At the Movies - To Add Insult to Injury
So we decided to catch the afternoon Friday matinee of the new "Captain America - Winter Soldier" movie and beat the full pricing. Except at this particular REGAL cinema, the price goes up at 4:00, not 6:00 like at the local CINEMARK. That was a surprise to me. So the tickets were a ridiculous $ 10.50 each. Well that's the last time I go there.
Then to add insult to injury, my wife and daughter waltz in and drop $20 at the concession stand for a velveeta Nachos, large popcorn tub, and a large diet coke. I've got a good job and all, and my wife works (not such a good paying job), but it just astounds me that they don't care how much things cost. OK, time to go up to the balcony and join Waldorf and Statler.
Thanks for listening, I feel better (but not richer) already.
The movie was good and I recommend it.
Quote: JohnnyQThen to add insult to injury, my wife and daughter waltz in and drop $20 at the concession stand for a velveeta Nachos, large popcorn tub, and a large diet coke. I've got a good job and all, and my wife works (not such a good paying job), but it just astounds me that they don't care how much things cost.
Or maybe they do realize what things cost - for example, what it "costs" the theater to show Captain America: The Winter Soldier. (Out of the $10.50 you paid for an opening-weekend ticket, the theater is lucky to get $1. "The version I heard was," blockbusters work on 90-80-70-60 - the studio gets 90% of the ticket price on the first weekend, 80% on the second, 70% on the third, and 60% on the fourth. Throw in the distributor's cut, and that's not much left for the theater, which makes its money from those overpriced concessions you complain about.)
If the theatre doesn't like their business arrangement, they need to renegotiate it. The studios don't have theatres, so they need to find an equitable arrangement if they want ANYONE to watch their movie.
But really this is about throwing my hands up in exasperation over Mrs. Q and little Q#2, who I haven't been able to help them understand the value of money.
Quote: JohnnyQI think it was 20 bucks for us ! So the lost value is 20 bucks worth of groceries, gas, utility bills, etc.
If you don't like the movie theater-goer business model, you can find alternatives.
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceI really don't see the value of being this cheap, assuming that you can afford it (ie, that $20 won't stop you from being able to buy groceries or pay rent). There is no point in having money if you are not going to enjoy life.
Don't expect much support on this considering the forum we are on lol
That being said the concessions were always way overpriced, but I have talked to a theater manager who told his execs that they were pushing too far with it. He has run the same place for over 20 years and sees that people expect to pay a little more, but they are not going to pay $8 for a fountain Coca-Cola even if you give people a gallon jug of it. They will just sneak in some candy and that will be that.
...........And he is making more money now than he ever did before.
Quote: Lemieux66Don't expect much support on this considering the forum we are on lol
I expect intelligent people to value things rationally. I also expect people here to understand the logarithmic utility of money.
Obviously if you don't have enough money to pay rent or buy gas or groceries, then it would be foolish to spend $50 to take your wife and daughter to the movies.
But, if you are relatively well-off, then I'd argue that the enjoyable day with your family has a lot more utility to you than that $50. You can always make more money, but you can't make more time. When you are on your death-bed, you are not going to say, gee, I wish I had not spent so much money at the movies, but you may very well say, gee, I wish I had spent more time enjoying myself with my family.
I spent $400 on lunch yesterday ($400 was my portion; I was with friends and we all payed our share). I am also not a wine drinker; the wine drinkers spent closer to $700 or $800 each. It was completely worth it, IMO. You can talk about what I could have done with that $400, but all that I really would have done with it is let it sit in the bank. Sure, the pile of money that I have left over when I die will be a little bit smaller, but so what? Is the point of life to die with as much money left over as possible, or to enjoy life as much as possible?
Once the first month goes by, if the film has remained popular, the Theater owner gets a share of the ticket revenues. Crazy system.
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceI expect intelligent people to value things rationally. I also expect people here to understand the logarithmic utility of money.
Obviously if you don't have enough money to pay rent or buy gas or groceries, then it would be foolish to spend $50 to take your wife and daughter to the movies.
