USA/Florida now becoming unviable?

[wrpac00]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by karenk
Last year in Salou they were spending a lot of their evenings looking for reasonably priced places to eat....cod and chips 12 pounds each, I wouldn't pay it. No comparison with Florida for value for money.

Florida, in comparison to the eurozone for families is still competitive in my opinion.[msnsmile][/quote]We're beginning to cover old ground here but I'd expect to pay more than that in Florida.

If you take today's exchange rate of $1.38, consider the additional tax and a 20% tip, you have to find a base menu rate of around $12 to better it. I was in Florida last week and would have been delighted to see a piece of fish with fries on a menu for that price. I was consistently paying around $17 plus tax and tip for something similar in pretty ordinary restaurants.

While you can always find exceptions that prove or disprove the rule and it isn't a perfect science, with the present exchange rate, eating out and paying tax and 20% tip is getting very close to £1/$1 when looking at menu prices. Food is at least as expensive in the US as at home these days and, in a lot of instances, a fair bit more.

[/quote]

Obviously too much spare money on your hands[msnsmile2] 20% tip[msnoo] did they eat for you as well?

Compared to France Florida is going to be as cheap as chips (pun).

[Katys Grandad]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by wrpac00

Obviously too much spare money on your hands[msnsmile2] 20% tip[msnoo] did they eat for you as well?

[/quote]

Please don't open up the tipping thing all over again.[msnsad]

[Margaret]

Thanks for that Katys Grandad, we've known since christmas that he was finishing. Our daughter is getting married in Orlando at Christmas so that's why we're still going (no way would I miss that) I have to say that normally hubby is the positive one but he's getting very pessimistic.
Margaret

[kitch50]

I know how you feel Margaret. I was made redundant in September and I am finding it really hard to find a job but I am only looking for part time, I have applied for loads and I have had one interview, the right job is out there for your husband the same as there is for me, it is just a case of being in the right place at the right time. I am keeping myself busy doing some voluntary work which all goes on the CV but it doesn't pay for the holiday ! I will keep my fingers crossed for your husband x

[Father]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by wrpac00

Obviously too much spare money on your hands[msnsmile2] 20% tip[msnoo] did they eat for you as well?

Compared to France Florida is going to be as cheap as chips (pun).
[/quote]

In New York you would barely get a thanks for a 20% tip. In fact, our transfer was $70 and when I gave the guy $90 (almost 30% tip), he grimaced and walked away shaking his head.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

I'd have asked for it back. I've done it before with a NY cabbie when I thought I'd given a decent tip and he was really rude and I'd happily do it again. There is no excuse for that kind of rudeness or greed [msnmad].

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Father
when I gave the guy $90 (almost 30% tip), he grimaced and walked away shaking his head.
[/quote]

[Susan J]

All part of the NY charm, eh?! Can't beat the Floridian sunshine smile!!
Looking at the positive -if people are going to span out their holidays as things have gone up, the queues will be less, and you won't have to pay for fast passes at Universal! [now that REALLY annoys me- pay to get in, but we are going to greedily take too much at the gate, let too many in, and then charge those who can afford it the luxury of getting on the rides- 1st & 2nd class treatment! ]

[karenk]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by karenk
Last year in Salou they were spending a lot of their evenings looking for reasonably priced places to eat....cod and chips 12 pounds each, I wouldn't pay it. No comparison with Florida for value for money.

Florida, in comparison to the eurozone for families is still competitive in my opinion.[msnsmile][/quote]We're beginning to cover old ground here but I'd expect to pay more than that in Florida.

If you take today's exchange rate of $1.38, consider the additional tax and a 20% tip, you have to find a base menu rate of around $12 to better it. I was in Florida last week and would have been delighted to see a piece of fish with fries on a menu for that price. I was consistently paying around $17 plus tax and tip for something similar in pretty ordinary restaurants.

While you can always find exceptions that prove or disprove the rule and it isn't a perfect science, with the present exchange rate, eating out and paying tax and 20% tip is getting very close to £1/$1 when looking at menu prices. Food is at least as expensive in the US as at home these days and, in a lot of instances, a fair bit more.

[/quote]

Perhaps I didn't make myself quite clear on the Florida v Salou thing, ten chips and a small piece of fish in batter does not make for a good ROI in any country for 12 pounds. If that's the standard you get for 17 dollars when in Florida, then fine but I very much doubt it and I wouldn't pay it.

In relation to covering 'old ground', topics change I believe and so does the information that relates to them. Very little on this subject remains fresh hence the need to update info from time to time.

As far as food being more expensive or on a par with Florida, my shopping bill in the UK can easily come to 250 pounds for four adults just for a week. My bill in the USA for the same amount/type of food when we are all over on holiday is considerably less. Problem with the UK prices is that they creep up on you, subtle increases here and there. Florida still gets my vote in comparison to the UK for quality of food, prices including petrol and of course sunshine.[msnsmile]

By the way, my brother's holiday in Salou will probably cost him in the region of 5000 plus including extra food and drink for the two weeks they are there and that's without theme park entry. It's a lot for a family to pay for a holiday regardless of where they are going.

[Katys Grandad]

It's possibly me who didn't make themselves clear. My reference to 'old ground' was merely an attempt not to open up the same old debate on comparative costs.

My 2 mains points are, firstly, that it isn't a true comparison when looking at US menu prices against those in the UK and Europe due to the much higher tip expectation and tax. A $1 menu item is really closer to $1.30 for that purpose.

My second point was that my experiences from around 80 visits to the US over the past 10 years or so is that it's now more expensive (both in real terms and in comparison to home)than at any other time I can recall. I have to say that my most recent experience of grocery prices in the US (last week) is that supermarket prices are on the whole higher that at home although we don't spend £250 a week here so perhaps we have different needs.

Of course there are some things that are cheaper but many which are more expensive and that's consistently confirmed by independent surveys. If your experience is different to mine then I'm pleased for you.

[ukman]

I'll agree with karen, my food bill for my family can easily top over £200 a week, yet when we go florida twice a year we spend considerably less and for the two weeks we more or less buy similar food to what we do in the uk and don't forget with staying in a villa you can cook your own food, or go eating out. My family went out to eat at the weekend and the bill alone was over £100, we have never spend that amount on eating in florida over the past 10 years of visiting.