Restaurant pricing

[Earthmaiden Profile]

This is about supermarket pricing, not restaurant but I can't find a suitable place on the board to put it.

An interesting development in our town centre (which is one of those which is ailing). We had a Sainsburys, M&S, Tesco Metro, Coop and Morrisons. Sainsburys, Coop and Morrisons have closed – Covid was the final nail. Tesco Metro is close to the bus station and now the only one left convenient for local people without a car – who tend to be elderly or on low incomes so don’t usually go to M&S.

Tesco Metro has now made the decision to change to being a Tesco Express (‘convenience store’). So far, customers have seen no change in the goods sold but prices have gone up between 5% and 20%. Someone has taken it up with our local MP, who, having no decent response from Tesco has ‘now raised this issue further within Government with Ministers at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He says that this issue has also been raised within Government by Cherilyn Mackrory MP who represents Truro and Falmouth as they also have the same with the Tesco there in Cornwall’.

Presumably Tesco will say they are not a charity and that people could get a bus to their superstore not too far away if they wanted to or arrange home delivery (not always easy for vulnerable people).

It will be interesting to see the outcome – maybe scully has heard of the case in Cornwall. I didn’t realise that all goods in Tesco convenience outlets had a markup like that.

[Pampy Profile]

I think all convenience stores for the major supermarkets have higher prices than their larger stores. Their "reasoning" is that it costs more to run the convenience store. I was quite off colour a few weeks ago and couldn't face making bread nor going round a normal supermarket so went into a Morrisons convenience store - the bread, which costs £1.10 in a bigger store cost me £1.69 - the first and last time I'll use one of the smaller stores!

[aero280 Profile]

A lot of the small Tescos seem to be run as a franchise. Our local one has been run by the same family for years. But some items are a lot more expensive. The Tesco own brand fresh soup id £1.50 in the big store in Watford, but £2 in the local store. It's similar with the petrol. Tesco petrol in the Watford store is cheaper than the petrol on Bushey Heath Tesco, which s Esso, and run separately, in that you can't use a Tesco Clubcard with the Esso purchases.

[Busybee Profile]

Tesco fuel prices are very dependent on location. A condition of them getting planning permission for a store and fuel station was that they didn’t undercut the other petrol station on price, hence the fuel at Tesco’s in Thirsk is usually around 5p a litre more expensive than the next nearest Tesco on the retail park in York 23 miles away.

It does factor in to where we go for fuel, because there isn’t a price difference we use the independent in Thirsk as a first choice.

We have two coops in our small market town, both laughably small, but there is a difference in prices and stock choice.

BB

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Yes, we have also heard that the Tesco Metro in Uxbridge is going to become an Express ... I rarely shop there as I have a larger Tesco in Rickmansworth, but neither this, nor the superstore in Watford are accessible by public transport. I could shop at Sainsbury's in Uxbridge and get there by bus, but still a decent walk to the nearest bus stop at both ends of the journey

I recall a programme a few years ago that investigated why the Express stores (of any make, including M&S and WR) are more expensive to shop in than their larger cousins and the explanation was that per square foot, it is more expensive to run a small store version a giant one.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

The thing is, Pat. This is the same store, seemingly with the same stock. It seems a sneaky way of putting prices up even if the store IS costing more to run and there are fewer customers than there used to be.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

The thing is, Pat. This is the same store, seemingly with the same stock. It seems a sneaky way of putting prices up even if the store IS costing more to run and there are fewer customers than there used to be.

Yup, I agree, EM. I am eternally glad that Boots doesn't do that, yet ... the small one we have on our local parade sells everythong at exactly the same price as the larger ones. The difference is obvously much less choice, but for the most part that isn't an issue.

The other way I've noticed the little, local stores increase their profit margins is by only selling branded items when they also do a better value own brand version, and a while ago (pre-lockdown) the little Tesco only started selling carrots in 500g bags instead of the much better value kg bags.

This is about supermarket pricing, not restaurant but I can't find a suitable place on the board to put it.

Btw, I think I've posted this sort of topic on the Ocado/M&S thread - although it's not directly about supermarket deliveries ...