But, if you are relatively well-off, then I'd argue that the enjoyable day with your family has a lot more utility to you than that $50. You can always make more money, but you can't make more time. When you are on your death-bed, you are not going to say, gee, I wish I had not spent so much money at the movies, but you may very well say, gee, I wish I had spent more time enjoying myself with my family.
I spent $400 on lunch yesterday ($400 was my portion; I was with friends and we all payed our share). I am also not a wine drinker; the wine drinkers spent closer to $700 or $800 each. It was completely worth it, IMO. You can talk about what I could have done with that $400, but all that I really would have done with it is let it sit in the bank. Sure, the pile of money that I have left over when I die will be a little bit smaller, but so what? Is the point of life to die with as much money left over as possible, or to enjoy life as much as possible?
I can't argue with you on this because it's your own viewpoint and I respect it. I just have tons less money than you do in general so I can't justify spending $20 on movie food much less $400 on a dinner. Maybe one day I will when I gain significant wealth.
Some people get a kick out of saving money. It's part of how they enjoy life. I'm one of those people.Quote: Lemieux66I can't argue with you on this because it's your own viewpoint and I respect it. I just have tons less money than you do in general so I can't justify spending $20 on movie food much less $400 on a dinner. Maybe one day I will when I gain significant wealth.
Quote: teddysSome people get a kick out of saving money. It's part of how they enjoy life. I'm one of those people.
I guess I understand that? As long as you are really enjoying yourself, I guess I can't argue with it.
Don't get me wrong -- I am greedy as all hell and I love money. But, the only reason I want money is because I know that I can use it to get stuff. If I'm not going to get stuff with it, it loses all its value.
That also doesn't mean that I spend recklessly. In addition to being greedy, I'm also very lazy and I hate working, so I save lots of money so that I can (hopefully) retire at some point and continue to maintain a high standard of living. It's sort of a balance between enjoying my life now and enjoying it later.
Here is my thought process......I would never want to watch a movie without popcorn and a soda. This is purely my ritual. I go to the movies maybe once a week, I pay $8 for the matinee and I buy myself a medium popcorn with butter and a medium drink. I politely request that the young person working the counter doesn't put more than maybe an inch of ice in the bottom. I get my fill, I enjoy the popcorn so much that I almost finish it by the time the previews are done. As an added bonus the fibre scrapes the insides of my intestines and I have an excellent bowle movement by the time I get home.
I'm going to pay $12-95 for the soda/popcorn combo even though I know I'm getting shafted. I might even sometimes throw in an ice cream candy bar when the hot Vegas sun is really sweltering....It is my super, duper indulgence and I won't stop.
The things I love in this world....horses first, wife and dog second, movies 3rd and family 4th.....I have my priorities straight :)
Money is only a problem when you don't have enough of it or you are forced to spend it on things you don't want to.
I was going to launch into a "value" tirade but then I realized most people don't believe in value here, so why bother :)
It is sacrilege I tell you!!! :)
Quote: TomspurGuys, watching a movie without popcorn is like imagining gambling with the WOO website!!!
It is sacrilege I tell you!!! :)
Guilty. Must have popcorn and soda. Never eat popcorn unless at movies. But it's just comme il faut, vraiment.
Gummy bears and milk duds fall to the floor and get ground in, soda gets spilled on the floor or down the sides of the chair leaving a sticky mess, popcorn with the oil gets dropped on the floor making an area slippery All leaving a cesspool of sugar and crud that would attract insects and rats. And the theater owner is responsible for cleaning the uncarpeted floors, the carpets drenched in soda and ground in junior mints, the sticky chairs, and the pest control service. I was at a movie last week and there was a family with 3 kids, andthe mess the kids left would easily cause an hours worth of cleanup.They are responsible for providing adequate restroom facilities. Comfortable controlled temperature. Pay the wages for all he people that work there, from the ticket seller to the ticket taker, to the manager on duty, projection person.Pay the rent and insurance, utilities. Pay for the massive disposal of the bags and bags of garbage left behind.The one dollar that the theater gets to keep from a ticket sale doesnt begin to pay for all that.
