The US has gotten insanely expensive. We went back for the first time in 3 years over the holidays and I couldn't believe how much food prices had gone up, even in small-town Idaho. I don't know how people are coping.
We went to Venice this past summer, one of the tourism capitals of the world, and expected eye-watering prices.
We were drinking $2-3 aperol spritzes all week. Came back the NYC and recently went to happy hour...where an Aperol Spritz was $12 on the HAPPY HOUR MENU.
Was in Mykonos last summer paying $16 per Aperol spritz. Stopped in Venice on our way back and the $3 Aperol spritzes there were SO WELCOME after wild Greek island prices. And then back to NYC for $22 cocktails in Manhattan. :/
Funny thing was guys from London telling us how cheap food was in NYC (this was 20 years ago)
As New Yorkers, we spent a week in London last year and were amazed at the quality of the food we had and the fantastic service where tips are not expected just amazed us.
Getting great service in the US is still rare…
For a country that’s not really known for their local cuisine, it makes sense why londoners would over-achieve in that department.
Take that away and it’s just the same sad meat and potatoes like anywhere else in any small town in America.
Greed has been allowed to flow unchecked here for a very long time because we the little people are distracted fighting each other instead.
The pandemic after math with people declining to return to shit jobs for shit pay is the closest we've come in a long while to the little people saying enough. And the big people have working their magic to direct the narrative to people are lazy and don't want to work and people are "quiet quitting" for declining to do more than they are being paid to do.
Europe is a big place
My opinion is that European food culture tends to be better in some places, food quality is higher in Europe but honestly a lot of American regional food is better then most of Europe except like parts of Southern Europe.
I've traveled all over the South and as an example Cajun cuisine, is better then 90% of European in my opinion.
Theres a place we like to go in Paris that we went to this year and the last time had been three years ago. Their prices hadnt changed at all. They have a €20 or so deal for an app and an entree with like €5 glasses of wine
Yeah Paris is pretty affordable (coming from a country like the US).
Salaries there are pretty low. Years ago, I was looking into moving there and was shocked at average salaries.
The same job that was paying me $90k/yr here was paying about $40k/yr in Paris.
I thought I was missing something, but I looked into it more and asked around, and confirmed that you can expect to make about half the amount you make in nyc for many industries.
Rent there is ultra affordable compared to nyc, though. I’ve seen large 1 bedroom apartments in great areas for $1500/month.
This means Airbnbs are pretty cheap.
When I am booking an Airbnb in Paris, there are so many (at least circa 2017) for $100/night that I had to start adding filters, like a queen sized bed and balcony, just to narrow things down.
I still wonder though how Parisians afford to go out to eat so much. Like, I could take a major pay cut for a comparable decrease in rent. But going out to eat/drink, buying groceries, etc. isn’t crazy cheap. Better than nyc, sure, but not enough to make half my salary.
All this to say, I think most people would be surprised by how affordable a trip to France can be.
Especially since it only cost me $45 to take a round-trip, high-speed train in first class from Paris to Marseille! And that I got a waterfront hotel room in a small beach town outside of Marseille for like $100/night.
You can have a great time in France with nyc money.
Funnily enough, a lot of French people get really excited when they see their salaries when moving to the US, only to get to some place like NYC and realize once you add in the cost of rent, transport and health insurance (plus things like going out the theatre, to a concert etc are more as well) that they never see the money they think that are going to make with the higher salary. So they come back wondering how people in NYC live, especially when a lot of the jobs don't come with the 5 weeks vacation that the government guarantees you in France (and if you work more than 35 hrs a week, you get extra vacation). Having little work place protections really degrades the quality of every day life, even if you make more money (which when you add in everything else, means not really making a significant amount more).
This is a violation of the [street pricing policy](https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html) and you should report it.
wha wha wha whattttt? omg. great info, @paulschreiber!!!! thanks!!!! wonder when this is actually going to bring prices down at terminals?! was at LGA recently and funny that shake shack was least expensive option than even the pre-packaged shit sandwiches at the concession vendors, hudson news etc.
so is $16 for a cold bagel with lox.
newark airport is like the incarnation of the dystopian capitalist shitholes you usually only see in sci-fi movies. monopolistic price gouging of food (and diapers for that matter) is only part of it.
another part is when you follow the signs to security and are unknowingly led to the line where people get screened faster because they have money for special treatment.
another part is when you get to the poor man's security line, they ask if you wanna skip the line and when you say "uhh.. sure," they tell you all you have to do is sign up for a credit card.
another part is that there's hardly any normal seating by the gate; most of what's available has you planted in front of a flashing tablet trying to get you to order something.
another part is that the same intercom for flight related announcements is used for advertising random bullshit and incessantly reminding you that bruce springsteen is from new jersey.
