The cost of desserts - I am SHOCKED!

[punk-a-doodle]

I can't remember the last time I bought a dessert, appetizer, or drink when eating out. I've seen many desserts equal to or over the price of the dinner. I do not feel that the price reflects the work put into it/skill/etc. The worst offenders tend to be chains, and I can't help but notice when their veggies come from a freezer bag. There are many local dessert places where they do put a great deal of skill/history/time/much better ingredients into the dessert, but these still tend to be much more affordable, even when eating in and paying for ambiance. I know a lot of people who feel that they *need* a drink, side, and dessert, so they buy it with dinner no matter the price, and I think this is more of a factor. They charge that much because people do pay that much.

 

[Slinkytoys]

The cost is relative. We all have to decide what is worth our hard-earned money. I agree that our time is valuable and needs to be taken in consideration. I can't eat cheesecake, therefore it has no value to me.
I raise and show Irish Wolfhounds. I compete in several countries. My husband bought an English Champion female Irish Wolfhound who happened to be the #1 female IW and #3 Nationally Ranked. Between her price, shipping and insurance----her price was a whopping $20,000 USD. This was about 13 years ago when the pound sterling was twice what our money was worth. She finished her American Championship, but never conceived any pups. My husband adored her. Was she worth the price? To us, the answer is yes. To many others she wouldn't have been. To each his/her own.
Slinky

 

[suzettex5]

What I find interesting is when people say "Even if I was a millionaire, I wouldnt do...."

Weeeeeellll, I gotta say from personal experience and watching others go through it- IF you were to become a millionaire, I PROMISE you, you WILL be different. Money DOES change things and ways of thinking. I guess there may be the odd person here and there who continues to live as if they didnt have any more $, but I really doubt there are more than 3 or 4 people who really, truely do that.

I think when folks say they wouldnt do certain things even if they had millions really have no concept of what having that kind of money is really like.

Things that seem outrageous when your on less income suddenly dont seem so crazy when you have NO budget in sight. They really dont.

Seriously, if you REALLY had, say 10 MILLION dollars, and just lived decently, would you really care if you spent $50 on a cheesecake? REALLY?? I mean, if nothing else, you buy it for your CPA and it becomes a tax write-off. Not to mention, in these days, for alot of people $50 bucks hardly buys anything anymore, outside of Walmart or the thrift stores.

When you really think about it.... What would be the point of living in poverty or at the same lifestyle level you were living before you had millions??? Might as well give it away if you arent going to enjoy it. Money to me is a means to an end- and its about lifestlye. If you dont want to buy a $50 cheesecake, dont. You dont have to spend your money that way. But I garuntee, with millions, you will find other ways to spend your cash that other people will tell you is silly or a waste. Nothing wrong with indulging a bit here and there, right?

Personally, I bet a homemade one DOES taste better and is healthier, BUT, if Im busy and tired, Im just gonna fork out the cash for the convienence of not having to buy the ingrediants and then having to make it myself. Just having someone else do something like that for me can be worth the money.

 

[debilorrah]

Ok if I had $10 million, I may buy a cheesecake. However, if we had that kind of money, we would be in a home of our choosing and live the way we want to live. Ken loves the outdoors and I love to create things. I would be artsy fartsy and baking ALOT. Ken would be building and improving chicken coops, duck ponds, we would probably get myotonic goats and show and raise them.

We really are simple at heart. I think alot of money would go to St. Judes....

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Would I buy a $50 chain cheesecake if I had billions? I really don't know why I would. I can get a much better tasting one from one of our local places, and pay less, and even be greeted by someone who is a neighbor and friend while doing so.

It doesn't matter that my paycheck has increased since before college, if something is priced too high for me to justify, I'm not going to buy it, and my justification system has not changed with my income. We still shop at the thrifts stores, so we can support the same goal we've always had (land/animals/community improvement). Doesn't mean I'm going to stop anyone else from spending their money on it. But, just because people do buy it, that isn't going to change my personal opinion on whether or not something is overpriced for the quality.

Money for my husband and I goes towards the same things whether we are in a low or high point monetarily. The only huge difference is that our number of pets and quality of our food go up (more fresh produce, pricier cheeses, better food to cook with overall...though our goal is to save up for land so we can raise and make a lot more of that ourselves). Our views on capitalism mean that we personally would not feel at peace if we did certain things with our money while others around us starved. Doesn't mean we feel others have to live as we do or feel and think as we do, but still means we won't be buying that cheesecake anytime soon.

Or the fried ice cream, though man I love that dessert, and the price is fair for that one at some places.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Well, the lemon raspberry cake was a hit and so was the German Chocolate cake. There was only 1 small slice left of the lemon raspberry and about 1/4 of the German Chocolate, which my dad stole both and said, these are staying with me.

 

[AquaEyes]

Quote:
You're mentioning some of my favorites....along with banana cream, vanilla bean, Godiva.....


Great...now I'm going to the store for something sweet.

 

[dedicateddourly]

Quote:
I agree with you, but Cheesecake Factory ain't art. I'm a pastry chef, btw.

 

[speckledhen]

Seriously, if you REALLY had, say 10 MILLION dollars, and just lived decently, would you really care if you spent $50 on a cheesecake? REALLY?? I mean, if nothing else, you buy it for your CPA and it becomes a tax write-off. Not to mention, in these days, for alot of people $50 bucks hardly buys anything anymore, outside of Walmart or the thrift stores.

Nope, I was dead serious and if you knew me, you'd know I wasn't kidding. There would be no $50 cheesecake for me, don't care what my bank balance says. I'd make my CPA one, if I even had a CPA. Heck, yeah, I'd still shop at Walmart. No one would know I was rich by seeing my day to day lifestyle. All money means to me is peace of mind and being able to help someone else have peace of mind. Maybe having someone else local build me a chicken coop rather than my poor DH, who has degenerative disc disease, build it.

My SIL bought a new BMW recently, purely a status symbol. Left me shaking my head. Overpriced car with overpriced parts and overpriced insurance. Cars don't impress me. Fancy houses don't impress me, nor do I want one--went in plenty of those as a realtor. I want peace of mind that bills can be paid, that I know the money is there for car and home repair when needed, not for status symbols. I don't want to travel, don't care anything about clothes or shoes or jewelry. Money is not going to change that for me.

So, if you want to buy expensive desserts, that's fine by me. I just won't do it, even if I could afford them. I'd rather have the satisfaction of doing it myself. Prices are so bloated, it's just plain stupid. You don't stay rich by spending it all on frivolous stuff-just read stories about lottery winners who go bankrupt.


Quote:
Kel, you can make those for me anytime, m'dear!​

 

[AquaEyes]

Quote:
I agree with you, but Cheesecake Factory ain't art. I'm a pastry chef, btw.

I agree that I've had better confections when I buy direct from the baker (and I work at a restaurant that has a pastry chef on-staff....all our desserts are made in-house, and people often order whole cakes because she does a great job). That's what I was thinking when I typed that.

Just out of curiosity for those here who feel it is silly to pay that much money for a cake -- how many of you baked your own wedding cake?