Thursday, February 26, 2009
Restaurants The Two Tenners: Is a $10.50 Lunch Music to Your Ears?
Posted by Carrington Fox on Thu, Feb 26, 2009 at 6:02 AM
As I sit here perusing the price lists at the newly opened 1808 Grille and Urban Flats, I can't help noticing a number that pops up on both menus: $10.50.
That's what it costs for a panini, fries, slaw and tea at 1808. It's also the maximum price for a flatbread at Urban Flats.
Both new restaurants cater to the downtown/Gulch working crowd, offering full service in an impressive atmosphere. Of course, you can spend more at either place, if you leave the panini and flatbread repertoires. But I'm curious if the business minds at these eateries have determined that $10.50 is a magic price ceiling for lunch.
What's your lunch-price threshold?
Comments (18)
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By the way, panini, fries, slaw and tea is a lunch special at 1808, not just some random item I picked for argument's sake!
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Per capita weekly food spending in the US was $51 in 2007. That's $2.42/meal.
$10.50 for lunch...
for a more than special occasion threshold, it's 5 bucks. For a once every couple of weeks threshold, 10 bucks, out the door.
I usually go out for lunch once a week, so I don't mind spending $10-$15 for a good meal. Not only does it get me time from the office, but I get at least 1 good meal per week.
Also, the guys at my office don't usually go for the burger & fry joints, it's usually something like Chili's / Mexi-Cali Grille / Genie's Persian Palace. Avg. price is around $11 with tip.
I feel like lunch prices just keep sneaking up. Remember the $5 sandwich? Now it seems totally normal to charge $6.95 or $7.25.
For me, it's relative to my perception of the experience and sometimes that's contradictory to what I say I'll spend.
I've already posted that I think Urban Flats is expensive for what it is - I have the distinct feeling I'm paying for those dumb pendant lamps - but then I spend the exact same amount at Kien Giang and it feels like a bargain because I get this giant bowl of really delicious nutritious food.
So I don't really know if I have a threshold or not...it's funny that I can spend one amount in one place and be fine and then spend the same amount elsewhere and feel fleeced.
I work in the Vanderbilt area, and I have a hard time finding a decent lunch for much less than $10 (with tip).
Veggie plate off the lunch menu at the Mediterranean place, with water, is around $8, + $2 tip. Veggie quesadilla + water at Cafe Coco is almost $8 before tip. Black bean quesadilla + water at Broadway Brewhouse is almost $7--add another dollar for tip and you're back up to $8. Veggie burger + chocolate milkshake at Cheeseburger Charlie's is almost $10 before tip.
Only one of these is full service--the others are all counter orders. And none of these is a particularly great meal. Where is anyone getting a $5 lunch?
I'm downtown, and I can usually do it for $7 or less at these here places:
Sam's Sushi
Manny's House of Pizza at the Arcade
Chile Burrito Co.
Either Santorini or House of Kabobs on 4th
City Wraps
If I don't get a lemonade or an Horchata, it's around $5 bucks at Manny's or at Chile Burrito
Our waiter at Los Rosales mentioned that in March they were going to be offering a complete lunch with tax for $6.
Unfortunately I don't do lunch out much but that's like a tempting offer.
I remember when sammiches were $5. I also remember when Bites would automatically refresh when you visted a page. Oh those were the days...
I think it would be cool for the Scene to run an annual piece that broke down the segments of Middle TN and listed some good places for lunch with an average meal cost. I have a hard time finding good lunch around Brentwood on the cheap...even Chile Burrito out there is $8.
You can definitely do it at Mexican if you stick to tacos. I'll never forget the lunch Jack, Tracy and I had at Las Americans—the bill was $11 for all three of us.
Wild Wasabi’s lunch buffet is the best deal in town. All you can eat sushi plus more for around $10.
I think the Indian place in the Farmer's Market might be the best deal for lunch. They MOUND your plate with food for something like $6 or $7.
I'd put Sitar's lunch buffet up for best deal in town at $9 for all you can eat.
I agree with Fluffer! Sitar is a fantastic deal for lunch. All you can eat chicken tikka masala and naan. Wish they had some type of indian sweet for dessert, but I never really have room for it anyhow.
Is Cuisine of India the one on 21st next to Pizza Perfect? If so, I have been a couple times and wasn't that impressed. Sitar has high turnover on the buffet line, so I don't feel like I'm eating the previous nights leftovers.
Taste Of India, which used to be on Church St. and has since shut down, had a good buffet for some time...but it quickly went downhill...hence the closing.