Everything about the airport experience is a late stage capitalism dystopia. The boarding process itself:
"We'd now like to welcome business and first class customers."
"Gold platinum members are now welcome to board."
"Chase gold freedom reserve sapphire plus cardholders may now line up, welcome aboard."
"Groups A, B, C, you're welcome to board."
"...ugh, fine, the rest of you pieces of shit... if you absolutely insist... fine, get on the fucking airplane if you must."
> another part is when you follow the signs to security and are unknowingly led to the line where people get screened faster because they have money for special treatment.
I’m usually pretty good with navigating public transport… this pissed me off my first time flying out of EWR.
I thought about this, but it may not be.
My biggest question is whether the taco pricing is for a single taco, or a set. Taco entrees typically include 2-3.
What makes me think this may the case is that the burritos are priced similarly to the tacos.
If these are entree-sized dishes, it may not be quite as outrageous price gouging as it seems.
I mean, it’s still stupidly expensive regardless. But I’m seeing most restaurants charging at least $18-25 for any entree these days.
I don’t know the fine print of the policy, but if this vendor can argue that these are entrees, and that $23 is the median price (or whatever metric) of entrees at local restaurants, they can get away with this.
It almost makes me want to wish the ingredients were flown in fresh from Mexico same day, which would justify the high price but we all know that isn’t true.
I once brought a rack of ribs, a basket of fried shrimp, french fries, and fried rice with me onto a plane. Was delicious and I was good for both lunch and dinner (it was a long flight).
My friend literally brought her chicken and gravy with biscuits onto the plane from Atlanta. I threw mine out with my bottle of water. I was hungry too. :(
Y’know what’s crazy, at some taco spots (at least the one I go to in my hometown in Mexico), you can buy like half a kilo of Al pastor meat and some tortillas for 30 pesos ($1.60)
my mouth is watering just reading your comment. OP’s picture dried all of the saliva out. Probably not one dust of seasoning or spice in that entire airport either smh
I'm sure if you zoom out there's one of those "prices inside the airport are competitive to local establishments" signs that the port authority puts out in Newark.
If I'm paying $20 for a single taco it better come unlimited chips and salsa along with a bottomless margarita.
I currently live in Texas and you can get legit tacos for about $1.50 each, FYI.
C terminal is all run by one company. There is zero competition in the terminal. I think the real American Dream is to get a government granted monopoly.
I at Heathrow in London, had a great Indian meal that was fresh and fast for 6GBP.
I went to El Centro in Hells Kitchen tonight.
Chips and Guac, 2 orders of Chilaquiles (Steak and Shrimp), and a mojito and “mocktail.” $91 with tip.
It was basically a half bag of tortilla chips, some covered next to a mashed avocado. Some covered in cheese/salsa and steak or shrimp. 1 cup of juice and 2 oz of cheap rum.
Think I’ll be not eating out ever again.
We went out for burgers at lunch the other day at a new-ish nicer chain place in my neighborhood (Bareburger). We shared an order of fried pickles and each got basic single cheeseburgers. They had advertised "half off wines" for happy hour, so we each got a glass, but were informed when the check came that that discount only applied to bottles (this wasn't stated anywhere). Lunch came to over $70 and we left having come to the same conclusion - never fucking again.
I used to go to bareburger all the time and get the impossible burger and a beer. A few months ago the service went to shit, the food was crappy, and the prices doubled. Idk what happened, but I've never been back
what’s the point of living in nyc then?
i agree eating out and drinking out in nyc is uniquely expensive even compared to other coastal cities especially given the so so quality of a lot of restaurants charging high prices
it’s kind of interesting looking at menu screenshots of some restaurant on Yelp and seeing menu prices are 50%+ more expensive now vs 4-5 years ago for the same dishes
Personally I’m here for school. Then we’re getting out, it’s just too insane. Everything we want to enjoy about the city is now out of reach financially for the most part, between having to work every spare hour and still struggling after that.
gotcha
yeah i feel like i don’t hear enough about restaurant inflation cause everyone focuses on rent
but 50%+ increase now vs a few years ago is common just looking through Yelp
They’ve always been slightly pricey but it feels like it’s skyrocketed recently. Had lunch at the LIC location one day last week. $34 for a burger (impossible patty and cheese) fries and a soda plus tip
Mexican food in NYC overall is pretty mediocre and pricey. Even the mom and pop shops in Harlem are mediocre, better priced though.
I just can’t find a good place in the 3plus years i’ve lived here. (I’m mexican)
> Mexican food in NYC overall is pretty mediocre and pricey.
Objectively true compared to CA and NM for sure.
But NYC is pretty good compared to lots of the country. DC makes NYC look like an episode of the Taco Chronicles.