The alternative would be for theaters to charge 17.50 a ticket. That way everyone pays...even f they dont eat. ...which doesnt seem fair.I would be willing to bet that if people stopped buying food, or everyone started to sneak in outside food....the price of the tickets would go up. The theater will generate enough money to pay all those expenses I listed, along with making a profit one wayor the other....or else they would be out of business.
I agree with people who say that they dont have to eat. Actually when I buy food....its usually all eaten before the movie starts. So its not like I enjoy the food during the movie. But its more like a ritual then needed nourishment. When I am at work I can go 2 hours without eating or drinking.....so I have no real requirment to eat during a movie....so i can see the point of not needing to eat if you dont want to pay.
Quote: TomspurGuys, watching a movie without popcorn is like imagining gambling with the WOO website!!!
It is sacrilege I tell you!!! :)
I dunno. It's not that I don't like popcorn, it's just that I don't really associate it with movie watching. Same with soda. If I watch a movie at home I don't usually eat or drink anything (sometimes I make tea)
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceI dunno. It's not that I don't like popcorn, it's just that I don't really associate it with movie watching. Same with soda. If I watch a movie at home I don't usually eat or drink anything (sometimes I make tea)
I would imagine it is a sensory experience that was cultivated at a young age. I have always associated popcorn, the smell, the taste the texture, with movies, albeit in the theatres or at home.
My wife doesn't have that type of experience. She grew up in a small farming community and didn't go to the movies as much as I had. She is quite happy with a bottle of water when she goes to the movies. In the beginning of our relationship she attempted to get me not to eat popcorn and I told her, there was more chance of me voting for another Bush then me not having popcorn in the movies :)
To each his own. I once saw 4 movies in one day at the movie theater. Yet another day a friend and I watched a star trek special screening of, I think it was 5 or 6 movies. For each movie you get a free small drink and popcorn. Even after we could no longer eat popcorn, we would still get our free drink and popcorn and power them down.......
For me, it simply is what it is :)
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceI spent $400 on lunch yesterday ($400 was my portion; I was with friends and we all payed our share). I am also not a wine drinker; the wine drinkers spent closer to $700 or $800 each.
Now the French Laundry which is probably the most expensive restaurant in the USA charges a fixed price of $295 for dinner (SERVICE INCLUDED).
Since wine could cost almost anything, you could easily spend $400 for a meal. But I have not ever heard of anyone spending that much for lunch without wine. So where did you go and what did you eat?
I think a great deal depends upon what we associate with movie going behavior from our individual childhoods and past experiences.Quote: TomspurGuys, watching a movie without popcorn is like imagining gambling with the WOO website!!!
It is sacrilege I tell you!!! :)
For me, that meant go to woolworths first and buy gum drops and jelly beans in small easily concealable bags and then walk right on past the popcorn. Unfortunately it also meant arriving at some time that usually bore no relationship at all to the start time of the movie, so we had to sit through the next feature to figure out "where we had come in".
In a social situation if one person wants popcorn, everyone has to partake. Perhaps that is why "movie bars" exist. Its more of a social activity now.
Now, tickets are for one showing only and corporate ownership issues encourage security guards to enforce "no outside food or drink" signs.
Quote: FleaStiffI think a great deal depends upon what we associate with movie going behavior from our individual childhoods and past experiences.
For me, that meant go to woolworths first and buy gum drops and jelly beans in small easily concealable bags and then walk right on past the popcorn. Unfortunately it also meant arriving at some time that usually bore no relationship at all to the start time of the movie, so we had to sit through the next feature to figure out "where we had come in".
In a social situation if one person wants popcorn, everyone has to partake. Perhaps that is why "movie bars" exist. Its more of a social activity now.
Now, tickets are for one showing only and corporate ownership issues encourage security guards to enforce "no outside food or drink" signs.
Spot on Flea, I believe I mentioned something very similar in a post above.
