I'm sitting here pondering the conundrum and can't help but think about the whole breakfast not being a priority thing. I was never a very good economist, but shouldn't an abundant supply plus a lower demand equal lower prices not higher? I mean, having higher prices would only serve to cut demand by making the product less accessible whereas having a lower price would make it more accessible and potentially raise demand.
Baltimore is the cheap Diner capital of the known universe. Its not $5 cheap to eat here because we too have a ridiculous cost of living, but I feel like I get value for a plate in most these places. Typically $8 will get you something decent, and for $10 you can just skip lunch you will be that full.
There's a chain of restaurants in my home town where you can get a crazy value on breakfast. Their sides of bacon cost about 3 bucks but they give you a pound. You can pretty much order one breakfast and split it between two people there. Crazy huge portions. I love it.
You could think of it that way, ardi, or you could consider it from a different angle: if breakfast isn't a priority to most people, the fact that restaurants have to stock it at all justifies a higher price. It doesn't explain something like IHOP, to be sure, but if breakfast can be thought of as a "niche product" where GH lives, higher prices can be justified.
I'm sitting here pondering the conundrum and can't help but think about the whole breakfast not being a priority thing. I was never a very good economist, but shouldn't an abundant supply plus a lower demand equal lower prices not higher? I mean, having higher prices would only serve to cut demand by making the product less accessible whereas having a lower price would make it more accessible and potentially raise demand.
Good point, and I originally thought of it that way as well. Then I realized, while there are 3 independent diners within a mile of ICHQ, there is only one that I know of in the entire town of Orange, CA. The supply is lower than the demand.
In Indiana, Breakfast diners offer the same prices/delcious that Ron's and probably the joints in Ohio do. Cheap. Wonderful. ...but I never take advantage of it unless we've been drinking and singing karaoke until the bartender kicks us out
You know Ghoosdum, I've eaten at Denny's every time I've been to LA. The one smack in the middle of downtown near the staples center is my favorite. Prices there are very close, if not the same, as they are here in Indiana. During SIGGRAPH we ate there almost daily because it was the only reasonably price place around. And with all this, eating in SoCal was still cheaper than eating in New Orleans.
Denny's is still not Ron's cheap, but it got the job done.
'mom and pop' diners have never struck me as West Coast type of places.
'mom and pop' diners have never struck me as West Coast type of places.
They're here, you have to look for them, but they're here. While I'm not a breakfast kinda guy, there are a few truckstop-esque family diners in the area as well as a few beachside nooks that have ~$5-8 breakfasts.
More than anything, I'd blame it on the fact that a typical Californian is willing to pay those prices in places like Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Diego, etc. county.
The closest I found to a diner was the Original Pantry in downtown on Figueroa. It wasn't as cheap as I'm used to, but their hearts are in the right places
I can confirm this. CA is not cheap. Even roach coaches don't offer the same amount of value you'd expect over fast food or a sit down place. I guess I'm used to expecting to pay around $25 for 2.
The Original Pantry was good. Kind of a greasy spoon type of place. Lunch and dinner prices were cheap, breakfast was cheaper than most places but not midwest cheap.
I actually bought the groceries to make eggs, waffles, and bacon for all of us that went to E3 for cheaper than it would have been for one person to go out to breakfast.
Yes. Having 50 choices instead of 30 choices will solve CA's drought and water problem, lower fuel and corn prices, lower portion sizes so that a meal is 800 calories instead of 3000, and most importantly make a $10 meal a $4.50 meal.
Between California, Michigan and Oregon, Portland has the best breakfasts, hands down. Except for pancakes, that is. The best pancakes I've ever had were from Paula's in Santa Cruz, CA.
Michigan definitely has the cheapest breakfasts, but Portland has great food in the $6-12 range, no sales tax and damn fine coffee.
Rereading the OP, I think most of the difference has to do with wages.