[scullion Profile]

sorry, answered this in the wildiechat by mistake

that latest tesco problem is not one i have come across. there are none of the mini tescos in this area, that i know of. there is a smallish one in the middle of falmouth and another on event square, again in falmouth, next to steins chip shop (although i think the latter may have closed). the nearest for me are big ones some miles away.
in times past things like disposable nappies etc used to be far more expensive down here, in tesco, than upcountry with their excuse that the transport costs were proportionally greater. women boycotted and petitioned them until they were reduced to upcountry prices.
i shop as little as i can, in tesco, their past purchasing of land in towns, then just sitting on it without building and so depriving places of community centres etc did not sit well with my conscience. i know that most shops have their less than ethical side but the two that i chose to avoid are tesco and marks and spencer.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Me too because I was replying to Scully.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

The thing is, Pat. This is the same store, seemingly with the same stock. It seems a sneaky way of putting prices up even if the store IS costing more to run and there are fewer customers than there used to be.

Yes, and there is plenty of complaints about this on the local facebook group.

Referring to PP's post about new stores/builds, our local coop closed down in what seemed like very adequate premises in the village high street, then opened up in the new building only a few yards away.. the original shop still stands empty. As PP says there are flats above ..Exactly the same scenario at the new Coop built next door to the Antique Shop in Croxley ..

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Oops, had forgotten and didn't see the Ocado thread when I posted the Tesco conversation. I'm with scully that I hate Tesco for a number of reasons but they seemed to get their act together in a good way during lockdowns.

I find it sad that those with least are penalised for not having a car. I suppose ordering online is the way forward and anyone left behind is brushed aside. Keeping prices artificially low in just the large stores in order to compete with other chains is very poor IMO.

The building rule doesn't seem so clever if older buildings are then just left empty .

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Going back to restaurants

Having been out and about outside London, on my little holiday I have been shocked

I had some trouble finding places to eat in Lancaster, as many of the places recommended on TripAdvisor and tourist information sites have not reopened post lockdown, walking round a lot of promising looking places turned out to be ghosts that stopped serving on 23 March 2020

some are working with reduced hours, for example the much recommended, few pubs are doing food in the evening or even at lunch time, though there's a good selection of coffee shops and cafes during the day, but places like Atkinson's are only serving drinks and cake in their four locations (I went to the one in the castle, would have gone to the Music Room on Sun Square if I'd seen it sooner)
https://thecoffeehopper.com/locations/the-music-room/

The highly recommended Full House Noodle Bar over the Chinese supermarket is now lunch only, so I didn't manage to get there, most online sources say open until 21:00 but their own FB page says they are closed at 16:00 now, not alone in that

So you can eat at the Sun Hotel, at Merchant's 1688 by the castle (I didn't, it's vaulted converted wine cellars, nice looking, but booking required) or my hot tip at Molly's which is a lovely room serving Italian food - one of the best pizza crusts I've had anywhere, very light
https://www.mollyslancaster.co.uk/

So there's worryingly little happening, people aren't dining out there (as in Sheffield, I did wonder where all the university staff go, perhaps they drive out to country pubs with dining rooms)

I went for a day trip to Windermere, and was in Bowness at lunch time. Bowness has a lot of pubs and bars, what I would have liked was a ploughman's and a pint. It didn't help that the place was teeming with families with kids in tow (it was 3rd August after all). Apart from actual chippies the pubs that were serving food were all doing greasy chips with everything and few vegetarian options.
There were quite a lot of café bars and pubs that were serving drinks but no food as in Lancaster, and some pubs were not opening at lunch time, just in the evening for drinks. Notices up in the windows suggested that many kitchens were closed due to lack of staff
This is worrying, shows how far it all is from normal, and if you are going out on a trip - check your options. and allow extra time as all the kitchens are short staffed and the waiters are students so also slow

I did get a very nice local artisan ciabatta roll filled with cheese and Farraday's (local) piccalilli served with a massive and nicely dress salad that looked as if they'd raided an allotment The pub was the Flying Pig, noisy and not promising to look at, but friendly, spotless, and a nice pint of Windermere IPA. Some of the Lancaster pubs have a reduced range of beers not sure of this is lack of custom or lack of drivers, I guess both

[aero280 Profile]

We had supper in a Green King pub in Worksop tonight, with BiL; it was very busy. The next nearest pub had closed because all the staff got “pinged”.