Quote: pacomartinNow the French Laundry which is probably the most expensive restaurant in the USA charges a fixed price of $295 for dinner (SERVICE INCLUDED).
Since wine could cost almost anything, you could easily spend $400 for a meal. But I have not ever heard of anyone spending that much for lunch without wine. So where did you go and what did you eat?
We were at French Laundry :) They charge you an extra $50 per person if you get the private dining room (or $55 apparently, since it was $350). This is by far the easiest way to get a reservation, particularly for a large group (we were 10), particularly if you insist on a particular day (there were some people who were only in town for a short time). That includes service but not tax. After tax it was about $380 or $390 IIRC. I rounded off to $400 since I do not remember the exact amount off the top of my head.
They also have optional supplements, so it's possible to be well over $400 without wine. In the menu that you linked to, note the $75 supplement for caviar, the $100 supplement for truffles, and the $100 supplement for the wagyu. On that menu alone, getting all supplements, you are looking at $570, plus tax, for just the food, not including an extra charge for the private dining room.
FWIW, they change their menu every day, apparently. That is almost what we had, but not quite (a few dishes were different, despite the fact that the menu is only one day removed from the day that we were there)
Oh -- and, as a final act of gluttony, many of us went to Bouchon for dinner later that evening :) Thomas Keller day!
Is French Laundry really the most expensive restaurant in the US? I would expect Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand to be more (although I am not sure if they are open for lunch?). I have eaten at L'Atelier but not at the main Joel Robuchon restaurant. I was not that impressed by L'Atelier but maybe I need to try the main one to give it a fair chance.
I try to avoid them, but sometimes they will start a movie with more or less of those, which can leave you guessing when the actual movie will start.
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceQuote: pacomartinNow the French Laundry which is probably the most expensive restaurant in the USA charges a fixed price of $295 for dinner (SERVICE INCLUDED).
Since wine could cost almost anything, you could easily spend $400 for a meal. But I have not ever heard of anyone spending that much for lunch without wine. So where did you go and what did you eat?
We were at French Laundry :) They charge you an extra $50 per person if you get the private dining room (or $55 apparently, since it was $350). This is by far the easiest way to get a reservation, particularly for a large group (we were 10), particularly if you insist on a particular day (there were some people who were only in town for a short time). That includes service but not tax. After tax it was about $380 or $390 IIRC. I rounded off to $400 since I do not remember the exact amount off the top of my head.
They also have optional supplements, so it's possible to be well over $400 without wine. In the menu that you linked to, note the $75 supplement for caviar, the $100 supplement for truffles, and the $100 supplement for the wagyu. On that menu alone, getting all supplements, you are looking at $570, plus tax, for just the food, not including an extra charge for the private dining room.
FWIW, they change their menu every day, apparently. That is almost what we had, but not quite (a few dishes were different, despite the fact that the menu is only one day removed from the day that we were there)
Oh -- and, as a final act of gluttony, many of us went to Bouchon for dinner later that evening :) Thomas Keller day!
Is French Laundry really the most expensive restaurant in the US? I would expect Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand to be more (although I am not sure if they are open for lunch?). I have eaten at L'Atelier but not at the main Joel Robuchon restaurant. I was not that impressed by L'Atelier but maybe I need to try the main one to give it a fair chance.
That is just how different the world is we live in. I would never spend that much on a meal but I would buy popcorn and snacks and a soda at the concession stand :)
I know you cannot compare one with the other but that is just it. I'm not a foodie but I do love a good meal every now and then. Most recently we spent around $500 for 4 people at old homestead at Caesars. That, to me is also excessive but it was for my birthday.
Different strokes for different folks. It did make me look up The French Laundy. Might have to take a trip to wine country at some point with the missus :)
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceIs French Laundry really the most expensive restaurant in the US? I would expect Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand to be more (although I am not sure if they are open for lunch?). I have eaten at L'Atelier but not at the main Joel Robuchon restaurant. I was not that impressed by L'Atelier but maybe I need to try the main one to give it a fair chance.