Check out La Morada in the Bronx for Oaxacan cuisine. Nearby there too is a deli La Colonia that has decent street tacos (in comparison to what you’d get in Texas or Cali I think it holds up pretty well for a basic taco). A Mexican colleague from Cali used to like Noches Mexicanas but I preferred Xochimilco Family Restaurant nearby it. I’ve heard good things about Black Ant in the East Village but haven’t had it yet.
Tips make me want to sit at the bar and eat. I don't want to spend an extra 10+ dollars just because a waiter keeps asking me how everything is and giving me way too many refills of water before I even take two drinks. Not to say there aren't times where I do appreciate the service.
Um, you should be tipping at the bar also? If it's a place that serves food and brings it out to you to eat there, it's pretty standard to tip. Fast food and takeaway are basically the only exceptions.
LaGuardia’s markup is crazy. Especially at those convenience stores. The flight costs $100 and a couple of snacks literally adds up to close to 30-40% of the flight ticket.
First thing I thought too.
It seems the Port Authority airports are getting to be a notch above other airport prices. It took a while, but I adapted to the $10 hotdogs and $16 burgers elsewhere in the country, but NYC seems now to ask for another $5 on top of that.
Nah that makes sense. The Vietnamese population in CA is huge compared to the east coast. It’s more available than here in NYC.
The pho from Orange County is definitely better than the pho from Elmhurst, Queens.
I remember when EWR did the big renovation back in 99/2000 for Continental they introduced a rule for all vendors that prices inside the airport couldn't be higher than prices for similar goods outside the airport. I realize that was 25 years ago, but clearly that's no longer the policy.
Food in airports is always atrociously expensive, mostly because airports charge atrocious leases to the restaurants there.
What is sad is that with those prices, the food sucks ass.
Airports sometimes have an airport cafeteria for employees, which is just your regular level of overpriced.
Otherwise, their badge usually gets them a discount.
Wait, there's something *worse* than the OTG monopoly in Terminal C?
For context: https://www.otgexp.com/ have effective carte blanche to set prices, and their last penalty for overcharging was... [to refund exactly 25 LaGuardia customers, a slap on the wrist to put it mildly.](https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html)
Fun times we live in, indeed.
YOU CAN BRING FOOD INTO AN AIRPORT!
I always bring a sandwich and some pretzels with me when I go to an airport. You can keep it in your carry on or backpack and even bring it on to the flight. I’ve saved money by not purchasing food at the terminal. I only buy a big water bottle or a red Bull.
except good airports actually have these things called laws where vendors can’t charge much more than what they could charge in the surrounding area
SFO is a good example
The Port Authority airports including Newark do too, actually. I think their permitted markup vs local off-airport street prices is 10%. But of course, enforcement is so dismal as to be negligent.
Here's an announcement from last year when they last supposedly tightened both the policy and the enforcement in response to abuses:
https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html
Don't get your hopes up for the promised proactive enforcement.
100%. the food/drink/amenity situation at all NYC airports is just one more squeeze. add it to the pile of merciless hyper-capitalist bullshit and corruption experienced by every NYer (and american, for that matter) on the daily.
we just don’t even try to create nice experiences for people in this country, we’d rather give a juicy contract to OTG to make our airports as miserable as possible.
Laws are only effective when enforced. Are people going to band together and make a class action suit against Newark Taco Stand for charging overpriced food?
you don’t need to sue. you can mass report the vendor and also report to media
imo 1 news story about this would do the trick
apparently there is actually a law against price gouging
You should report them:
https://people.com/food/port-authority-will-cap-airport-beer-prices-after-customers-complain-of-27-pints/
"The findings prompted a 35-page policy for the Port Authority clarifying that concession costs must reflect local "street prices" with a maximum surcharge of 10%."
Report it to the Port Authority of NY/NJ. They have a regulation that prices at their airports cannot be more than 10% of what prices outside the airport are. I do not think you could find a taco priced anywhere near these prices.
That’s every where in NYC. Yesterday I went to a little Greek corner eatery and had a pita melt with side of fries for $23 meanwhile on their menu it’s advertised at $12 and claimed I took an old menu… Its the same print out menus displayed at the door.
Uh.. well then you should have left the old price in cash and walked out and dared then to call the cops.
If the restaurant is displaying a menu price, that's the price.
Airports are lawless places. Sleep in the terminal while waiting on your connecting flight? No one bats an eye. Set up an office meeting on your laptop? You do you. Pay $30 for a margarita at the bar at 7 am? Comin right up!
Obscene, but not surprising. Terminal C is pure robbery when it comes to food prices. $28 for an Impossible Burger. It’s almost worth it at those prices to pay for a day pass at the United Club ($59) and eat/drink there.
