Author Topic: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?  (Read 7371 times)

FIRE of London

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Location: London
Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« on: September 03, 2018, 12:59:26 AM »
I’m at a London City airport (UK) and a cafe here is charging £8 - ten dollars - for a bowl of oatmeal (porridge to my fellow Englanders). That must be an $9.80 mark-up!

What’s the most ridiculous price you have seen for staple food in a restaurant? (No I didn’t buy the oatmeal).

cloudsail

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 556
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2018, 01:18:44 AM »
Not sure about staple food, but I was in Vegas recently and apparently an iced tea at the Starbucks there is $7. I learned this from a friend, who kept complaining about it but kept buying it. I just can't understand paying that much for something you can easily make yourself with a tea bag, water, and some ice, everything that exists in a hotel. He was unemployed for over a year and only recently found a job. He constantly talks about how they have "no money."

He and his wife are great friends of ours and I really wish sometimes we could somehow influence them in a positive way financially.

FIRE of London

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Location: London
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2018, 04:55:14 AM »
Coffee is another product with an outrageous mark-up. And beer/wine. I wince when meeting friends and it’s my round... 


nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17499
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2018, 11:04:27 AM »
If you consider the impact of taxes, mass-produced distilled spirits take the cake. It reportedly costs something like $1 to produce your average handle (1.75L( of vodka - brands like Smirnoff and Stolychnaya.  There are 39 servings (1.5oz or 45ml) in a handle, or ~3¢/serving (referenced from production cost only).

Distribution and marketing add substantial costs, but depending on your state, alcohol taxes can add an even bigger chunk - over $20/gallon ($9 per handle) in several states.  Taxes can be even higher in other countries (looking at you Quebec, Canada!)

Then a bar with a distribution license might pay $20-22 for a bottle, and turn around and charge $5-8 per shot (equal $190 to $320 for the entire bottle).
 
So a product that takes ~$1 per bottle on a mass-market scale ultimately gets sold for upwards of $200 in trendy bars.
A bit different from the OP since along the way real costs of marketing, distribution, taxes, service and bar/restaurant overhead are added, but there's a reason why most restaurants make almost all their profits from booze and not food.

Fomerly known as something

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1627
  • Location: CA
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2018, 06:09:33 PM »
In my spendy pants days, I've paid $9 for a bowl of oatmeal in a hotel while on business.

Mesmoiselle

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 338
  • Location: Kentucky
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2018, 07:09:53 PM »
Once, I randomly went to this restaurant we talked to after a party in downtown and we're vegan so we order two side dishes.

One of the side was potatoes, not even roasted. Probably boiled with some salt on them. little red ones.

$8 in 2013. Wonder what they charge now, I've never been back after that experience.

dougstash

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 70
  • Age: 29
  • Location: Pittsburgh
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2018, 08:04:13 PM »
I've paid about $7 or 8 (USD) for a bottle of water.   It was terrible but the only option available as I was at a concert that ran close to 9 hours. 

AnnaGrowsAMustache

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1941
  • Location: Noo Zilind
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2018, 12:13:15 AM »
I would never order porridge at a cafe. When I eat out, I order things I wouldn't be arsed making myself. That's not usually anything breakfasty although there is this one cafe that makes souffle omelettes that come out about 4 inches thick! They're so delicious and although I have TRIED, I cannot match them at home. They come with a 'house special' filling that's got to be about 4 cheeses blended, and marinated mushrooms. OMG, I want one now!

Roger D

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 54
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2018, 03:34:02 AM »
At the opposite extreme, the Albion Cafe in Braidwood Australia prices their oatmeal at zero. It's free, with no catches attached, and you don't need to buy anything else on the menu. They prepare it nicely too, with a garnish.

Just Joe

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6721
  • Location: In the middle....
  • Teach me something.
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2018, 08:30:39 AM »
We visited a restaurant once and I was charged $2 for TAP water. Not even bottled water. I complained and the owner stood by their price. Needless to say we did not return.

Maenad

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 643
  • Location: Minneapolis 'burbs
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2018, 05:37:25 AM »
It's a great way to see what you're actually paying for - building rent/mortgage/property taxes, salaries of staff, liquor licenses, etc. You're also taking up a table, and the restaurants need to make a certain amount per table per turn in order to stay afloat. Given the high number of restaurants that go broke within a year, it's not all that surprising.

I still make oatmeal at home and stick to ordering stuff I won't make myself. :-)

jengod

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1219
  • Location: Near LAX
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #11 on: September 06, 2018, 12:29:19 AM »
I think I paid ~$15 for oatmeal once. It was incredibly delicious, but

Imma

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3193
  • Location: Europe
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2018, 01:44:09 AM »
Not sure about staple food, but I was in Vegas recently and apparently an iced tea at the Starbucks there is $7.