I have seen it ranked as #1, but there is always going to be some debate about what options you order. This article is a little old, but it is ranked as #4. Without checking each restaurant on the list below, my guess is only the French Laundry is open for lunch. Plus you can be most people are spending hundreds on wine.
The 20 Most Expensive Restaurants In The U.S.
Meredith Galante Oct. 25, 2011
Prices include meal, one drink and tip.
#20 A meal at Benu in San Francisco costs $143 per person
#19 A meal at the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, D.C. costs $145 per person
#18 A meal at Menton in Boston costs $145 per person
#17 A meal at Le Bernardin in New York City costs $146 per person
#16 A meal at Mélisse in Santa Monica, Calif. costs $150 per person
#15 A meal at Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif. costs $150 per person
#14 A meal at Saam at The Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles costs $156 per person
#13 A meal at Victoria & Albert's in Orlando costs $163 per person
#12 A meal at Momofuku Ko in New York City costs $163 per person
#11 A meal at Meadowood, The Restaurant in Napa Valley costs $163 per person
#10 A meal at The Kitchen in Sacramento costs $163 per person
#9 A meal at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas costs $190 per meal
#8 A meal at Alinea in Chicago costs $199 per person
#7 A meal at Herbfarm in Seattle costs $215 per person
#6 A meal at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas costs $230 per person
#5 A meal at the Brooklyn Fair Kitchen in Brooklyn costs $241 per person
#4 A meal at French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. costs $297 per person
#3 A meal at Per Se in New York City costs $325 per person
#2 A meal at Urasawa in Beverly Hills costs $488 per person
#1 A meal at Masa in New York City costs $585 per person
Quote: pacomartinI have seen it ranked as #1, but there is always going to be some debate about what options you order. This article is a little old, but it is ranked as #4. Without checking each restaurant on the list below, my guess is only the French Laundry is open for lunch. Plus you can be most people are spending hundreds on wine.
The 20 Most Expensive Restaurants In The U.S.
Meredith Galante Oct. 25, 2011
Prices include meal, one drink and tip.
#20 A meal at Benu in San Francisco costs $143 per person
#19 A meal at the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, D.C. costs $145 per person
#18 A meal at Menton in Boston costs $145 per person
#17 A meal at Le Bernardin in New York City costs $146 per person
#16 A meal at Mélisse in Santa Monica, Calif. costs $150 per person
#15 A meal at Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif. costs $150 per person
#14 A meal at Saam at The Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles costs $156 per person
#13 A meal at Victoria & Albert's in Orlando costs $163 per person
#12 A meal at Momofuku Ko in New York City costs $163 per person
#11 A meal at Meadowood, The Restaurant in Napa Valley costs $163 per person
#10 A meal at The Kitchen in Sacramento costs $163 per person
#9 A meal at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas costs $190 per meal
#8 A meal at Alinea in Chicago costs $199 per person
#7 A meal at Herbfarm in Seattle costs $215 per person
#6 A meal at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas costs $230 per person
#5 A meal at the Brooklyn Fair Kitchen in Brooklyn costs $241 per person
#4 A meal at French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. costs $297 per person
#3 A meal at Per Se in New York City costs $325 per person
#2 A meal at Urasawa in Beverly Hills costs $488 per person
#1 A meal at Masa in New York City costs $585 per person
Yeah the top 10 in 2012 looked pretty similar with a few exceptions. Brooklyn Fair kitchen is not there at all. Robuchon is at no. 7. Victoria and Albert's at no. 10.
Incidentally, V&A's is still the only restaurant in the US that require men to wear a jacket.....
I would love to eat there, what with Disney World on your doorstep, classic elegance and no doubt good food.....ADD to the bucket list :)
Quote: TomspurIncidentally, V&A's is still the only restaurant in the US that require men to wear a jacket.....
French Laundry does as well, I can assure you. This is particularly out of place in California.
Also, I thought that Joel Robuchon in Vegas (MGM) did also? I have not been there so I cannot say for sure.
