Most you have ever paid for a restaurant meal

[Smarmotron]

What is the most you have ever paid (averaged per person) for a meal in a restaurant?

[Basildog]

About £90 for myself at the Egullet Chez Bruce lunch last year...i have bought cars for less than that!

[torakris]

Money that actually came out of my pocketbook? not someone else's?

I am such a tightwad I am almost shamed to admit that it is a measely $50 spent on Christmas Eve dinner at a restaurant in Kihei, Maui (I think it was the Pacific Cafe or something like that)

Then there was the almost 5 year period in my life where my ex-boyfriend and I lived the luxurious life, with something like a $10,000 a month allowance from his father. Dinners would regulary be between $50 and $100 per person with out blinking an eye. But it wasn't actually my pocket book. Now $100 is my monthly eating out allowance for my family of 5!

The things we do for love!

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Those of you sick of hearng about my French Laundry meal bear with me....

And this will cross reference the whole tipping thing in Dark Tales From the Recession.....

French Laundry, total bill after wine and 18% grat. ( a service charge added to the bill), 944. I added, or tried to add the 56 extra to make it a perfect 1000.00. But as Thomas Keller was making his way to my table to meet me I slipped up when doing the addition and added 66. They ran my card based on my over-pay and the final bill ended up costing 1010.00--a nomial expense compared to the experience I'm left remembering.

[Rosie]

About $400 at the Inn at Little Washington. French Laundry was in the $300 range.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

About $400 at the Inn at Little Washington. French Laundry was in the $300 range.

Oh damn...please don't let what I paid deter you potentials from frequenting the laundry. I asked for every upsell available and let Stuckey choose our wines--within reason. Jana did request that we try at least one of Helen Turley's products so we went for the Marcassin Pinot (315 bottle). I can see two people on a budget getting out of there under 400 easy.

[melkor]

Around $450 at the French Laundry, a similar amount at Gary Danko, and La Toque.

[tommy]

i think the fact that member 201 could easily spend 30 dollars at Fink's is more notable than me spending 500 at March.

[Rosie]

About $400 at the Inn at Little Washington. French Laundry was in the $300 range.

Oh damn...please don't let what I paid deter you potentials from frequenting the laundry. I asked for every upsell available and let Stuckey choose our wines--within reason. Jana did request that we try at least one of Helen Turley's products so we went for the Marcassin Pinot (315 bottle). I can see two people on a budget getting out of there under 400 easy.

I have Turley's shipped to my house so I don't have to pay big bucks at a restaurant!

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

About $400 at the Inn at Little Washington. French Laundry was in the $300 range.

Oh damn...please don't let what I paid deter you potentials from frequenting the laundry. I asked for every upsell available and let Stuckey choose our wines--within reason. Jana did request that we try at least one of Helen Turley's products so we went for the Marcassin Pinot (315 bottle). I can see two people on a budget getting out of there under 400 easy.

I have Turley's shipped to my house so I don't have to pay big bucks at a restaurant!

Yeah, sure but in Memphis there's a law that only allows us to get certain wines. It's illegal to ship Helen Turley here. Just another thing I've got to be bitter about.

[tommy]

It's illegal to ship Helen Turley here.  Just another thing I've got to be bitter about.

i find that if you gag and tie up people, and put them in your trunk, you'll have little problem getting them over just about any state line. he said, inanely.

[Fat Guy]

If we're including wine and we're including business dinners, I've done around $2k (US) per person on a few occasions -- and not even at great restaurants; I'm talking steakhouses. On my own dime, my max was probably about $400 per at Ducasse.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

It's illegal to ship Helen Turley here.  Just another thing I've got to be bitter about.

i find that if you gag and tie up people, and put them in your trunk, you'll have little problem getting them over just about any state line. he said, inanely.

Understood Mr. Tommy. And if I would have driven out to Yountville I would have maxed out my cards with illegal purchases. But with the security at airports heightened I wasn't about to stick that stuff in my suitcase. And in general, without going to Atlanta or Chicago (8 hours), you can't get these kinds of wines anywhere. It sucks. We've tried to work around the system. Shields Hood, a master sommelier, high end wine distributor in town and a good friend can't even get the stuff. And if he can't get it then it's ungettable.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

If we're including wine and we're including business dinners, I've done around $2k (US) per person on a few occasions -- and not even at great restaurants; I'm talking steakhouses. On my own dime, my max was probably about $400 per at Ducasse.

Man, do I feel taken.

[Jinmyo]

Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, about 15 years ago. $500 per person, including wine. I've had meals that cost more in France and Italy but wasn't paying.

[pixelchef]

Wow.

Fine dining in Canada is a much better value, in my humble (and sure to be proven uneducated) opinion.

The most I've paid is approximately $250CAD per person on a number of different occasions (including wines). Realize that this is equivalent to about $175US.

[scamhi]

Veritas $800.00 for 3

ADNY $1,400.00 for 4

[Fat Guy]

Fine dining seems to be a better value in Canada than in the United States, with Quebec City being an exception (it has the most overpriced restaurants, on the whole, of any city I've visited in Canada). One reason for that, however, is that Canadian restaurants have fewer staff than American restaurants in equivalent categories (and therefore, usually, inferior service). I'm not sure wine in Canada is a particularly good value, especially in the provinces where the government controls all sales. Certainly, one can spend as much on a meal in Canada as anywhere else, if wine becomes the focus of the meal. Comparative value could be a different thread, if anybody would like to start one.

[Nick]

If we're including wine and we're including business dinners, I've done around $2k (US) per person on a few occasions

What did everyone get for $2k?

[elyse]

Spencer, your's was for two, right? So, $505 each?

I'm interested in seeing what the meals would have cost without the wine.

Anyone?

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Spencer, your's was for two, right?  So, $505 each?

I'm interested in seeing what the meals would have cost without the wine.

Anyone?

That is correct.

[Jinmyo]

Fine dining seems to be a better value in Canada than in the United States, with Quebec City being an exception (it has the most overpriced restaurants, on the whole, of any city I've visited in Canada). One reason for that, however, is that Canadian restaurants have fewer staff than American restaurants in equivalent categories (and therefore, usually, inferior service). I'm not sure wine in Canada is a particularly good value, especially in the provinces where the government controls all sales.

Wine was the heaviest factor. I don't even remember what it was and I'm not really that interested in wines.

[torakris]

I still remember trying to talk my then boyfriend (now husband) out of paying $50 a person because I though it was ridiculously expensive, I see most of you pay that much in just tax alone!

I have yet to eat a meal in a restaurant that I felt was worth the money I paid for it, I find everything ridicuously over priced. I almost never take my family out, only if my in-laws are paying.

I think I will go crawl back under my rock now.....................

[Suzanne F]

Kristin, I love you anyway. BTW: congrats on the "official" eG post of whatever-it-is on the Japan board! Recognition of much work well done.

[Jinmyo]

I have yet to eat a meal in a restaurant that I felt was worth the money I paid for it, I find everything ridicuously over priced.

Kristin, this is usually true.

I'd rather pay Thomas Keller $400 to roam freely in his kitchen for a day than pay for a meal.

Suzanne, Kristin is the new shogun-regent of the Japan board.