In Europe, Starbucks drinks are often €5-€7. Needless to say I don't go there.

I really don't get the Starbucks cult. I love coffee, I can make it very cheaply at home, but those five times a year I want to buy a coffee during a long train journey, I buy a really nice coffee for about €1,50. MacD have a drink that's very similar to the frappucino for about half the price at Starbucks. I'm always annoyed by the amount of kids I see walking from the train station to the university campus with their daily Starbucks in their hands. Realistically for most of them that coffee habit is another €1000 per year in student loans .... 

sapphail

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 24
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2018, 03:42:14 AM »
Restaurant I used to work at had a ridiculously expensive hot chocolate (don't remember the exact price now, but it was in the region of AUD$10).

The worst part was, it was a 'reconstructed' hot chocolate. As in, they brought you the components and you had to put it together yourself. If I'm paying that much for a drink, I expect them to bloody well do that for me!

Cranky

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3842
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #14 on: September 06, 2018, 01:53:20 PM »
You know who has pretty good oatmeal? McDonald's.

patchyfacialhair

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1259
  • Age: 34
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #15 on: September 06, 2018, 03:27:27 PM »
That's pretty high, but not unheard of in trendy brunchy places in HCOL cities.

In my younger days, my now wife and I went out on the town with some friends in Denver. We drank way too much the night before, slept on a friend's couch, and walked in the morning to a popular brunch spot downtown. We ended up waiting 90 minutes, hungover, for normal breakfast food with super high prices. I distinctly remember nearly barfing when the waitress offered mimosas.

Now, we try to stick to breakfasts at home, but we make an exception for a local place that makes some great green chili and other breakfast offerings for a not-crazy price.

BTDretire

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3074
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #16 on: September 07, 2018, 08:41:29 PM »
I don't know if it's aging or frugileness, but I'm just disgusted when I see a shake with a few M&Ms or crushed up Oreo is over $4.50. This is crazy, I remember when a shake was $0.59.

Just Joe

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6721
  • Location: In the middle....
  • Teach me something.
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #17 on: September 11, 2018, 09:47:00 AM »
No, no sign about $2 waters (well something like $1.89 plus tax). Did not notice until we were paying as we exited the restaurant. Business dried up over the next few years. It was remodeled and opened as something else possibly under new ownership.

Edited: changed of to about
« Last Edit: September 14, 2018, 10:07:45 AM by Just Joe »

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2696
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #18 on: September 11, 2018, 11:42:22 AM »
Any establishment attempting to charge for tap water around Tampa Bay would be castigated on Yelp and local media and social media.

I'm talking about general, normal places, whether they're fast food, franchise restaurants, or mom-pops-family or independents. Heck even high-end Bern's Steakhouse doesn't charge for Tampa's filtered finest in a fancy flagon.

Now about them hoity-toity exclusivity places... what would a cheap knobby bell-end like me know about those? I don't have a fancy suit and no fancy ride to roll up and hand over to the valet. They can serve Fiji or Voss or aquapissa and charge for it, I don't care.

russianswinga

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 218
  • Age: 40
  • Location: San Diego, California, USA
  • Truth is just an excuse for a lack of imagination
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #19 on: September 11, 2018, 03:19:44 PM »
Las Vegas, on the strip... (was there for a concert)
Last time I was in Vegas (years and years ago), I remember food, and buffets, were cheap (subsidized by casino take, no doubt). I remember like $10 buffets.

Buffet near the hotel we were staying at - $65!
Skipped that, and went to the fast food court...
The cheapest thing I found that I could remotely call "dinner" was a footlong Nathan's hot dog... for $14!!!
Is there such a thing as cheap food in Vegas anymore that doesn't require going off-strip? (most visitors to Vegas don't have a vehicle)

patchyfacialhair

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1259
  • Age: 34
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #20 on: September 11, 2018, 03:52:38 PM »
Las Vegas, on the strip... (was there for a concert)
Last time I was in Vegas (years and years ago), I remember food, and buffets, were cheap (subsidized by casino take, no doubt). I remember like $10 buffets.

Buffet near the hotel we were staying at - $65!
Skipped that, and went to the fast food court...
The cheapest thing I found that I could remotely call "dinner" was a footlong Nathan's hot dog... for $14!!!
Is there such a thing as cheap food in Vegas anymore that doesn't require going off-strip? (most visitors to Vegas don't have a vehicle)

In N Out is always the answer.

