On Average Americans Spend $10 A Day For Lunch

[+ Avalon]

Gordon Ramsay said that on the recent episode of "MasterChef". Me, I've not gone out for a meal this century.

 

I usually don't spend that much on a full day's food here at home.

 

When I was a boy there was a sandwich shop across the street from one school that I went to. A bologna sandwich was a quarter and milk was a dime.

 

Today I had a couple of beef hot dogs and some cherry tomatoes.

Edited June 22, 2018 by Avalon

[Guest]

I doubt that’s true, even today. I would like to see the source of that statistic.

[KeepItReal]

Gordon Ramsay said that on the recent episode of "MasterChef". Me, I've not gone out for a meal this century.

 

I usually don't spend that much on a full day's food here at home.

 

When I was a boy there was a sandwich shop across the street from one school that I went to. A bologna sandwich was a quarter and milk was a dime.

 

Today I had a couple of beef hot dogs and some cherry tomatoes.

I've lived and worked in a couple of cities along the Eastern Seaboard and that sounds about right. Sandwich, soda and a bag of chips comes out to about that. So does a salad and a bottle of that fancy water folks are so fond of. It is even worse if you go to a deli where they have hot food, buffet style and you pay by weight. Man that is an expensive thing, here in the big city!

 

Consider for context that the World Bank states that more than half the people in the world live on less than $2.50 a DAY!

[Guest]

I’m not saying it isn’t easy to spend over $10 on lunch, especially when eating out in a large or touristy city. However, I would be surprised to read the $10 as an average figure for all Americans. Or even all adult Americans. If it’s true, show me the study.

[+ Avalon]

I've lived and worked in a couple of cities along the Eastern Seaboard and that sounds about right. Sandwich, soda and a bag of chips comes out to about that. So does a salad and a bottle of that fancy water folks are so fond of. It is even worse if you go to a deli where they have hot food, buffet style and you pay by weight. Man that is an expensive thing, here in the big city!

 

Consider for context that the World Bank states that more than half the people in the world live on less than $2.50 a DAY!

 

Years ago both Wendy's and the grocery store I frequent had a salad bar but they are no more. And paying by weight was too expensive. Cheaper to buy individual items and make it myself. I like a simple salad - lettuce, onions, cheese, tomatoes plus dressing.

 

Wendy's also had a baked potato. I'd get a plain one. I'd put cottage on it.

[+ sniper]

I could buy it as average among people buying lunch in a major city. Two slices of pizza and a small soda will run you 7 or 8 bucks in Manhattan unless you go to the dollar slice places.

But not as an average among all people, because many simply can't afford to do that. That's $3000 a year just for lunch on workdays.

Then again, I can't understand how so many people hit Starbucks twice a day...

[RM]

I go out for lunch once a week or less - $10 to $13 for a real lunch - maybe shish kebob or teriyaki chicken or two enchiladas and beans and rice, plus a glass of water. Sometimes there's leftovers for dinner. The rest of the time I make a sandwich and have two fruits and eat at my desk. That's not a $10 a day average.

[+ bashful]

Worked downtown Chicago for several years, and usually spent near $7 to $10 a day when going out for lunch, and that was at the "quick casual" places, where you walk up and order a sandwich. Never went to McDonald's. When going someplace where they waited on you at your table, $20 something easily.

[wklucas]

Most days I spend more than $10 on regular coffees and/or mainlining espresso shots at Starbucks (or similar when in countries with no Sbux presence)….& that's before any $$$ spent on solid nourishment.....& if there are any common readers here to the "Ripped-off" thread & my not tipping casino blackjack dealers.....I always pay with my Starbucks Gold Rewards card & also always put a cash tip in the jar for the barista / cashier......but that all aside, my coffee expenses are mostly personal & covered by myself.....since my job has me traveling nearly continuously, the huge percentage of all my meals get expensed on reports back to the office & I pay zero attention to costs.....if somebody tells me that such & such restaurant is the best in town, I reply "that's not good enough" !!!!

(5'10" / 160ish here, so not obese)

Edited June 22, 2018 by wklucas

[cany10011]

Yeah, i spend around 10 to 15 for lunch. I sometimes bring leftovers but go out for lunch to socialize with colleagues. I tend to go for a later lunch to avoid the crowds around 1:30.

