In our rural town you have the expensive fast food & even more expensive restaurants. We unfortunately do not have chain restaurants, as our city council owns the fast food & other restaurants & effectively blocks anyone even remotely trying to bring in a chain restaurant. So it’s triple the fast food cost to eat at a restaurant, at the very least you’ll pay double here.
This is so infuriating that just a city council has this much power and is actively making their own community suffer so they get richer. Do you mind sharing what state youre in, if not, maybe the region? Like midwest or south?
I’m on the west side of the country. Not coast, but close. :)
Yes, it sucks. A friend of mine used all her savings to open a store (makeup originally, but did have a adult shop in another part of the business), the city council used laws (which if you knew our town & other stuff nearby, it would absolutely floor you) because of a church & school, to make her move her business. With a strip club & worse within blocks of her locations. Which unfortunately put her out of business, with all costs, loss of customers that did not know she had moved, etc.. She lost everything, she had worked so hard for over 10 years to save. It was fucking disgusting & sad.
It’s sad, just how they are with this trying to bring in new stuff & continues to make the same few families richer & richer.
A friend of mine was a minority owner of a brewery in a reasonably large city. 18 months into COVID, the municipal authority that was operating as their landlord doubled their rent. They had survived the worst of COVID, and were operating successfully, but the city was desperate for funds, so they doubled the rent. The brewery couldn't afford the rent increase.
From a rural county with a city of 19k population. Nothing has fucked that city over more than city counsel. Bullying new businesses, counsel owning large portions of property, corruption, kickbacks, etc etc. The big thing now is rehab centers. They’re putting rehabs in shitty homes and charging a fortune and counsel members are owning the property and getting the paperwork necessary to have a rehab, and are making hundreds of thousands of dollars a month in an area where the average income is less than $30k a year.
The FBI did an investigation into drugs and prostitution in the area, and they were quoted as saying if they arrested everyone involved there would be no one to run the city or work for it. Everyone. Judges, attorneys, first responders, city counsel, mayor, city manager and auditor and engineer, even a lot of large business owners, literally everyone. They get new blood in these positions and they still turn out like this. Thank God I left when I did
Yeah, I guess my point is we get fucked all over. Because our city council has fucked up (like above) were dealing with huge property tax increases, and those will never get reversed, even if other things improve.
It’s disgusting what people with money do to those who are desperately trying to catch up. It grosses me out. :-/. I felt so bad for my friend. Both buildings sit empty.
We’ve had people try to bring in Costco, as there’s enough money to support it. As well as some chain restaurants & things for kids, but most fail to even get their foot in the door. Those who do, aren’t in business for long it seems. Makes people fear trying, which I understand, as it’s scary to risk it all.
Learning to cook and survive with any ingredients is a blessing, also if your home soil is able to grow anything get seeds and have fun doing it. It’s rewarding. Fast food is all processed. I’m no saint, but it does help the wallet when eating vegetables grains and beans
Only reason I get fast food is because all other restaurants here are complete dogshit when it comes to allergies so the kids can't eat at the normal restaurants here.
yup, I once lived in a place where the local grocery store family was on the town council and blocked every application by any box store or otherwise that came in that would be deemed competition. Everything there was easily 10-20% more expensive than driving 20mins to the next town to buy groceries.
I live in a tourist heavy town so while there are tons of options, including chain options, most places are expensive. There are some local hotspots that are reasonable and have daily specials but its still way overpriced around here the most parts
Ditto. I'm really lucky to live in a major ski resort town and can almost even afford it. But the OP photo actually fits here, a bit. The Wendy's combos are 12.49ish-15.99ish. I'm sitting at a nice place in downtow. eating a damn good French Dip and a beer for $19. I'll tell you then real shaved steak and Pliny beats the shit out of the Wendy's!
Tl;dr: Fast food prices are beyond fucking stupid now.
Which is why the food trucks are eating their lunch (sorry.) There are several food trucks in my small town that will fill you up for $12 or so. Some are more.
Prices must also be regional because I thought that deal was too good to be true. Its 27.99 here for the 12 Oz strip steak. Plus beverage and tax and tip brings it to 40$ so its still double the price.
Steak is one of those things I dont get eating out for. Its so so so easy to make good steak and it literally takes a couple minutes to make.
I have a nearby meat market where I get chuck eye for 10$ a pound so I make a delicious steak, baked potato, and salad for less than 8$ a plate. Takes only a couple minutes to make/prep too so theres really no excuse not to just make it at home.
No, it means I want to stay anonymous. I really don’t care if you believe me. I’m sure those fucked over by those in power here, would feel differently. I leave the place every summer for 3 months, where I’m able to get my fill of foods I miss out on living in this shitty town, so not a big deal to me.
Why is it so shocking people like remaining anonymous on an anonymous site? Also, seems the town i reside in, is not only one that works in exactly the same manner. If i wanted to lie, I would lie about something great, not those in power refusing to care about their constituents & only taking care of themselves. I know that is pretty fucking known.
That’s bad that they protect locally owned restaurants? I live in a small city with amazing locally owned places and absolutely hate the trend of chain restaurants moving in. I mean, just have Cisco pull a big truck of premade glop.
I eat out less and eat local, good, and know the proprietors. Have no issue giving them my money, they give their sweat equity to earn it. Restaurants are a hard business for the owner/operator. Pay the extra dollar or two to support them over a chain with an underpaid “manager” and indifferent staff microwaving garbage for the masses.
It’s bad that they don’t earn support but force it. The same people own 99% of our businesses, and they prevent any others from even remotely getting a piece of the pie. Many are franchises, owned by people, just like the small businesses, but they don’t allow, because heaven forbid they are unable to charge $100 for a itty bitty steak.
Also, many close, because people are fucking tired of it. They prefer saving money & eating out when giving options. Instead of supporting those who refuse to allow any progress. And it’s not just chains, but preventing any others but them & their small group of friends from getting any success. It’s gross.
The ones who do slip by are intentionally put out of business, if they have a business (even a small private, locally owned business) that can impede on those select owners’ earnings.
You can think that’s great. Just like the other commenter, but it is not. It’s not great to constantly be limited, to constantly see people but a select few get fucked over, & to constantly see your town refuse any sort of progress because those with can’t stand fucking sharing.
I find it hard to believe you that your city council “owns” all of the restaurants in your town. Can you elaborate - specifically?
I have heard this line before and when I asked for details it turned out to be “oh like not literally own, but like they are democrats and they are uh… cheating the businesses and costing me DOLLAR”
The people on the council are owners of most establishments in area. Believe it or don’t, I really don’t gaf. There’s a few of their friends with businesses, but it’s quite cliquey type area, where a few people own most things. We’re not in some huge city, so I don’t know what’s so unbelievable.
And it is not just city council, but mayor, judges, etc. they hold the power. They have their buddies, who help keep them in power & they ensure their businesses are ones that are available to public. Nearest city is 300 miles, so not like we can just go elsewhere.
This is local politicians. Nothing to do with president. It’s likely been happening before the start of the town. And will likely never end. Doesn’t seem to matter what side of the fence they sit on, they take care of their own.
I understand there’s issues with the President, but local politics that have been happening for many decades. If not centuries really have nothing to do with the President.
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u/BoyMom119816 5d ago
In our rural town you have the expensive fast food & even more expensive restaurants. We unfortunately do not have chain restaurants, as our city council owns the fast food & other restaurants & effectively blocks anyone even remotely trying to bring in a chain restaurant. So it’s triple the fast food cost to eat at a restaurant, at the very least you’ll pay double here.
Everything is insanely expensive.