Steak!!! How much will you pay for a steak?

I am just wondering what would you pay for a steak at a restaurant? In this current economy it seems as if every restaurant is discounting, running early bird specials, offering buy one get one, etc. I have decided to go a different direction and it seems to be working. My thought was why be like every one else, instead of discounts and early birds, etc. we raised our prices, but in return raised our quality, ex. Choice to Prime, Fresh Truffles, #1 tuna instead of #2, flown in day boat wild fish over seafood company's, gratis Natura Bottled water, etc. and it is working we are really standing out in our area as a"Value" Restaurant being that when the guest goes out they still want there expectations exceeded, and are looking for an experience. Now back to the subject, we are serving a 28oz. Prime Beef Porterhouse with Shaved black truffle pommes frites and foie gras butter. We are charging $69.00. Each Steak cost us $30 N/I fresh truffles or foie, I have sold 2 already 2nite and it is not even featured yet. I will keep you updated on this weekends progress. Only 28 more steaks to go!!!

That sounds delicious, but is way too rich for my wallet. Then again, I don't tend to frequent places that serve fois gras or truffles, anyway.

I wish you the best of luck with that. For us, we would never pay that much for a dinner. Makes no difference that we could afford to do it....I have a hard time anymore spending too much money on things that are not going to be around for a long time. Just wasteful....

Rick,

I am not surprised you are able to charge $69/steak this time of year because your restaurant is located in an area that is full of wealthy people from Chicago spending three months at their summer homes. Will you be able to charge $69/steak in February when just the year around residents are your only customers?

I always support the independent restaurants and I sincerely hope you can pull it off during the other 9 months of the year when the Chicago types are back where they belong.

I couldn't go that high, Rick. I'm too used to menus topping out at $30 or so for an entree. The only way I could see myself ordering something along those lines would be if I knew that the restaurant was VERY good and if most of the other entrees were priced near that. In that case, I would be going to the restaurant knowing that I was going to drop a lot more than usual on supper (most likely because of some pretty special occasion) and I would be expecting a truly superb meal. I would still likely order something other than a steak, but maybe not.

That's a heck of a dish there, no matter what! I hope it works well for you. Keep us posted - I'm really curious as to how it goes. Two already sounds pretty impressive.

we are serving a 28oz. Prime Beef Porterhouse with Shaved black truffle pommes frites and foie gras butter. We are charging $69.00.

Is this a dish designed for two (I hope)? 28 oz of beef... Regarding your question, I never order steak in a restaurant as it's something that I can do just as well at home (and it's not a dish that particularly excites me beyond being an opportunity to open a Cabernet-based wine), BUT it does seem like a reasonable deal for what it is, especially if it's being split between two people.

Mark Lipton

Is this a dish designed for two (I hope)? 28 oz of beef

Mark Lipton

Now you are just showing off your modest consumption West Coast roots. 28 oz of beef in the Upper Midwest is expected per person at dinner.

True, in L.A. 28 oz. of meat would be a steak for two. Haven't been in Upper Michigan for a 'coon's age', however long that is, but if a 28 oz. steak is a one-person meal there, then would really hate trying to get on a crowded bus!
Yes, your price would and does work in a high-end resto.

I have a bottomless pit for steak, but--alas--my wallet is way too thin for your restaurant.

[Jenise]

Like others, for me a 28 ounce steak would be steak for two. But that's not your question--I have no problem with your price since your cost on the meat is $30, or 40% of the plate price, and you have other costs on that plate as well. Gosh, I mean truffles! I think many people here would be surprised at how rarely a restaurant's menu price exceeds even 25% the cost of ingredients.

I have no upper limit on what I wuold spend for a steak either at home or at a restaurant as long as the price is comenserate with the product. No issues spending $30 a pound for Flannery product for the home or upwards of $100 out to eat for domestic Wagyu.

Rick,

I am not surprised you are able to charge $69/steak this time of year because your restaurant is located in an area that is full of wealthy people from Chicago spending three months at their summer homes. Will you be able to charge $69/steak in February when just the year around residents are your only customers?

I always support the independent restaurants and I sincerely hope you can pull it off during the other 9 months of the year when the Chicago types are back where they belong.

We would never be able to do this in the off season, which is mostly locals, most are wealthy but do look for value driven specials, It is just a special and I would never put it on our menu. I do love summer as we are able to open up a little bit and not be on a tight shoestring budget, this is when cooking really becomes fun.

we are serving a 28oz. Prime Beef Porterhouse with Shaved black truffle pommes frites and foie gras butter. We are charging $69.00.

Is this a dish designed for two (I hope)? 28 oz of beef... Regarding your question, I never order steak in a restaurant as it's something that I can do just as well at home (and it's not a dish that particularly excites me beyond being an opportunity to open a Cabernet-based wine), BUT it does seem like a reasonable deal for what it is, especially if it's being split between two people.

