BBC viewers were baffled after a couple spent £52 on a meal for them and their two children at Costa – for a new documentary looking at how luxuries and treats have become unaffordable amid the cost of living crisis.
Last night’s Panorama followed families in Stockport going on ‘fun days out’ to see how much trips to something like a theme park, or food at a restaurant, could set you back these days.
And those tuning in were confused by how the bills have racked up so much that a pizza lunch out could be as much as £174.
Parents also took their kids out for bowling, a day at the aquarium and laser quest, with the full cost for a family day out swelling to upwards of £200 once activities are added in.
Taking to Mumsnet, parents were divided on the hefty sums, as some questioned why they needed to splurge so much for a café when it’s easy enough to ‘pack sandwiches’ – whereas others reflected how ‘even people with decent, good incomes now are unable to afford a lunch out in a coffee shop’.
‘We used to budget £100 for a family activity and meal out, and that’s very rarely enough now,’ one shared.
‘The issue is the wild cost of living increases versus nigh on twenty years of wage stagnation that have led to very ordinary, bog-standard activities becoming too expensive for people on what were reasonable incomes,’ another added.
‘It’s a massive erosion of living standards, but people are working just as long and hard. For far less reward.’
A third commenter also revealed how she, her husband and two teenage children used to be able to afford a ‘treat’ more regularly.
BBC viewers were baffled after a couple spent £52 on a meal for them and their two children at Costa – for a new documentary looking at how luxuries and treats have become unaffordable amid the cost of living crisis
She wrote: ‘Mother’s Day meal out in a nice pub. Me, [my husband and kids] who are late teens. Set menu, three courses.
‘I was the only one who had an alcoholic drink of a glass of wine. Meal cost, including service charge, close to £220. I’m sure that just a few years ago, it would have been closer to the £150-160 mark.
‘We used to go out for meals fairly regularly but it is now special occasions only.
‘But when kids were small we definitely took lots of packed lunches with us as we used to go out a lot. Mostly free events, National Trust etc.’
In the show, Bianca and Paul Osborne – who earn close to the UK’s national average household gross income of £55,000 – shared how they ‘struggle finding the right reasons to go out because we can’t justify the cost’.
Their day out in Stockport with daughters Amelia, four, and Sienna, 10, started with lunch at Costa, where the family of four had cheese bites, a hog roast toastie, salt and vinegar crisps, two tuna paninis, two juice drinks, a pistachio tiffin, two cookies and two coffees. The final bill was £51.89.
Bianca then took Amelia to the Sea Life Centre, where an adult and child ticket was £32, and two photos cost them £15. Elsewhere, Paul and Sienna went to Laser Quest which set them back £21.50 for 30 minutes. The whole day cost them £120.39.
Costa told the BBC it is priced similarly to others in the area, whereas Laser Quest said to Panorama that ‘it’s great value for money’ and is in ‘high cost locations… with significant rent, service charge and business rates’. Meanwhile, Merlin, who own Sea Life, said they ‘work hard to keep attractions as fairly priced as possible and regularly review pricing’.
In the show, Bianca and Paul Osborne (pictured) – who earn close to the UK’s national average household gross income of £55,000 – shared how they ‘struggle finding the right reasons to go out because we can’t justify the cost’
‘We tend to prioritise going to parks, museums, fairs, that type of stuff that we can do for free,’ the Osbornes concluded.
A second family’s outing racked up £212.50, as college lecturer Robbie George, and his wife Rachel – a merchandising manager – took their son Teddy and daughter Elise, six, for lunch and bowling.
The couple, who earn more than the national average household income, had to pay £174 just for a three-course meal at Pizza Express.
There, they enjoyed three pizzas, macaroni, dough balls, mixed salads, polenta chips, a selection of desserts, and drinks – which included a wine and beer.
Meanwhile, bowling cost the family £38.50 in total.
Pizza Express told the BBC that it focuses on ‘providing great value’ as ‘household budgets are under pressure’, whereas bowling chain Tenpin told the programme that ‘it offers great value and has a variety of deals, promotional sessions and packages’.
However, other viewers found the complaints in the programme – which saw Panorama cover the cost of the families’ day out – ‘ridiculous’.
‘I completely agree it’s got expensive to eat out, but have they never heard of taking your own sandwiches?’ one shared.
‘And if you look at what they’ve eaten, they’ve ordered a lot of extras that have bumped up the bill.
‘Costa family – £52 lunch for four. If they could have done without an overpriced bag of crisps on top of their mains, and not had puddings (this was lunch, not dinner) they could have got the bill down to a more reasonable £40ish – a tenner each.
‘Pizza Express family – £174 dinner for four. If they cut out the starter and side orders and the adults had soft drinks instead of alcohol, they could have got the bill down to approx £109 for soft drinks, mains and a dessert each.
‘This isn’t saying they are eating too much – it’s not a diet-bashing thread – but common sense says that if you are eating in a chain place on a day out and trying to keep costs down, you don’t order loads of extras and alcohol.
‘Have a drink and a snack at home if you’re still hungry. Save all the extras for an “occasion” where eating out is the focus of the event and you’re going somewhere special, not fuelling up in a chain restaurant.’
Another remarked: ‘I agree the Pizza Express order was ridiculous. The alcoholic drinks and extra toppings could have been easy savings.’
A second family’s outing racked up £212.50, as college lecturer Robbie George, and his wife Rachel – a merchandising manager – took their son Teddy and daughter Elise, six, for lunch and bowling
Meanwhile, bowling cost the family £38.50 in total
‘Do what you like if you’re rich, but to complain about costs when you’re doing three treat things in one day is mad,’ one also shared. ‘Of course normal people have never gone to an aquarium AND laser quest AND an extravagant lunch all on the same day.’
‘When did going out for lunch and dinner as part of a day out become the norm? I don’t think it was when I was a child in the 80’s,’ one commenter recalled.
‘My parents were not rich, but had good jobs and were comfortable. We would always take a packed lunch if we went out for the day. We might have a drink and a cake somewhere, or chips on the way home.
‘Meals out were saved for special occasions. I’m not saying I don’t think things are expensive now, but I do think expectations have changed.’
Others however defended the families from backlash, adding: ‘The issue is they could previously afford this and now can’t. It isn’t great for the economy if the middle cuts back and back.’
It comes as the Chancellor was today accused of punishing middle-income families as she made clear only benefits claimants will get government help with soaring energy bills.
Rachel Reeves made clear that any bailout will be targeted rather than universal as she responds to the Middle East crisis.
In a Commons statement this lunchtime, Ms Reeves said the 2022 support under the Tories was a ‘mistake’ because much of the £40billion went to the ‘wealthy’.
She said she would focus funds on ‘those that need it most’. Ms Reeves also outlined plans to prevent price ‘gouging’ during what she admitted would be a ‘significant’ cost-of-living storm.
