Fast food is pricing itself out of my life

[Marthe48]

I picked up my grandkids from school. We passed KFC and they want 32.99 for a 12 piece bucket of chicken. I the kids to Qdoba's and what they got there was over $21.00. I don't see them often, and don't treat them often. I am just stunned at how much 'cheap' food costs. The kids asked me what was the cheapest place to eat in town. I said "home".

I cooked food for my dinner before I left to get them. I made chicken tika misala, with miracle noodles. I made a loaf of bread, too. Glad I like my own cooking.

[Chainfire]

1. When I was a senior in HS I worked at Burger King

I remember that the Whopper, fry and large drink were $.96. The quality of the meat was so good, that we ate the left overs like steak after closing, washing it down with beer we swapped for burgers with the Pizza Hut manager next door.

We also took orders and did the math on paper, before counting out the change to the customer. May Dog help the poor clerk who made and addition error in his shift. (no girls) The place was kept meticulously clean, top to bottom (even in places the customers never saw.) I hated basketball season, Fridays, at closing time a couple of school busses would pull up with hungry athletes; it never failed.

[Marthe48]

7. I remember when a KFC bucket was under $10

And 4 of us could eat at McD's for $5, like a big mac was .79 cents. Maybe it's because I don't eat out often, but every time I stop for the kids, I am shocked.

[Marthe48]

15. I was a line cook at 3 Mom and Pop restaurants

and it never failed that somebody came in right before closing, and even if we had the kitchen nearly cleaned, had to serve them. It was always a fine line between cleaning and closing, and I don't think we ever got out on time.

My daughter got a job at KFC, and they had a rule that they had to throw away any extra food, because management was afraid if the crew was allowed to take it home, they'd over prepare on purpose. She worked there for almost 2 years while she was in h.s. After awhile, management let that rule slide. She is a vegetarian, so she'd bring us KFC once in awhile.

[canuckledragger]

27. There's ways of dealing with people that come in right around closing time

[bucolic_frolic]

2. At home, one can tweak the ingredients

1/2 whole wheat flour 1/2 white flour, 1/2 baking soda 1/2 baking powder. I found baking soda cleans Stainless every bit as well as stainless cleaner at about 1/7 the price. I even use baking soda to clean my decking instead of the $15-18 a gallon commercial mix.

I have found that prices have not risen as fast in non-chain restaurants. Whether that's because the personnel isn't jacked to the $15 wage, or they use established suppliers, or the profits don't need to go to shareholders ... I don't know. I suppose I'm in for a shock one of these days..

[Marthe48]

8. I rarely follow recipes

and I rarely clean >snicker<
Seriously, I stocked up because of Covid, and then got in the habit of replacing anything I opened, so I'm still ahead on supplies. I'm hoping my pantry gets me to a price drop >snicker< Like anything ever goes down.

My friend and I ate at Bob Evans last week. You can get a 1/2 salad, 1/2 sandwich, 1/2 soup (2 of the 3) for $7.99. It is enough and tatses good.

[ProfessorGAC]

26. Another Cheap Option For Stainless

Food grade oxalic acid. You can get 8 ounces for under $9.
About 5 grams in a few ounces of water, then rubbed on the surface. Let stand 30 seconds and rinse. You could do a whole commercial kitchen with 10g or less. So, and 8 ounce bottle could last 25 cleanings.
It removes any surface iron oxides and exposes the non-ferrous metals to air, renewing the oxidized layer that makes stainless steel, well, stainless.
To be honest, I don't see any mechanism by which sodium bicarbonate would be useful on stainless though.
There's no chemistry to support it.
Also, inorganic salt solutions affect neither water surface tension or undergo micellization, which is critical in getting any type of soil to be captured and thoroughly rinsed away.
The entire cleaning product industry is not some grand conspiracy. People buy them because they work.

[bucolic_frolic]

31. sodium bicarbonate on stainless

My water is acid with iron that builds up on the stainless around the drain. Nothing worked except baking soda and elbow grease. The SS cleaner wouldn't touch it, nor Comet, nor bathroom demineralizer, nor scrubby pads. Baking soda works well on porcelain too.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. Oxalic Is THE BEST On Iron

It is VERY commonly used in industry to decade & reduce iron build-up in heat exchange hardware. It gets rid of iron right now!
The low pH thing, I get.
But, if you have water hardness, you need low pH. Hardness consists of insoluble salts of calcium & magnesium, mostly calcium carbonate. Citric acid, edible & quite safe for the typical user (with a link of sense) is great on hardness build-up.
I can see bicarb helping on porcelain. It's under 10% soluble in water at room temperature, so it becomes a mild abrasive. Not enough to scratch the glass, but enough to get the surface crud removed. That makes sense chemically.

[bucolic_frolic]

33. Thanks for the expertise, Professor!

I will take this knowledge and see how it works out.

