Are you suggesting there is some revolutionary form of government where the masses can afford to eat at Leopardo with better service?
I’ll put my hopes in AI instead.
Not sure if I would call different European style (and they are very different) revolutionary but food and restaurant visits are much more affordable in Europe (without waiters need to rely on tips or have multiple jobs to survive)
See the AI “revolution” on a daily basis in my job field (where according to many AI “experts” it has and will have a huge impact) I wouldn’t hold my breath for a very, very long time
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Restaurants in Italy and France are generally way more affordable than here. The reasons are I’m sure many and complex, but a major factor is that people make a lot less money so restaurants that need locals to patronize them have to be priced accordingly. You can get a fucking awesome pizza in Rome for $10 or a great three-course meal in Paris for $40.
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This exactly. 100%
Go to Switzerland and you definitely won’t say restaurants cost less than here.
Or Australia, Canada , Norway where median income is similar to here. Cost of food is also similar to here.
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Not to veer too far off topic but at the end of the day other developed European nations have much more affordable food and better cost of living considering what you get for your money when it comes to government spending on tax dollars.
If the restaurant didnt have to pay workers so much, or pay so much in rent, or insurance then food could be cheaper but because all these costs are high its a negative feedback loop between customers also needing to pay more to exist too. A bit over simplified but that’s why I’m prob gonna retire in Asia some day unless big changes happen here with how government spends its money.
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Cost of food (not only restaurants) is cheaper in most countries besides the US. Yes, the average salary in the US is higher than in many countries but the cost of living is quite significantly higher compared in the US. If I compare for example the cost of produce and meat when in Europe it is so much cheaper than what I have to pay here.
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Perilously close to forming a new thread called The Economy: threat or menace?
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Los Angeles: threat or menace? A lot of the costs are just due to the messed up ways this particular city is run.
The pizza looks a lot like Folks’ style in OC. Would not be surprised of an influence. I think Skene’s wife is based in OC.
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The cost of beef in British columbia is $23.49/KG - their median income is 38k USD
US is $29.99 per KG - the median income in 2024 in the US is $59,384 (pulled from SOFI.com’s data)
Food cost is part of the cost of living. So yes our cost of living is higher cause our salaries are higher.
That is our point, that meat will be cheaper in other countries because people make less money. If you make less money, it costs less to produce goods. The single largest driver of cost of goods is labor costs.
Europe is too wide of a brush. Have to be specific.
The nordic countries in Europe have high cost of goods cause their median salaries are on par with the US. Switzerland has INCREDIBLY expensive goods - if you ever stepped into Switzerland you’d be lucky eating out for under $16 at fast food. Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Sweden - all very expensive places for food/goods why? cause their median salary is similar to the US.
People point to France and Italy on why is it so inexpensive for food there? Because France’s median income is 40% less than the US. Italy is almost 50% less. So yes they ought to be cheaper.
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I didn’t find grocery prices much different in Rome and Paris than in Berkeley, though restaurants were way cheaper.
Income is just one factor. Some food prices are affected by international markets, though restaurants are not, except at the high end where most customers are tourists.
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You are right - as usual.
This thread has really drifted from Leopardo’s opening (with average chow and below average customer service, IMHO) to a fascinating examination of:
- multinational consumer-price to restaurant-cost ratio
- the cold food tolerance of @Clayfu
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That’s so not piping hot. 
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