Prairie Stash

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1795
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #21 on: September 12, 2018, 10:43:19 AM »
Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets 2 for $8-10 at various hotels, on a packet basis I can buy it for $0.25 at Walmart. Add hot water, stir and serve; most are discreet about opening the packets but occasionally I've seen staff preparing it.

Most hotel oatmeal is the instant stuff at the mid range places I stay at.

Just Joe

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 6721
  • Location: In the middle....
  • Teach me something.
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #22 on: September 14, 2018, 10:09:17 AM »
Yeah - this was before social media really took off. Yelp did not exist yet for example. Facebook might have but I was only on FB for a very short time before I knew it wasn't for me.

Las Vegas: ever more reasons to never step foot in that place. (not fond of crowds, not a gambler, etc). 

Any establishment attempting to charge for tap water around Tampa Bay would be castigated on Yelp and local media and social media.

I'm talking about general, normal places, whether they're fast food, franchise restaurants, or mom-pops-family or independents. Heck even high-end Bern's Steakhouse doesn't charge for Tampa's filtered finest in a fancy flagon.

Now about them hoity-toity exclusivity places... what would a cheap knobby bell-end like me know about those? I don't have a fancy suit and no fancy ride to roll up and hand over to the valet. They can serve Fiji or Voss or aquapissa and charge for it, I don't care.
« Last Edit: September 14, 2018, 10:11:06 AM by Just Joe »

LennStar

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3681
  • Location: Germany
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #23 on: September 26, 2018, 06:20:48 AM »
I've paid about $7 or 8 (USD) for a bottle of water.   It was terrible but the only option available as I was at a concert that ran close to 9 hours.

Which perfectly explains the price. Especially if you are not allowed to bring your own drinks.

Quote
I really don't get the Starbucks cult. I love coffee, I can make it very cheaply at home, but those five times a year I want to buy a coffee during a long train journey, I buy a really nice coffee for about €1,50. MacD have a drink that's very similar to the frappucino for about half the price at Starbucks. I'm always annoyed by the amount of kids I see walking from the train station to the university campus with their daily Starbucks in their hands. Realistically for most of them that coffee habit is another €1000 per year in student loans .... 
Big hats, no cattle.
Starbucks is all about the status symbol. You can afford (even if you are poor) to pay for an overpriced coffee - everyone must know! And of course you show it by carrying around the cup!

FamilyGuy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 329
  • Location: NC
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #24 on: October 09, 2018, 08:05:11 PM »
Starbucks is overpriced...And then those restaurants where you order an item for $14 and they give a scoop of something and then leave the place hungry. I hate'em

6-Saturdays

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 31
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #25 on: October 16, 2018, 09:03:44 AM »
Was at a resort in Tucson for a conference the hotel room has a bottle of water in it price $14.00. I could have put it on the company's tab but the principle of the thing… I just grabbed several bottles of water from the conference snack table to have in my room.

LennStar

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3681
  • Location: Germany
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #26 on: October 16, 2018, 11:33:05 AM »
Starbucks is overpriced...And then those restaurants where you order an item for $14 and they give a scoop of something and then leave the place hungry. I hate'em
Well...

There are two types of restaurants. No, three.

The first is the one you go to to eat. They normally have big portions and (relativly) small prices and that is mostly all they have.
Then there are the places you go to enjoy something - the people with you, mostly. They have medium sized portions and medium prices, but also nice rooms etc.
Last but not least there are those restaurant you go to to "see and bee seen". That are those where you go out hungry.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 06:14:15 AM by LennStar »

horsepoor

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3497
  • Location: At the Barn
  • That old chestnut.
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #27 on: October 16, 2018, 10:02:21 PM »
Not a restaurant, but for a while the local Natural Grocer's had pre-made overnight oats. Apparently oatmeal with some nuts and raisins or something in a glass jar that you added water to.  25 cents worth of ingredients.  For almost $7 per single serving.  I noticed recently that they are no longer carrying that item.

nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17499
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #28 on: October 17, 2018, 06:01:44 AM »
Quote from: LennStar link=topic=96373.msg2171779#msg2171779 date=1539711185ell...

There are two types of restaurants. Not three.

The first is the one you go to to eat. They normally have big portions and (relativly) small prices and that is mostly all they have.
Then there are the places you go to enjoy something - the people with you, mostly. They have medium sized portions and medium prices, but also nice rooms etc.
Last but not least there are those restaurant you go to to "see and bee seen". That are those where you go out hungry.

Your statement ['there are two types of restaurants. not three'] does not match your description of three types of restaurants.

