"we can all agree the math often feels out of whack. Start with a round of $20 cocktails and some raw-bar bites, apps for the table, entrées at $40 each, dessert, a decent bottle of natural wine that will run north of $75, then maybe another bottle - and a night out for four in this town can easily match the price of a new laptop."
"With a $17 pre-tip, pretax ceiling (chosen because it's the hourly minimum wage in the city) and a few ground rules (nothing too obvious, an emphasis on newness, no cheating by choosing something like a pickle plate on an otherwise pricey steakhouse menu), I landed on these 58 items, each of which carries enough heft to be a satisfying snack or full meal."
Rising rent, insurance, ingredient prices, ConEd bills, red tape, and fixers have made operating and dining at restaurants increasingly expensive and precarious. Menu pricing reflects many pressures, with examples like $20 cocktails, $40 entrées, and natural wines over $75 driving the cost of a night out high. Buzzy expensive restaurants dominate conversation while affordability becomes a mandate under Mayor Mamdani amid concerns about "halalflation." A $17 pre-tip, pretax ceiling defines 58 affordable menu items chosen with ground rules to ensure novelty and prevent token cheap plates on otherwise pricey menus. The selection shows that eating well need not cost a fortune.
Read at Grub Street
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