Mark Lipton

It is meant for one as many people around here eat large portions of beef, ex. 32oz bone in ribeye, But with the current condition of the economy we would gladly split it for two, we would slice it off the bone put it back together and serve it table side. This is only a special and came up by mistake I wasn't aware that prime porters were $17.95 a pound until I received the invoice, my heart almost stopped, but after a few minutes I said screw it let's have some fun and really amp this steak up. The truffles just came in and are smelling great, not as strong as winter truffles but pretty good.

In many areas a 28 oz. steak would be steak for about 6 people....I also assume that it is a meal for 2 hungry carnivores.

I guess you could get that much from well to do meat lovers. You wouldn't get it from me - I almost never order steak in a restaurant as it is something I can do myself just as well and for half the price. I order things that I can't, or don't want to make myself when I go out.

Wasn't it Harry Golden who wrote Only In America? I cannot help but think that serving a steak this size for one is something that happens primarily in America. Not at all opposed but most Europeans and Mediterranean types would clearly see this as a steak to be shared by two. Well, with the exception of what my daughter so elegantly calls "the occasional pig-out"

To the question, however, indeed if the truffles were Perigord and if the restaurant were of such a "class" that the price was appropriate, I would comfortably deal with the price. I might, however, if the chef were of a forgiving nature request that the butter be nothing more than beurre matire d'hotel and eliminate the foie gras as just a bit excessive. And with such a steak the frites would be well in order as would a fine bottle of Bordeaux, Brunello di Montalcino or Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Best
Rogov

Please keep in mind that some of that 28 oz is bone.

These days, I find it hard to comfortably digest more than 8 oz of beef in one sitting. I see that as a positive, it enables me to order a smaller, less expensive steak, or take part of my portion home for my next day's lunch.

There's only one circumstance where I would order a 28 oz porterhouse - if I were dining at Peter Luger's, ordering the porterhouse for two.
I did prepare some of these a couple of weeks ago, even bigger, like 2.5 lbs and 2" thick. But three steaks fed six people, with a big pan of leftovers! And they only cost me 4.99 a lb, for choice. ( I actually thought it was a mistake, until I saw the steaks advertised in the store's flyer)

I think you will sell a fair amount - just by virtue of it being something different on the special menu. Lots of people go for that. You've got about $35 on your plate - a pretty high food cost, but a nice gross dollar profit on each sale.

Best of luck with it - it sounds delicious.

I would only be in your dining room if there were no corkage. Then I would definitely consider ordering the steak. We would probably split the steak between the two of us and order extra side dishes. The steakhouse Murrays in Minneapolis doesn't have a corkage fee and we are planning on eating there one a month and probably more. We purchased the wine in our cellar to drink. Therefore we don't think about the additional cost of the wine. With side dishes, our meal would run $100 or so for the two of us. For a great meal with GREAT WINE that is a steal.

I've spent $45-55 on steaks at Mortons (because they give us free corkage), so $69 with foie gras or truffles seems reasonable if there was a beverage deal.
As to steak size, that's more than I usually order. But two Fridays ago I had some friends over, did some 1.75-2 inch porterhouses, each weighed 32-40 ounces. I had about a 4-5 oz piece as leftovers, my friends both killed theirs. A little different than a restaurant situation, though, as we sat there for about 3 hours with red wine. I doubt on a meal out I'd finish a 28 ouncer, but I wouldn't especially want to split it.

Google tells me that 28 ounces is 793.786648 grams. Outside the USA, that is a dish for two... .

Remember, a 28 oz porterhouse is probably 2/3 meat. Still a lot, but not more much than I've seen in places in Tokyo or Beaune. Unclear if its for one or two, but googling "Tel Aviv grams steak" gets this Rogov quote re Dixie " If you are in an extravagant mood, try one of the aged 900 gram porterhouse steaks that are a house specialty."

Google tells me that 28 ounces is 793.786648 grams. Outside the USA, that is a dish for two... .

That's one of the many things that makes the USA great. An entire 28 ounce steak all for one's self.

That's one of the many things that makes the USA great. An entire 28 ounce steak all for one's self.

There's a radio commercial that's been running lately for an all-you-can-eat place. One of the lines in the commercial is "Eat all you want. It's the American way!" No wonder our international reputation is what it is.

Along those lines, ever see the Top Gear episode when they came to America? They have a professional driver who wrings the cars out for them in England. He's only known as "The Stig" and only appears wearing a white racing suit and a white full-face helmet, so you never see his face and his identity is a secret. When they came here, they had "American Stig". He looked like 300 lbs of sausage stuffed into a white driving suit with a white helmet riding on top. His other name was "Big Stig".

[quote="Dale Williams"]I've spent $45-55 on steaks at Mortons (because they give us free corkage), so $69 with foie gras or truffles seems reasonable if there was a beverage deal.

Dale,

I'm kinda surprised Morton's would not charge corkage. Is that just a special deal for you and your friends? Or is it for everyone but something like only after 11:45 PM on Mondays.

I would definetly dine out more if restaurants around here even allowed BYOW let alone free corkage.

"Big Stig". Too funny. I love that show but have never seen the one where they come to America.