally dressed up (required at Ruby's)


PJ8

I have never been to a CiCi's, I have heard about it but there is not one close, the M&C pizza sounds good.

Is that $3200 a typo?

John

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Score, CiCi's has the best Mac & Cheese pizza I have ever tasted! Oh, it's the only M&C pizza I have ever tasted. Of coarse it's not a great pizza place, but not a bad spot to take a car full of hungry kidos, especially if a few of them are teenage boys. They can eat like... well allot!

Maybe they will open a CiCi's near you someday CK?
Joe

When I was teaching HS band and choir in NC, my students often requested CiCi's when we were on the road. I usually complied. It was cheap and they were fed. But I never liked it.

Oh, new TV ad here, CiCi's just went up to $4.49!

Bham, sounds like you have your hands full! Maybe we need a roadfood thread about cooking for hungry raptors?

Score, if you ever find yourself, like me, unavoidably at CiCi's, they make a BBQ chicken pizza that's not bad. You usually have to ask them to make it. By the time you finish your salid, it's ready. You can do the same with anything on their menue. Oh, and the desert pizzas are not so bad. For those like you, who know good pizza, the trick is to not think of this stuff as pizza.
Joe

Score -

1 bottle of Dom
Steaks 120 per
aps 25 per
dessert 15-20 per

another bottle of Dom

several rounds of Louis Tres
2 Montecristo Habanas (True Habanas)

A once in a life time night of fun with friends $3200


PJ8, the nearest is about 30-35 miles, too far to travel just for mac & cheese pizza, although the thought does intrigue me.

Ck, no typo, sounds like a great time!

A M&C pizza, made from some of the great recipes on the M&C thread, might be awsome?
Joe

going "out to eat" should include at least 2 beers per person
going out to dinner should include 2 cocktails per & at least 2 beers per person.

quote:

Originally posted by sk bob

going "out to eat" should include at least 2 beers per person
going out to dinner should include 2 cocktails per & at least 2 beers per person.

4 drinks? that would put my wife on the floor drunk.

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

quote:

Originally posted by sk bob

going "out to eat" should include at least 2 beers per person
going out to dinner should include 2 cocktails per & at least 2 beers per person.

4 drinks? that would put my wife on the floor drunk.

LMAO. My wife can make one "drink" last all night and be plenty tipsy, 2 beers and I have to pour her into the car (hopefully with most of her clothes on!)

Thank you all for your answers! Across the country there is a widespread price range!