Quote: pacomartinI have seen it ranked as #1, but there is always going to be some debate about what options you order. This article is a little old, but it is ranked as #4. Without checking each restaurant on the list below, my guess is only the French Laundry is open for lunch. Plus you can be most people are spending hundreds on wine.
The 20 Most Expensive Restaurants In The U.S.
Meredith Galante Oct. 25, 2011
Prices include meal, one drink and tip.
#20 A meal at Benu in San Francisco costs $143 per person
#19 A meal at the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, D.C. costs $145 per person
#18 A meal at Menton in Boston costs $145 per person
#17 A meal at Le Bernardin in New York City costs $146 per person
#16 A meal at Mélisse in Santa Monica, Calif. costs $150 per person
#15 A meal at Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif. costs $150 per person
#14 A meal at Saam at The Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles costs $156 per person
#13 A meal at Victoria & Albert's in Orlando costs $163 per person
#12 A meal at Momofuku Ko in New York City costs $163 per person
#11 A meal at Meadowood, The Restaurant in Napa Valley costs $163 per person
#10 A meal at The Kitchen in Sacramento costs $163 per person
#9 A meal at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas costs $190 per meal
#8 A meal at Alinea in Chicago costs $199 per person
#7 A meal at Herbfarm in Seattle costs $215 per person
#6 A meal at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas costs $230 per person
#5 A meal at the Brooklyn Fair Kitchen in Brooklyn costs $241 per person
#4 A meal at French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. costs $297 per person
#3 A meal at Per Se in New York City costs $325 per person
#2 A meal at Urasawa in Beverly Hills costs $488 per person
#1 A meal at Masa in New York City costs $585 per person
I have also eaten at Manresa and I spent more than $150 (again -- remember that I don't drink wine. Although they did have a cocktail list and a beer list, so I have one of each). I don't remember the exact amount but I feel fairly sure that it was well over $200, and we did not get any supplements to the menu. I do believe that they had 2 tasting menus of different prices and we got the "good" one, though. It was several months ago so I don't remember the details.
I really need to try Benu. I have heard good things.
Quote: TomspurIncidentally, V&A's is still the only restaurant in the US that require men to wear a jacket.....
In other news Chick Fil-A has finally passed KFC as the number one chicken quick service chain in America. They are the only fast casual restaurant who surpasses $3 million in sales per location.
One of the fans in my section always brought a 35 gallon clear plastic garbage bag that was filled with pop corn. He would pass it around.
Due to a crack down on security, I don't think they allow him to do that anymore.
Quote: odiousgambitgetting back to popcorn, typically I am so disappointed in what the theaters today put out. And what passes for butter just ticks me off.
Yeah, it's definitely changed for the worst. The popcorn used to be edible regardless of temperature because the toppings were so good, though the hotter the better. Now, you have to eat it hot or it's a congealed slimy mess. Pity.
Quote: rdw4potusMy fiancee is the same way. She even orders the fountain soda with extra ice. I start to twitch if I'm around when she's ordering, so I usually "go find seats" in order to avoid the process.
If it helps, the cost of ice is probably higher than the cost of the syrup + carbonated water.
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceBut, if you are relatively well-off, then I'd argue that the enjoyable day with your family has a lot more utility to you than that $50. You can always make more money, but you can't make more time. When you are on your death-bed, you are not going to say, gee, I wish I had not spent so much money at the movies, but you may very well say, gee, I wish I had spent more time enjoying myself with my family
I like finding a good deal. So when I go to the movies, I'd prefer to go to the matinee and get a lower price. Now as far as spending time with family, I think a point could also be made that spending less to go to the movies allows me to go to the movies more often. We will also occasionally have a game night with friends, and I enjoy spending time with family like that as well, playing cards, playing "Telestrations", etc.
And like somebody posted, I am also funding the 401K to be able to live comfortably in retirement down the road.
Quote: JohnnyQI like finding a good deal. So when I go to the movies, I'd prefer to go to the matinee and get a lower price. Now as far as spending time with family, I think a point could also be made that spending less to go to the movies allows me to go to the movies more often. We will also occasionally have a game night with friends, and I enjoy spending time with family like that as well, playing cards, playing "Telestrations", etc.