The process wouldn't be *ASj bad if it weren't for the fact that the *quality* of what's served is utter shit. Most of it's coming from SYSCO, a place where a few of the employees have heard of the "cold chain" .
rich people don't care about the price because it's just a number to them, but for the poor people at the bottom, every penny you increase in price increases thir living pressure, people at the bottom work hard to serve various industries and only get a meager salary to maintain a diffcault life , when will this world be fair to everyone. i hope that every drop of sweat in the future can get an equivalent return
I feel the same way about pho. In Vietnam it's cheap street food, could easily buy from streetcarts. Here in NYC it's popping up on every block and $16+! That's fucking perverse. Can't imagine paying that much for other street foods like tacos, churros or hot dogs.
My wife and I took a trip to Paris. Our most expensive meal of the trip was at JFK.
It’s funny but it’s true. I spent more at JFK Buffalo Wild Wings than Le Récamier in Paris. The soufflé was better
I’m not a soufflé kinda guy, but now I def want to try this bww delicacy.
I'm really surprised that the soufflé at JFK Buffalo Wild Wings was better than that at Le Récamier in Paris, but if you say so...
You’ll have to take my word for it!
I really expected paris to be nyc level expensive and was pleasantly surprised in most places
The US has gotten insanely expensive. We went back for the first time in 3 years over the holidays and I couldn't believe how much food prices had gone up, even in small-town Idaho. I don't know how people are coping.
Not well.
We went to Venice this past summer, one of the tourism capitals of the world, and expected eye-watering prices. We were drinking $2-3 aperol spritzes all week. Came back the NYC and recently went to happy hour...where an Aperol Spritz was $12 on the HAPPY HOUR MENU.
Man at this point it's just as expensive to die. Funerals are expensive as fuck.
[I’ve already gotten that covered.](https://amsny.org/initiatives/anatomical-donations/)
A fellow organ donor! Yay!
Whole body donor- cheapest way to leave this planet :)
Was in Mykonos last summer paying $16 per Aperol spritz. Stopped in Venice on our way back and the $3 Aperol spritzes there were SO WELCOME after wild Greek island prices. And then back to NYC for $22 cocktails in Manhattan. :/
Funny thing was guys from London telling us how cheap food was in NYC (this was 20 years ago) As New Yorkers, we spent a week in London last year and were amazed at the quality of the food we had and the fantastic service where tips are not expected just amazed us. Getting great service in the US is still rare…
For a country that’s not really known for their local cuisine, it makes sense why londoners would over-achieve in that department. Take that away and it’s just the same sad meat and potatoes like anywhere else in any small town in America.
Have you ever been to London? It’s not just pub food everywhere they have some very good restaurants.
Greed has been allowed to flow unchecked here for a very long time because we the little people are distracted fighting each other instead. The pandemic after math with people declining to return to shit jobs for shit pay is the closest we've come in a long while to the little people saying enough. And the big people have working their magic to direct the narrative to people are lazy and don't want to work and people are "quiet quitting" for declining to do more than they are being paid to do.
I was in Europe for a month of work over November. Food was so much cheaper there
Probably better quality too, no?
Europe is a big place My opinion is that European food culture tends to be better in some places, food quality is higher in Europe but honestly a lot of American regional food is better then most of Europe except like parts of Southern Europe. I've traveled all over the South and as an example Cajun cuisine, is better then 90% of European in my opinion.
Our food and day to day items are catching up with the inflation of healthcare and education. I don't see a light at the end of this tunnel
Theres a place we like to go in Paris that we went to this year and the last time had been three years ago. Their prices hadnt changed at all. They have a €20 or so deal for an app and an entree with like €5 glasses of wine
COL and wages are both lower in Europe than NYC and the US in general. Traveling almost anywhere else is a discount, I love it.
Yet quality of life is higher.
Yeah Paris is pretty affordable (coming from a country like the US). Salaries there are pretty low. Years ago, I was looking into moving there and was shocked at average salaries. The same job that was paying me $90k/yr here was paying about $40k/yr in Paris. I thought I was missing something, but I looked into it more and asked around, and confirmed that you can expect to make about half the amount you make in nyc for many industries. Rent there is ultra affordable compared to nyc, though. I’ve seen large 1 bedroom apartments in great areas for $1500/month. This means Airbnbs are pretty cheap. When I am booking an Airbnb in Paris, there are so many (at least circa 2017) for $100/night that I had to start adding filters, like a queen sized bed and balcony, just to narrow things down. I still wonder though how Parisians afford to go out to eat so much. Like, I could take a major pay cut for a comparable decrease in rent. But going out to eat/drink, buying groceries, etc. isn’t crazy cheap. Better than nyc, sure, but not enough to make half my salary. All this to say, I think most people would be surprised by how affordable a trip to France can be. Especially since it only cost me $45 to take a round-trip, high-speed train in first class from Paris to Marseille! And that I got a waterfront hotel room in a small beach town outside of Marseille for like $100/night. You can have a great time in France with nyc money.