[Busybee Profile]

Your experience Sue, I think, would be repeated around here.

The pubs that have reopened are still not open all week, some only offering lunches and others severely restricted menus. Again we are in a tourist area. I think a combination of staffing issues etc but I have a sneaking suspicion that some kitchens have found providing a restricted menu an easier option and will keep a limited menu in place for as long as they can get away with it. I’m by no means a fussy eater but a recent trip to our local and I couldn’t find a stater that appealed from the three available and although I had a lovely main it was from the ‘classic’ section - fish and chips or burger, both perfectly acceptable but not exactly setting the world on fire.

BB

[Earthmaiden Profile]

There's an article in our local rag today re a popular bar/restaurant closing its kitchen because they simply can't get the staff. They blame Brexit mainly and say both food and staffing costs are going up considerably as staff demand more money too. A report was quoted.. 'A report published earlier this week by jobs site Adzuna shows that more than 1.1 million jobs remain unfilled, including 77,000 in hospitality and catering'. That's quite a lot.
I feel it also highlights how poorly paid many of the overseas staff were ( we all know it's not a well paid industry at lower levels) and wonder if the level of eating out people have come to enjoy is sustainable.
Waitrose cafe was closed yesterday due to pinging.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Our Waitrose deli counter was closed for the same reason.

One worry. My niece who is a production person on Sunday Brunch said there is a rumour which won’t go away that Brasserie Zedel is in trouble.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I thought Lancashire was probably typical of outside London

We don’t have so many ghost businesses round here but they are definitely cutting back on the offering, and the pub where my friend’s daughter works until she goes to uni in the autumn has had ping problems

I have a sneaking suspicion that some kitchens have found providing a restricted menu an easier option and will keep a limited menu in place for as long as they can get away with it. I’m by no means a fussy eater but a recent trip to our local and I couldn’t find a stater that appealed from the three available and although I had a lovely main it was from the ‘classic’ section - fish and chips or burger, both perfectly acceptable but not exactly setting the world on fire.

Agree completely, my trouble in Bowness was I didn’t want fish’n’chips as it’s been the only I thing I could eat in so many places and still a bit picky. Not sure why so few places take the easy option of good sandwiches, which I ended up with

there is a rumour which won’t go away that Brasserie Zedel is in trouble.

In the circumstances I’m not that surprised - both Zedel and Belanger are so big they can’t open without dozens of staff and even more customers.

[Seatallan Profile]

Our two local pubs are still thriving (and serving both food and drink lunchtime and evenings) thankfully, but there are certainly others in the vicinity that are only opening in the evening, or offering a limited menu. One pub I know of had to shut for a week due to the Pingdemic and some of the local restaurants/cafes closed permanently during one or other of the lockdowns. You certainly need to book if you intend to eat anywhere currently.

[herbidacious Profile]

Hampshire didn't seem to be having problems (quite a few empty shops though).

We had lunch in a pub in a very small village and it was packed to the rafters. on A Tuesday. Obviously very touristy and school holidays, but not that many children.

My only gripe was places insisting you order through an app. I hate this and I hope it doesn't continue (I bet it does.) Apart from the lack of the human touch, it's so inflexible and a faff setting things up. (I don't do Apple pay and don't want to.)

[scullion Profile]

My only gripe was places insisting you order through an app. I hate this and I hope it doesn't continue (I bet it does.) Apart from the lack of the human touch, it's so inflexible and a faff setting things up. (I don't do Apple pay and don't want to.)

i agree.
we went to 'the cornish vegan' a cafe with restaurant aspirations in truro, which has changed hands (to it's cost) since we last went, that had app ordering and paying.
the gripe i would have is that a phone is crap for looking at a menu where your eyes would naturally scan and then home in on the things that you would be interested in.
our daughter downloaded the menu and read out the relevant bits.
i chose a burger - it was similar to the plant burgers you can buy in aldi. i was expecting the home made lentil and walnut burger i'd previously had. it may not be visited again until people with a little more imagination take over. the chips were good although the mushroom thing the other two had was very salty - too much soy sauce, which dominated the mushrooms (one variety of which managed to sneak through a taste i didn't really like).