[MassageDrew]

For a city like Chicago that’s about right, unfortunately. I see people I work with but breakfast, go for coffee in the morning and typically another in the afternoon, and buy lunch. Some still go for happy hour as well. I can only imagine how much they’re dropping everyday from their first-job salary.

[Mo Mason]

I lucked out with my current job. All you can eat in the employee dining room - all free.

 

My monthly food budget has gone down to practically nothing. The savings now go into my vacation account. Or I can just call it what it is... it's my escort account.

[MikeBiDude]

Gordon Ramsay said that...

Consider the source...

[+ Avalon]

Depends too on how people budget. I watch the British soap opera "Coronation Street". On / near the street there is a pub, a cafe and two restaurants. People are always going to these places. But they both live and work on the street.

[+ bashful]

For a city like Chicago that’s about right, unfortunately. I see people I work with but breakfast, go for coffee in the morning and typically another in the afternoon, and buy lunch. Some still go for happy hour as well. I can only imagine how much they’re dropping everyday from their first-job salary.

 

When I retired, I figured I would save ab0ut $400 a month between no longer buying lunch, and no longer paying for either Metra, or parking.

[JayCeeKy]

Visa's 2015 survey, intended to call consumers' attention to opportunities to save and budget in their discretionary spending, reports that the average American consumer spends roughly $53 a week or $2,746 per year on lunch. --- USA Today, November, 2015

 

I personally eat at fast-food places approximately once every presidential administration. However, my sister recently gave me a McDonalds gift card of $10. I thought "Okay, this is going to get me a couple of meals." I waited until I got a coupon for "Buy one Quarter Pounder and Get One Free." I was amazed that, even with the coupon the total was more than $7.00 - for two Quarter Pounders and a large Fry! Not to sound like Grandpa McGee, but I remember buying a McDonalds hamburger for 15 cents and fries for 10 cents. Of course, gasoline was 25-35 cents a gallon back then (early 1960's).

[Guest]

You ate 2 quarter pounders AND a large order of fries??

[+ Avalon]

You ate 2 quarter pounders AND a large order of fries??

 

This was years ago. I don't really cook. McDonalds at one time sold - I think the prices were a quarter for a hamburger and a dime more for a cheeseburger. I'd buy 10. Back home I'd put them in the refrigerator. Have enough meals for several days. Taco Bell if I remember right had a ten piece box; I'd get 5 tacos and 5 burritos. Again I'd have enough for several days.

[JayCeeKy]

You ate 2 quarter pounders AND a large order of fries??

 

Oh my no. Saved the second Quarter Pounder for lunch the following day.

[+ poolboy48220]

Back when I was a paper delivery boy and we had a "delivery boy meeting" at McDonalds, all pre-teen boys, the guy in charge of the delivery guys gave us each a dollar and said "The commercial says you can eat a full meal at McDonalds, so here you go". I think I managed. This would have been early 70's.

 

These days, I load up on cheap frozen dinners for lunch at the office, if they're over $3 I sneer at them. Unfortunately, I tend to order out for dinner at home a lot more than I should.

[gallahadesquire]

In my Chicago Suburb childhood, we rarely had pizza, as a large was $5.00 or more *mid-to-late-'60's). I was amazed when I moved to Boston that the same pizza was $3.00.

The bus to school was $0.35; the subway, $0.25; and the commuter rail, $0.35. Went to boston: $0.10 for the bus, $0.15 for the subway. (Early '70's).

Airfare was $50, Boston to Chicago, with Student Standby, $25. And chicken legs / wings / thighs were $0.39/pound.

 

Of course, I made $2.00 an hour.

[Derrick Rigg]

Used to work with a bunch of 250-pound women who would eat $15 easy at lunch everyday.

[gallahadesquire]

Used to work with a bunch of 250-pound women who would eat $15 easy at lunch everyday.

My step sister is like that. We went to a barbeque restaurant/deli in Hot Springs, Arkansas where you paid by the pound. She had a pound of sausages and meats, and finished them in one sitting.

[Gadfly22]

When I was a grad student in Boston years ago we had this Chinese food truck on campus. They must have had like 50 things on the menu all delicious. Everything cost $3 and came in a styrofoam box with a plastic spork. Went there for lunch almost every day. Of course when I was feeling really cheap I would get frozen microwave burritos - 3 for a buck at star market. Is that chain still around?

[+ sniper]

Yes it is...I was just up there for my reunion 2 weeks ago.