And like somebody posted, I am also funding the 401K to be able to live comfortably in retirement down the road.
Althought he price is nice..I like matinees for adult movies because the theater is over half empty. Its easier to move to an area where you feel comfortable.
For pg and G movies..all bets are off for matinees.
I've eaten at the Herbfarm in Seattle. Well worth the prices they charge. Many of their reservations would sell out on the first or second afternoon of the reservations being open. The herbfarm itself was wonderful and when some activists burned the UW horticultural library some of those girls at the herbfarm cried. Many had botany degrees.
I know little of how authoritative actual restaurant ratings are. Someone once told me that the restaurant part adjacent to the old Stage Coach Stop on the San Marcos Bypass was considered the second best restaurant in the entire state of California It wasn't particularly expensive. The entire road trip was a bit of a lark so we were not properly dressed and certainly had no reservations but my road trip friend has clout in that area and we were seated anyway. Prices were somewhat high but not particularly astronomical. Food can be good and a restaurant can succeed even if "the beautiful people" never get photographed eating there!
Quote: FleaStiffSomeone once told me that the restaurant part adjacent to the old Stage Coach Stop on the San Marcos Bypass was considered the second best restaurant in the entire state of California It wasn't particularly expensive. The entire road trip was a bit of a lark so we were not properly dressed and certainly had no reservations but my road trip friend has clout in that area and we were seated anyway. Prices were somewhat high but not particularly astronomical.
So, how was the food?
Quote:Food can be good and a restaurant can succeed even if "the beautiful people" never get photographed eating there!
This is absolutely true. I love food and many of my favorite restaurants are not particularly expensive.
French Laundry was very good and I am glad that I can say that I tried it, and, while I may eventually make it back, it's not like I would go to a place like that regularly. A few times a year, though, it is fun to go try something extremely fancy, just for a change of pace.
Actually I recall that I had rabbit and thought it was excellent. Everyone raves about Fess Parker's restaurant in Santa Barbara. I didn't care for it at all. The Cold Spring Stage stop was always a nice place for beer but the adjacent restaurant is far more upscale though not pretentious.Quote: AxiomOfChoiceSo, how was the food?
I never particularly cared for Fess Parker but he turned that Dan'll Boone role into a fortune and bought up most of Santa Barbara and did well with it.
The film crew on the original Shangri La movie all bought property in and around Ojai, CA and most did very well. Ojai has grown so much its hard to have any hippie new age rural retreats with all the traffic noises and stop lights. The original Fat Farm is still going but I hear its struggling.
>I love food and many of my favorite restaurants are not particularly expensive.
Some French chefs actually run restaurants here where everything is made from scratch without shortcuts. Its strange because alot of customers in the USA simply do not devote the time to lunch or dinner that the French do.
Yes the prices suck.
Get over it.
As has already been stated, the theater gets very little from the price of the actual ticket so those high concession prices are what pay the bills (and it costs a lot of money to keep a movie theater operational).
It was amazing how many people seemed to blame me, the lowly concessionist, for their $3.50 bottle of water. Whenever someone complained, I would always just kind of go dead eyed and say there was nothing I could do about it and hope that they left my sight as quickly as possible.
Quote: teddysSome people get a kick out of saving money. It's part of how they enjoy life. I'm one of those people.
I like to save money too. And I probably won't go to another MLB game again. This is a little off topic but the same idea. Someone recently told me that having a hot dog and a coke at the ball park is almost a required tradition. I feel no such nostalgia. Paying over $10 for a hot dog and coke in order to get the full baseball experience is just brainwashing. I can spend a couple hours at a game already fed and watered--If I were to go to a game. No baseball player deserves more than $500,000 a year (which is about what they made 35 years ago in inflation adjusted dollars). I won't go to another MLB game and pay a ticket price based on players making $20,000,000 a year. Now, a minor league game with $3 beer and $2 dogs, yeah!