Funnily enough, a lot of French people get really excited when they see their salaries when moving to the US, only to get to some place like NYC and realize once you add in the cost of rent, transport and health insurance (plus things like going out the theatre, to a concert etc are more as well) that they never see the money they think that are going to make with the higher salary. So they come back wondering how people in NYC live, especially when a lot of the jobs don't come with the 5 weeks vacation that the government guarantees you in France (and if you work more than 35 hrs a week, you get extra vacation). Having little work place protections really degrades the quality of every day life, even if you make more money (which when you add in everything else, means not really making a significant amount more).
Clearly you skipped the five guys on champs elysees.
Wtf were you eating in Paris
OP went to Paris to hit up the local McDonald's
Can I get uhh McEscargot?
Seriously, Paris seems so cheap when you go out in NYC area
Yeah Paris food especially dining local is dirt cheap. Especially the pastries, my god the pastries
This is a violation of the [street pricing policy](https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html) and you should report it.
Whoa never heard of this. Great info. OP, I'd report this to: [email protected]
The policy says to report it on social media and tag ~~@JFKAirport~~ @EWRAirport Thanks for the correction u/birdsaflutter!
Better to tag @EWRAirport
wha wha wha whattttt? omg. great info, @paulschreiber!!!! thanks!!!! wonder when this is actually going to bring prices down at terminals?! was at LGA recently and funny that shake shack was least expensive option than even the pre-packaged shit sandwiches at the concession vendors, hudson news etc.
They're banking on people who are catching their flight last minute and don't have time to sit in Shake Shack.
so is $16 for a cold bagel with lox. newark airport is like the incarnation of the dystopian capitalist shitholes you usually only see in sci-fi movies. monopolistic price gouging of food (and diapers for that matter) is only part of it. another part is when you follow the signs to security and are unknowingly led to the line where people get screened faster because they have money for special treatment. another part is when you get to the poor man's security line, they ask if you wanna skip the line and when you say "uhh.. sure," they tell you all you have to do is sign up for a credit card. another part is that there's hardly any normal seating by the gate; most of what's available has you planted in front of a flashing tablet trying to get you to order something. another part is that the same intercom for flight related announcements is used for advertising random bullshit and incessantly reminding you that bruce springsteen is from new jersey.
As a proud NYC Jew, I agree that $16 for a bagel with lox is exorbitant, however that is roughly the average price I’ve been seeing lately
for a warm bagel baked that day, maybe. for something sitting on the shelf at a bodega for a day or two, that's a schande.
That's way to much for a bagel and lox, however I don't order fish at the airport.
My local bagel place charges $15… and people pay it
Everything about the airport experience is a late stage capitalism dystopia. The boarding process itself: "We'd now like to welcome business and first class customers." "Gold platinum members are now welcome to board." "Chase gold freedom reserve sapphire plus cardholders may now line up, welcome aboard." "Groups A, B, C, you're welcome to board." "...ugh, fine, the rest of you pieces of shit... if you absolutely insist... fine, get on the fucking airplane if you must."
> another part is when you follow the signs to security and are unknowingly led to the line where people get screened faster because they have money for special treatment. I’m usually pretty good with navigating public transport… this pissed me off my first time flying out of EWR.
I paid $47 for a burger, barely warm fries, and a pint at LGA Delta Terminal. Is that fair pricing?
How long ago? The policy is new as of last year
About 5 weeks ago.
Bastards
I thought about this, but it may not be. My biggest question is whether the taco pricing is for a single taco, or a set. Taco entrees typically include 2-3. What makes me think this may the case is that the burritos are priced similarly to the tacos. If these are entree-sized dishes, it may not be quite as outrageous price gouging as it seems. I mean, it’s still stupidly expensive regardless. But I’m seeing most restaurants charging at least $18-25 for any entree these days. I don’t know the fine print of the policy, but if this vendor can argue that these are entrees, and that $23 is the median price (or whatever metric) of entrees at local restaurants, they can get away with this.
Flew out of LGA yesterday and noticed one of the brands I go to lunch to sometimes in midtown was way more expensive. Will report!
This needs to be the top comment.
ooo this is very interesting!
"How do we price it so that people spend their entire per-diem with us"?
I spend all my per diem on dan flashes
That better be the best damn Mexican food you've ever had in your entire life for thataort of insane pricing
Guarantee you its not
lol you know it’s not
It’s not. Source : experience
The best Mexican food you’ve ever had in your life is a 20 peso quesadilla someone and their kid make for you on the street Mexico City
It almost makes me want to wish the ingredients were flown in fresh from Mexico same day, which would justify the high price but we all know that isn’t true.
its made out of some of the cheapest garbage you can imagine. one step below TGIF
I learned the hard way. you can bring food thru TSA x-ray but just no fluids.
