How Much An Average Steakhouse Dinner Would Run You In The 1970s - Tasting Table

"Beef prices have surged over the past six years, even more so than other food products, with the average price of steak or ground beef increasing more than 50% since early 2020. That even makes steaks from the grocery store pricey, and forget about eating out unless you are heading to Texas Roadhouse or the few other chain restaurants that have managed to use their scale to keep costs a little more reasonable."

"This menu, found on Reddit, from the '70s (roughly early '70s based on other Ponderosa menus), has sirloin steak dinner listed for only $1.79, and a T-Bone for only $2.49. Unlike many modern menus, it doesn't list the portion sizes, so it's hard to tell exactly how good a deal it was, but those prices equate to roughly $14.17 and $19.71 today when you factor in inflation. And those old prices included a full meal with baked potato, salad, and a roll."

"The current prices for those items at Texas Roadhouse are $17 for an 8-ounce sirloin and $35 for the T-bone. And Ponderosa wasn't the only place you could find those steak prices in the '70s. At Ranch House, a chain that has a dozen locations up and down the East Coast, a New York Strip steak would run you $2.75, and top sirloin was $2.15 in 1971."

Steak dinners have become increasingly expensive over the past six years, with beef prices rising more than 50% since early 2020. In the 1970s, steakhouse chains like Ponderosa offered affordable steak dinners with full meals including baked potato, salad, and roll for under $3. A Ponderosa sirloin dinner cost $1.79 and a T-Bone cost $2.49, equivalent to roughly $14.17 and $19.71 in today's dollars. Other chains like Ranch House and Sizzler offered similarly low prices. Today, Texas Roadhouse charges $17 for an 8-ounce sirloin and $35 for a T-bone, reflecting dramatic price increases even at budget-friendly chain restaurants.

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