FWIW I don't think you can classify all restaurants into two or three or even eight types. They run many spectrums; small to large portions, low to high cost, minimal to full service, quiet to noisy, tasteless to culinarily-orgasimic, cozy to stuffy, etc. 
Each is designed to cater to a different kind of client (though many do it sloppily and without a lot of effort).

Whereas some people bemoan places with smaller portions of complexly constructed dishes, these are about the only places we chose to go to anymore - I've little interest in larger portioned joints that serve meals I've had a dozen times before.  YMMV

ETA: the above was written on typos and misunderstandings (see below).  kept here for posterity within thread
« Last Edit: October 17, 2018, 07:02:04 AM by nereo »

LennStar

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3681
  • Location: Germany
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #29 on: October 17, 2018, 06:15:42 AM »
Your statement ['there are two types of restaurants. not three'] does not match your description of three types of restaurants.

Typing error, just like your not-working quotes ;)

It should have been, and now is, a "no," not a "not".

nereo

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17499
  • Location: Just south of Canada
    • Here's how you can support science today:
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #30 on: October 17, 2018, 07:01:22 AM »
Your statement ['there are two types of restaurants. not three'] does not match your description of three types of restaurants.

Typing error, just like your not-working quotes ;)

It should have been, and now is, a "no," not a "not".

gotcha.  Fixed the quotes ;-)

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2696
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #31 on: October 18, 2018, 06:36:11 AM »
went to Sprouts recently for my monthly buy of steel cut oatmeal and my custom coffee beans blend.In the self-serve area noticed an employee filling the container with a pre-mix of oatmeal, raisins, nuts/seeds, etc. Looked at the price, was shocked. Then looked at the price for the oatmeal only. The employee must have read my mind. She said "I have to refill this every couple of hours, we just make it in the back, yeah people are stupid."

I could buy 3-5x worth of the ingredients and mix it myself instead of buying the pre-mixed.

LennStar

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3681
  • Location: Germany
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #32 on: October 18, 2018, 10:05:08 AM »
went to Sprouts recently for my monthly buy of steel cut oatmeal and my custom coffee beans blend.In the self-serve area noticed an employee filling the container with a pre-mix of oatmeal, raisins, nuts/seeds, etc. Looked at the price, was shocked. Then looked at the price for the oatmeal only. The employee must have read my mind. She said "I have to refill this every couple of hours, we just make it in the back, yeah people are stupid."

I could buy 3-5x worth of the ingredients and mix it myself instead of buying the pre-mixed.

Now, now. The oatmeal is decidedly not the expensive part of the mix. The rest is what drives the price, you should have looked there.

But yes, most of those mixes have quite a price tag to "mix".
But then, so is joghurt for example. You can buy basic joghurt for 50 cents and fruits for 50 cents to make an amount that would cost you 2 € if bought, with way less fruits in it. 

jinga nation

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2696
  • Age: 247
  • Location: 'Murica's Dong
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #33 on: October 18, 2018, 12:16:35 PM »
went to Sprouts recently for my monthly buy of steel cut oatmeal and my custom coffee beans blend.In the self-serve area noticed an employee filling the container with a pre-mix of oatmeal, raisins, nuts/seeds, etc. Looked at the price, was shocked. Then looked at the price for the oatmeal only. The employee must have read my mind. She said "I have to refill this every couple of hours, we just make it in the back, yeah people are stupid."

I could buy 3-5x worth of the ingredients and mix it myself instead of buying the pre-mixed.

Now, now. The oatmeal is decidedly not the expensive part of the mix. The rest is what drives the price, you should have looked there.

But yes, most of those mixes have quite a price tag to "mix".
But then, so is joghurt for example. You can buy basic joghurt for 50 cents and fruits for 50 cents to make an amount that would cost you 2 € if bought, with way less fruits in it.
yes, looked at the other ingredients too... and computed that into the price.
fwiw, their pre-mix is more on the "sparse" side with the sweet, salty, and nutty stuff. price doesn't reflect that, reflects only that a store employee mixed it up.
there's a lot of money to be made in food repackaging, say my uk relatives in the biz.

Lincolnshire Girl

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 120
  • Location: UK
Re: Highest ever cafe price for oatmeal?
« Reply #34 on: October 19, 2018, 09:42:26 AM »
I went to a work conference and optional gala dinner at a fancy hotel. The gala dinner was pre-pay so I had already forked out £45 for the 3 courses and told them about my various food allergies. I was pretty shocked to be brought fruit salad starter, mushroom risotto for main and fruit salad for dessert!