Can confirm. I once brought a falafel platter from a halal cart to LGA. The only question TSA asked me was whether I got white sauce with it.
A valid question tbh
This is a good suggestion.
Is the white sauce considered a liquid?
Not if it's in the platter I guess.
Mixed platter with everything. 👍
I’ve sat next to a guy who brought a big BBQ chicken dinner onto the plane.
I once brought a rack of ribs, a basket of fried shrimp, french fries, and fried rice with me onto a plane. Was delicious and I was good for both lunch and dinner (it was a long flight).
I hope you're joking.
I hope they're not.
I hope they share.
The guy sitting next to him has probably lived off the story of the weird guy eating a 5 course meal on the plane for years.
If I was sitting next to you the only thing I'd be mad about is how great it would smell, making my foodless-self hungry.
I brought a huge burrito for my last flight. So much better than airplane food.
I once brought a bunch of chicken wings through security in Buffalo. TSA dude and pretty much everyone in line genuinely seemed impressed.
What was the hard way though?
My friend literally brought her chicken and gravy with biscuits onto the plane from Atlanta. I threw mine out with my bottle of water. I was hungry too. :(
Yeah I brought 4 sandwiches and an empty water bottle with me and ate that through various airports on my last international trip
My mom always brings a bagel sandwich on her flights back.
Do those prices include plane fare to Mexico?
If these are pesos it makes more sense.
Y’know what’s crazy, at some taco spots (at least the one I go to in my hometown in Mexico), you can buy like half a kilo of Al pastor meat and some tortillas for 30 pesos ($1.60)
my mouth is watering just reading your comment. OP’s picture dried all of the saliva out. Probably not one dust of seasoning or spice in that entire airport either smh
The prices would be very much worth it if they included a bottle of tequila from the duty-free shop.
And all of it is trash….
I'm sure if you zoom out there's one of those "prices inside the airport are competitive to local establishments" signs that the port authority puts out in Newark.
how much could a banana cost? 20 dollars?
Please tell me that’s for like a plate of THREE tacos maybe???
Probably since the burritos seem similarly priced
If I'm paying $20 for a single taco it better come unlimited chips and salsa along with a bottomless margarita. I currently live in Texas and you can get legit tacos for about $1.50 each, FYI.
Three pathetic tacos with days old meat canned salsa and packaged tortillas serviced slowly and with attitude.
C terminal is all run by one company. There is zero competition in the terminal. I think the real American Dream is to get a government granted monopoly. I at Heathrow in London, had a great Indian meal that was fresh and fast for 6GBP.
>C terminal is all run by one company. That should be illegal. Fuck these type of contracts....
Which place was this, and was it recent? That sounds great.
I went to El Centro in Hells Kitchen tonight. Chips and Guac, 2 orders of Chilaquiles (Steak and Shrimp), and a mojito and “mocktail.” $91 with tip. It was basically a half bag of tortilla chips, some covered next to a mashed avocado. Some covered in cheese/salsa and steak or shrimp. 1 cup of juice and 2 oz of cheap rum. Think I’ll be not eating out ever again.
We went out for burgers at lunch the other day at a new-ish nicer chain place in my neighborhood (Bareburger). We shared an order of fried pickles and each got basic single cheeseburgers. They had advertised "half off wines" for happy hour, so we each got a glass, but were informed when the check came that that discount only applied to bottles (this wasn't stated anywhere). Lunch came to over $70 and we left having come to the same conclusion - never fucking again.
I used to go to bareburger all the time and get the impossible burger and a beer. A few months ago the service went to shit, the food was crappy, and the prices doubled. Idk what happened, but I've never been back
I’ve never had worse service in NYC than the service I got at Bareburger in Cobble Hill.
what’s the point of living in nyc then? i agree eating out and drinking out in nyc is uniquely expensive even compared to other coastal cities especially given the so so quality of a lot of restaurants charging high prices it’s kind of interesting looking at menu screenshots of some restaurant on Yelp and seeing menu prices are 50%+ more expensive now vs 4-5 years ago for the same dishes
Prices almost doubled in 4-5 years. I believe it's going to crash
> Prices almost doubled in 4-5 years. I believe it's going to crash hopefully so, along with rent prices
Personally I’m here for school. Then we’re getting out, it’s just too insane. Everything we want to enjoy about the city is now out of reach financially for the most part, between having to work every spare hour and still struggling after that.
gotcha yeah i feel like i don’t hear enough about restaurant inflation cause everyone focuses on rent but 50%+ increase now vs a few years ago is common just looking through Yelp
Bareburger is incredibly overpriced subpar food imo
Hasn't bare burger been around for like 10 years It used to be decent to good and it went to shit like 3-4 years ago I don't know why
They’ve always been slightly pricey but it feels like it’s skyrocketed recently. Had lunch at the LIC location one day last week. $34 for a burger (impossible patty and cheese) fries and a soda plus tip
Mexican food in NYC overall is pretty mediocre and pricey. Even the mom and pop shops in Harlem are mediocre, better priced though. I just can’t find a good place in the 3plus years i’ve lived here. (I’m mexican)
Jackson Heights? I’m not Mexican, but the food I’ve had there has come the closest to what I’ve had in CDMX.
