What do you consider an "expensive" dinner?

BMF

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I read a blog about spending big money on dinners (such as $100+/person). I rarely, rarely spend that kind of money on dinner. Sure, with drinks a dinner tab can get expensive (more than 3 drinks can easily run up a tab). I live in the DC area, so there are a ton of expensive restaurants. My wife and I will go to a steakhouse occasionally or one of the 'fancy' restaurants with friends once in a while, but my 'cheap gene' prevents me from doing it too often. Anyhow, curious what you all think is 'expensive'....and how often you do it.

Side note; for some reason the Fleming's Steakhouse keeps sending us a $50 gift card/voucher thing in the mail about every 6 months....so we will use that (steaks there are usually $45-$70). With a couple of drinks our tab is usually $150-$200, so the $50 gift card is nice.
 

TLB

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Meals over $25 cause me heartburn. Never take the kids, they get family dinner out at a diner or something and I get ill when a family of 4 goes for $60+.

Dinner with the wife will often end up $60-$70. We don't do drinks, but there are often a soup-appetizer + dessert. Still, she and I only do that about once every 3-4mo. We're going out for my 50th birthday soon, and I expect dinner will run us $100-$130.
 

FireFoley

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Any meal where I deem the food to have sucked to me is expensive. but I understand your point. I lived in Chicago for a long time and spent more than my share of money at expensive restaurants. Especially the Steakhouses. Tho the food was usually good I started to think that when the steak became $45 or so and higher I began to see the light. And as someone who likes to grill I decided if I ever wanted that kind of meal I could go to the butcher and splurge on that prime cut and cook at home. Tho it is nice to splurge at a restaurant every now and then, I tend to do it on something I would have no chance to cook on my own, as opposed to an everyday meal that I can make myself.
 

Gator By Marriage

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Dinner at a nice place for two w/ drinks (and Mrs. G rarely has more than one) is pretty much always $100 mas o manos. An expensive night now means in the $150-200 range. Sad fact but true. But, what the hell, it’s only money, right?
 

Detroitgator

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I agree with everyone, and for me personally (not work/expense), I only do the approaching $200 for two people roughly once every 5 or so years, and the last two times have been with Son #1, not my wife! ;)

I don't think you can count business dinner blowouts in the conversation, because what the hell, it's only someone else's money, right? ;)

But on that note, I'm typically lucky to let some other jackass get the bill. Dubai is my best example... going to ANY club for drinks is like going to a high end strip club in the US... you're going to drop $2-300 right off the bat to get a table (and your choice of a bottle of booze) so you don't have to stand around... things can quickly spiral from there!
 

Bushmaster

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Steaks more than $30. Dinner for two more than $60.

I ate for two at the beach last Saturday night for $20 including a $6 tip. Hwy 55 grill, not fast food. Delish!!! My wife gets coupons for Outback/Ruby Tuesday/etc., and we try to use those when we are in the mood.

I order water and save the $2.99 for soda/tea. I will splurge and drink a Blue Moon regularly.
 

-THE DUDE-

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Dinner at a nice place for two w/ drinks (and Mrs. G rarely has more than one) is pretty much always $100 mas o manos. An expensive night now means in the $150-200 range. Sad fact but true. But, what the hell, it’s only money, right?

That’s about what we do...a typical night out is around $100 and a splurge is 2-300. We usually do that once a year though now that we have 2 young kids
 

Concrete Helmet

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We rarely do fine dining, maybe once or twice a year(I'm a slob and hate to get dressed up)….
However I also spent over 20 years in the culinary arts and held the position of Executive Chef at the 2 most exclusive country clubs in Central Florida( Tiger, Payne Stewart, Shaq, Mark O'Meara and such were some of my members) and I haven't forgotten a thing....you name it and I've cooked it here at the Casa Del Lago....
 

EyeDocGator

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I consider any meal that costs more than $25 per person to be expensive. But then, my tastes are simple and apparently, I'm living in the past.
 

Pablos Tunnel

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$250-$300 for me and the Mrs.

However, I have seen some crazy bills. Had a client take me and a friend to Prime112 in S. Beach to celebrate a new acquisition. Three of us with pre and post dinner drinks was $1,600.

Out of my league.
 

Detroitgator

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$250-$300 for me and the Mrs.

However, I have seen some crazy bills. Had a client take me and a friend to Prime112 in S. Beach to celebrate a new acquisition. Three of us with pre and post dinner drinks was $1,600.

Out of my league.
yeah, that's why i excluded business stuff... $1600 is what I call "Thursday night in Dubai" and what I meant by "can quickly spiral from there!" ;)
 

Concrete Helmet

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I spent 7 years working at a Mobil Guide 4 star rated restaurant cooking overpriced pretentious BS like Beluga caviar and Foie Gras while watching people spend over $100 per person for appetizers(in the late 80's and early 90's) of overfed Goose Livers and Surgeon eggs from Russia served with frozen crepes and Vodka infused Crème Fraiche(basically French sour cream)…...I was always amazed at how sophisticated they acted while eating overpriced sh!t…..:headslap:

The best part about working there though was taking home the extra Genuine American Red Snapper(when you could get it, not the imported Mexican crap that restaurants get for the last 20 years)stuffed with jumbo lump crab en croute, Veal Chops with Morel mushrooms and Beef Wellingtons that we would blame the waiters for over ordering....we figured it was only fair since they always blamed us for the food taking so long.:lol2:
 

Detroitgator

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I spent 7 years working at a Mobil Guide 4 star rated restaurant cooking overpriced pretentious BS like Beluga caviar and Foie Gras while watching people spend over $100 per person for appetizers(in the late 80's and early 90's) of overfed Goose Livers and Surgeon eggs from Russia served with frozen crepes and Vodka infused Crème Fraiche(basically French sour cream)…...I was always amazed at how sophisticated they acted while eating overpriced sh!t…..:headslap:

The best part about working there though was taking home the extra Genuine American Red Snapper(when you could get it, not the imported Mexican crap that restaurants get for the last 20 years)stuffed with jumbo lump crab en croute, Veal Chops with Morel mushrooms and Beef Wellingtons that we would blame the waiters for over ordering....we figured it was only fair since they always blamed us for the food taking so long.:lol2:
 

GatorJ

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I would say $150 plus per person is an expensive meal for personal.

For business I’d say $300 per person.
 

GatorInGeorgia

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If I’m not factoring drinks in to the mix, I’d say an expensive meal is $60 (not including tip either). Think of Bone’s Steakhouse in Atlanta or a Ruth’s Chris. Steak will set you back $48ish, $8 for a side of fries or potato and then the sales tax, so with tip you’re looking at $72.

Now, I can easily go to an Outback Steakhouse and get a cheaper steak or meal for $20-$25 but if I then add 3 big bloke draft Fosters then I’m up to $42ish plus another $8 tip so I’m out $50 bucks. That’s pretty expensive, too.
 

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