In Michigan and Ohio, for example, things are much cheaper. Additionally, in places like Michigan and Ohio, restaurants don't have to pay their waitstaff minimum wage because they get tips. Lower overhead equals cheaper breakfasts. (The current minimum wage in Michigan is $7.40, but for servers it's $2.65. In Ohio the minimum is $7.30, but for servers it's $3.50.)
In places like California and Oregon, on the other hand, the cost of living is a little higher. Not only that, but in both California and Oregon, restaurants are required to pay their servers minimum wage. Higher overhead equals more expensive breakfasts. (The minimum wage in California is currently $8.00. In Oregon it's $8.40.)
As a side note, I made more per hour at the Bagelry in Santa Cruz, California, than I did at any of the factory jobs I had in Michigan.
Not to mention that a higher cost of living and minimum wage wouldn't affect breakfast exclusively as compared to lunches and dinners, which the OP notes are roughly equivalent.
Not to mention that a higher cost of living and minimum wage wouldn't affect breakfast exclusively as compared to lunches and dinners, which the OP notes are roughly equivalent.
That's true, but the combination of higher living costs, a higher minimum wage and the possibility that breakfast isn’t a priority in southern California could explain the inflated prices.
That or all of southern California is pulling off one hell of a scam on breakfast goers and skimming off the top.
Comments
Baltimore is the cheap Diner capital of the known universe. Its not $5 cheap to eat here because we too have a ridiculous cost of living, but I feel like I get value for a plate in most these places. Typically $8 will get you something decent, and for $10 you can just skip lunch you will be that full.
Good point, and I originally thought of it that way as well. Then I realized, while there are 3 independent diners within a mile of ICHQ, there is only one that I know of in the entire town of Orange, CA. The supply is lower than the demand.
//edit: What Snark said.
You know Ghoosdum, I've eaten at Denny's every time I've been to LA. The one smack in the middle of downtown near the staples center is my favorite. Prices there are very close, if not the same, as they are here in Indiana. During SIGGRAPH we ate there almost daily because it was the only reasonably price place around. And with all this, eating in SoCal was still cheaper than eating in New Orleans.
Denny's is still not Ron's cheap, but it got the job done.
'mom and pop' diners have never struck me as West Coast type of places.
They're here, you have to look for them, but they're here. While I'm not a breakfast kinda guy, there are a few truckstop-esque family diners in the area as well as a few beachside nooks that have ~$5-8 breakfasts.
More than anything, I'd blame it on the fact that a typical Californian is willing to pay those prices in places like Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Diego, etc. county.
I actually bought the groceries to make eggs, waffles, and bacon for all of us that went to E3 for cheaper than it would have been for one person to go out to breakfast.
/is not an addict....
Michigan definitely has the cheapest breakfasts, but Portland has great food in the $6-12 range, no sales tax and damn fine coffee.
In Michigan and Ohio, for example, things are much cheaper. Additionally, in places like Michigan and Ohio, restaurants don't have to pay their waitstaff minimum wage because they get tips. Lower overhead equals cheaper breakfasts. (The current minimum wage in Michigan is $7.40, but for servers it's $2.65. In Ohio the minimum is $7.30, but for servers it's $3.50.)
In places like California and Oregon, on the other hand, the cost of living is a little higher. Not only that, but in both California and Oregon, restaurants are required to pay their servers minimum wage. Higher overhead equals more expensive breakfasts. (The minimum wage in California is currently $8.00. In Oregon it's $8.40.)
As a side note, I made more per hour at the Bagelry in Santa Cruz, California, than I did at any of the factory jobs I had in Michigan.
That's true, but the combination of higher living costs, a higher minimum wage and the possibility that breakfast isn’t a priority in southern California could explain the inflated prices.
That or all of southern California is pulling off one hell of a scam on breakfast goers and skimming off the top.
We'll take care of you, we promise. Come feed us.
A unique place with an Icrontic theme?
If your cooking it will be all healthy stuff, and lets face it, nobody wants that.
Seriously, what will he eat??
Now, I specialize in redneck breakfast, grits, sausage gravy, biscuits, that's what the good people want.