My hard water is induced by treating the low-ph iron water with an acid neutralizer - calcite mix. I don't use the green filtering mediium, I forget what it's called. Part of the iron may be from corroding steel well casing, and that's a time bomb. It's almost retirement age.

[ProfessorGAC]

34. Could Just Be The Water Itself

We used to have a half part per million iron in our water when the city used wells.
A river runs right through town, so rather than digging new wells, they built a plant to provide water from the river.
Iron dropped to 1.5-2.0 parts per BILLION.
Iron issues in the house vanished. No more Iron in the toilet bowl, around the drains.
You could have a few milligrams Iron per liter of water & a little goes a long way.

[Duncanpup]

3. I was told that a family went to 5 guys

And the bill was like I think $65 I’m saying this as second hand yet fast food is expensive.

[Luciferous]

28. Yeah, 5 guys is very expensive nt

[malthaussen]

35. Yeah, was recently at one of their shops with SIL...

... forty-something bucks for the two of us.

The food was good, admittedly, but a $12 burger is mind-bending for someone who used to get them for a quarter.

And $12 is bush league compared to some places.

-- Mal

[Duncanpup]

4. Great that you got to spend time with grandkids

[Marthe48]

9. Yes, always glad to see them

and the granddogs

[Diamond_Dog]

5. 2 14" pizzas at Pizza Hut just pepperoni

A couple weeks ago

Over $30

For crummy Pizza Hut!

I hear you, Marthe. Home is the best place to eat.

[Marthe48]

11. Pizza was always the cheapest

not now.

I've been taking a slice of the homemade bread, brushing some olive oil on, and heating it up in a pan with some pepperoni and mozzarella on it. Last Sat., I took a stab at making a copy of Donato's Buffalo chicken with dill pickles. Not close, but edible.

[Duncanpup]

24. Pizza Hut is terrible

[Diamond_Dog]

25. They charge a hefty price for that terrible, Duncanpup

[Chipper Chat]

6. I don't mind paying the higher price if the food is good

BUT IT AINT!!!!!!!

[SheltieLover]

10. Cookout jumped from $5 to $8 per tray (sandwich, 2 sides & drink)

Wendy's is now nearly $9 with tax for a single meal.

The great bbq place near me cut the meat by 1/3, & a sude of fries is about 5-6 medium fries.

Wtf?

I dont do it anymore. I loved Cookout, but never go there anymore.

😏

[Marthe48]

12. When you look at what you just paid for

takes your breath and appetite away. :/

[SheltieLover]

13. Sure does & I don't victimize well.

Burger King still has $5 & $6 meals, if you get 2. Mcdonalds has a buy 1 quarter pounder get on free with coupon from completing survey.

I hatemcdonals greasy food, bug it's all we have here. BK is 12+ miles away.

[Marthe48]

16. If I get coupons in the mail, I put them in the car

but most of them expire every month. I'd get the BOGOF survey, but nobody wants the food. lol

[SheltieLover]

19. No coupoms in mail.here, sadly.

I do get BOGOF quarter pounders occasionally. Not a fan, but sometimes just dont feel like cooking.

BK more frequently, when I go for groceries.

[Diamond_Dog]

23. Isn't that the truth!

[multigraincracker]

14. No more dollar menue...

No more Multigrain.

[Marthe48]

18. The incredible shrinking meal

the price goes up, the item gets smaller :/

[niyad]

17. I don't know if you have a Kroger store nearby, but they are much cheaper (and

taste much better). 12 pieces of chicken is $12, and a 12-piece mean is 20.

[Marthe48]

20. Thanks

I shop at Kroger, and I get the roasted deli chicken, for me and my kitty. We get 4+ meals out of it. Not all of the time, but it sure gives me a break from the kitchen and dishes!

[niyad]

21. I usually get that when it is on markdown, mostly because it would be cold when I

got it home anyway. At least 4 meals, and then stock with the skin and carcass. My kitteh LOVES chicken, and chicken broth!

[Marthe48]

22. Exactly!

Luckily, my kitty doesn't eat a lot, but she sure perks up when I bring it home!

[ForgedCrank]

29. I know a lot

of people love fast food, I used to be one of them, but I excluded it from my life years ago for health reasons.
As much as I don't like saying it, us not being able to afford the garbage may wind up being one of the better things to happen to us in the end.

[Marthe48]

30. Yes

I feel better not eating it. I try to get the kids food that isn't horrible for them, probably should just make cookies and bring a couple along

[Marthe48]

37. Another thought

It's not that I can't afford it, but I don't want to afford it. It isn't a treat any more, it's a luxury. In the land of plenty.

[malthaussen]

36. "Change back from your dollar..."

-- Mal

[mvd]

38. I agree. Grocery prices are high but I can always choose..

Aldi if I need to. I limit the fast food I get. I have found Taco Bell to be the cheapest around here, and while I can tolerate it, it isn’t good on a regular basis.