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> it takes me literally 20 seconds sometimes to finish a $20+ burger, and then I'm just sitting there waiting for people to delicately nibble their way through

Honestly, that sounds like a you problem. Maybe try eating instead of guzzling. You may even find time to enjoy the food.

by brailsafe1 hours ago|

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> Honestly, that sounds like a you problem.

It is a me problem, in the sense that I have eyes and tastebuds; the Emperor has no clothes and tastes no better than many other people.

The food is mid and costs double what it should. I usually find that Ramen is not mid but does cost twice as much as it should.

by linguae9 hours ago|

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I don’t know where you live, but in the Bay Area prices have exploded since COVID. I remember a decade ago when it was still possible to get a super burrito for under $10; in fact, the price was $7.75 for a carne asada super burrito at El Farolito in San Francisco. A burger was under $10, a deli sandwich was about $8-9, and tacos were around $1.50 at Taco Bell and no more than $3 at a proper taqueria. The prices weren’t cheap, but they never felt bank-breaking. Unfortunately prices have skyrocketed since COVID. Unfortunately my income hasn’t matched; I made the individually fulfilling but poor financial decision of pursuing a research career and not working for OpenAI/Anthropic/FAANG/NVIDIA. Thus, two years ago I quit eating out in the Bay Area, except when socializing. It’s sad making six figures and feeling priced out of dining out, just like I’m priced out of housing and RAM since I can’t compete with Big Tech. I now cook, which I guess is healthier but is also time-consuming.

Japan, on the other hand, is heaven for those with US dollars. A bowl of ramen is around ¥1,100 here (I’m here on a research visit), and they generally taste amazing! Even a Big Mac meal from McDonald’s is far cheaper than in the Bay Area.

by brailsafe42 minutes ago|

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I'm on the west coast but the prices aren't much cheaper elsewhere if at all. It's way cheaper in Japan to get ramen, but probably much more expensive to get sushi, which is maybe the last value oriented quality meal I'm usually able to find. Canadian A&W and Popeyes are quite good as well (I found U.S Popeyes lacking flavor and juiciness), but never ever get combos at fast food places, only the burger. McDonald's is tasting more and more like cardboard while their prices rise.

Right around When "smash" patties started becoming the next millenial fad is when I first started seeing absurd prices like that. Sides stopped being included, and I ordered a double patty at a local place, paid $16 for just the damn burger, felt insulated, and then just left. I continue trying to keep an open mind, but I tend to be skeptical that I'll get anything worthwhile for my money. If only I'd had a huge amount invested in stocks when the value of money halved.

by sgerenser8 hours ago|

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The Big Mac thing is kinda sad, just a few years ago I used to tell people who complained about the increasing cost of fast food “You just gotta use the App!” Which was true, with the McD’s app, a Big Mac might be something like $3 or maybe buy-one-get-one in the app, but $6 in store. But it seems like those days are over, the fast food places realized they were losing too much margin as more and more people started using their apps. Oh well, better to cut way back on fast food consumption anyway.

by folkrav8 hours ago|

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Last I checked, restaurants actually do run on razor thin margins. A fraction of the costs is food - IIRC on average about a third. Most of it is rent (typically very high in places where you’d have foot traffic) and labor (pretty labor intensive sector for a given output).

by estearum9 hours ago|

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Spoiler alert: it's rent.

by brailsafe41 minutes ago|

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Ya, that's usually what does it.