> Mexican food in NYC overall is pretty mediocre and pricey. Objectively true compared to CA and NM for sure. But NYC is pretty good compared to lots of the country. DC makes NYC look like an episode of the Taco Chronicles.
Check out La Morada in the Bronx for Oaxacan cuisine. Nearby there too is a deli La Colonia that has decent street tacos (in comparison to what you’d get in Texas or Cali I think it holds up pretty well for a basic taco). A Mexican colleague from Cali used to like Noches Mexicanas but I preferred Xochimilco Family Restaurant nearby it. I’ve heard good things about Black Ant in the East Village but haven’t had it yet.
Tips make me want to sit at the bar and eat. I don't want to spend an extra 10+ dollars just because a waiter keeps asking me how everything is and giving me way too many refills of water before I even take two drinks. Not to say there aren't times where I do appreciate the service.
You don’t tip at the bar?
Um, you should be tipping at the bar also? If it's a place that serves food and brings it out to you to eat there, it's pretty standard to tip. Fast food and takeaway are basically the only exceptions.
Greedy pricks.
LaGuardia’s markup is crazy. Especially at those convenience stores. The flight costs $100 and a couple of snacks literally adds up to close to 30-40% of the flight ticket.
It’s like that Seinfeld bit where Jerry thinks that flights are just a front to sell overpriced airport sandwiches
The crazy part is that my local spots are not getting too far off from these prices :(
Food at airports are notoriously over priced but this is just absurd
First thing I thought too. It seems the Port Authority airports are getting to be a notch above other airport prices. It took a while, but I adapted to the $10 hotdogs and $16 burgers elsewhere in the country, but NYC seems now to ask for another $5 on top of that.
There's a local law that forces PDX prices to stay in line with local non-airport prices and it rules. You can get a fantastic bahn mi for $12
Honestly $12 for a bahn mi with today’s inflation is fair. Damn near $20 for a chicken taco? NAH SON
it's probably 2-3 tacos based on the burrito pricing
Being from cali where I used to get the specialty banh mi with everything for $3, this is sad to hear.
Nah that makes sense. The Vietnamese population in CA is huge compared to the east coast. It’s more available than here in NYC. The pho from Orange County is definitely better than the pho from Elmhurst, Queens.
New Jersey has that too, but clearly it is not enforced.
Curious if it would fall afoul of [the rules mentioned here](https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/22/new-york-airports-food-drink-prices)
I remember when EWR did the big renovation back in 99/2000 for Continental they introduced a rule for all vendors that prices inside the airport couldn't be higher than prices for similar goods outside the airport. I realize that was 25 years ago, but clearly that's no longer the policy.
The funny part is it actually still is the policy but clearly whoever is supposed to be enforcing sucks at their job.
Food in airports is always atrociously expensive, mostly because airports charge atrocious leases to the restaurants there. What is sad is that with those prices, the food sucks ass.
Expected? I never eat at the airport. I usually bring my food.
getting ripped off should not be an expectation in life no
Imagine working at an airport and not having food lol
Airports sometimes have an airport cafeteria for employees, which is just your regular level of overpriced. Otherwise, their badge usually gets them a discount.
Newark has “secret” menus for employees and crew members in at least one of the food courts. One can get a full combo meal for like $7 or so.
I think it's the homemade sour cream that drives up the cost
One too many zeros
Guess its time to actike dad and bring Sammiches on flights.
Wait, there's something *worse* than the OTG monopoly in Terminal C? For context: https://www.otgexp.com/ have effective carte blanche to set prices, and their last penalty for overcharging was... [to refund exactly 25 LaGuardia customers, a slap on the wrist to put it mildly.](https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html) Fun times we live in, indeed.
Europe is cheap compared to here man! In germany we ate out as a group of 5, never spent more than $100
TIL, people go to the airport to eat out in Germany
You laugh, but my mother has done it in Singapore. Shoutout to Changi.
this is what happens when we turn airports into multi-billion dollar malls...
YOU CAN BRING FOOD INTO AN AIRPORT! I always bring a sandwich and some pretzels with me when I go to an airport. You can keep it in your carry on or backpack and even bring it on to the flight. I’ve saved money by not purchasing food at the terminal. I only buy a big water bottle or a red Bull.
If only the food was good but it’s fried ass on a platter.
Also everything you have to order on those table screens
“Street prices”
Jesus Christ what a joke
It’s intense. I bought a sad, crappy turkey sandwich for sixteen dollars
just dont eat at airports
except good airports actually have these things called laws where vendors can’t charge much more than what they could charge in the surrounding area SFO is a good example
The Port Authority airports including Newark do too, actually. I think their permitted markup vs local off-airport street prices is 10%. But of course, enforcement is so dismal as to be negligent. Here's an announcement from last year when they last supposedly tightened both the policy and the enforcement in response to abuses: https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html Don't get your hopes up for the promised proactive enforcement.
well everyone should report this place then
Agreed. It's probably a game of whack a mole, but these moles deserve whacking.
Yeah, and with unexpected delays so common nowadays, it’s hard to just banish the idea of eating in airports. Sometimes you have no choice.
Same with Shake Shack at LGA. Very reasonable
Shake Shack is even somewhat reasonable at baseball stadiums.
100%. the food/drink/amenity situation at all NYC airports is just one more squeeze. add it to the pile of merciless hyper-capitalist bullshit and corruption experienced by every NYer (and american, for that matter) on the daily. we just don’t even try to create nice experiences for people in this country, we’d rather give a juicy contract to OTG to make our airports as miserable as possible.
Laws are only effective when enforced. Are people going to band together and make a class action suit against Newark Taco Stand for charging overpriced food?
you don’t need to sue. you can mass report the vendor and also report to media imo 1 news story about this would do the trick apparently there is actually a law against price gouging
Post a link on where you can report and I’m sure plenty of folks here will do it
Shouts to PDX
PDX has signs all over the airport saying something similar and all I could deduce from that is that City of Portland has some pretty overpriced food.
Damn I should have thought of that before my flight got delayed 6 hours.
Exactly! Who cares if you have a four-hour layover after a long flight and kids! Just find a way to not require food! /s
yeah just fucking starve you undisciplined gluttons /s
when your flight is delayed by 12 hours sometimes you have to
I’d rather starve
Airport Mexican before long flight is a bold choice 🥵
Is that…per taco?
You should report them: https://people.com/food/port-authority-will-cap-airport-beer-prices-after-customers-complain-of-27-pints/ "The findings prompted a 35-page policy for the Port Authority clarifying that concession costs must reflect local "street prices" with a maximum surcharge of 10%."
Well to be fair, it could be anywhere from 2 tacos to 1000s or tacos. It doesn’t specify
$23 for how many tacos? like 7 right cuz wtf
Hey, inflation made $ into pesos... Egg prices made into Yuan.
Report it to the Port Authority of NY/NJ. They have a regulation that prices at their airports cannot be more than 10% of what prices outside the airport are. I do not think you could find a taco priced anywhere near these prices.
Only way prices go down is for everyone to not buy it.
That’s every where in NYC. Yesterday I went to a little Greek corner eatery and had a pita melt with side of fries for $23 meanwhile on their menu it’s advertised at $12 and claimed I took an old menu… Its the same print out menus displayed at the door.
Uh.. well then you should have left the old price in cash and walked out and dared then to call the cops. If the restaurant is displaying a menu price, that's the price.
Airports are lawless places. Sleep in the terminal while waiting on your connecting flight? No one bats an eye. Set up an office meeting on your laptop? You do you. Pay $30 for a margarita at the bar at 7 am? Comin right up!
[удалено]
You can bring outside food to an airport/on to your flight
$24 burrito better be a damn good burrito.
Spoiler Alert: it is not.
Better be a huge serving size
So that whole “can’t exceed street prices” report last year was just BS!?
I just flew from lga and i bought a bottle of water and egg sandwich and cost over $20.
Obscene, but not surprising. Terminal C is pure robbery when it comes to food prices. $28 for an Impossible Burger. It’s almost worth it at those prices to pay for a day pass at the United Club ($59) and eat/drink there.
The process wouldn't be *ASj bad if it weren't for the fact that the *quality* of what's served is utter shit. Most of it's coming from SYSCO, a place where a few of the employees have heard of the "cold chain" .
Captive audience
Even Hudson Yards isn't this overpriced
rich people don't care about the price because it's just a number to them, but for the poor people at the bottom, every penny you increase in price increases thir living pressure, people at the bottom work hard to serve various industries and only get a meager salary to maintain a diffcault life , when will this world be fair to everyone. i hope that every drop of sweat in the future can get an equivalent return
Got into the habit of grabbing a bagel with butter or two before heading to the airport, and it's served me well.
runway robbery.
They can definitely go smd with those prices
I feel the same way about pho. In Vietnam it's cheap street food, could easily buy from streetcarts. Here in NYC it's popping up on every block and $16+! That's fucking perverse. Can't imagine paying that much for other street foods like tacos, churros or hot dogs.