Insane U.S. restaurant prices -- is it kind of crazy NOT to eat out everyday in Thailand?

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

On the flipside, where are you going to find a Bass Pro Shop in Thailand?  Before they became a national thing, Springfield, MO was a pilgrimage for fishing/hunting fans.  Like Sydney and Kearney NE for Cabelas.  If I was anywhere nearby, I'd carve out a day to shop there and get a nearby hotel.  Nowadays, every big town has one or more.  But they're not the same.  Today, they're more like clothing stores that also have sporting goods.

 

And I point out the BassPro and Cabelas more to focus on the activities I just don't find in Thailand.  Fishing, hunting, real camping, etc.

 

Another reason Springfield MO wouldn't be a match for him.

I would pay money NOT to visit a Bass Pro Shop.

[Jingthing]

6 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

I think restaurant prices would be pretty low on my list if I was considering return to USA. IMHO, there are things to like about each, but I get bored and tired of both if I spend too much time in either spot.

 

Best thing to do is snow bird Thailand. Especially when considering life in a town that experiences winter. In my old age US winters can be brutal and climate change is making things even more unpredictable.

 

My advice: Forget about restuarant prices and consider some other more important things. Healthcare, air quality, long term assisted care available? conveniences,  etc.

Regardless, my point here is that as long as we do stay in Thailand for whatever reasons, it's kind of crazy NOT to take advantage of the affordable outside eating and deliver options opposed to cooking at home. I'm not talking ONLY about Thai food of course. Personally most of the food I eat here isn't Thai food.

Another example, if you're living in Manhattan and paying the rent for that, and you never take advantage of the cultural offerings of that great city, you really may as well be living in Springfield, MO!

[impulse]

41 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Another reason Springfield MO wouldn't be a match for him.

I would pay money NOT to visit a Bass Pro Shop.

 

Back then, they actually had a great in store restaurant.  One of the few places you could get a buffalo burger.  It was a little POSH ($$$) for my taste, but I had to try it out.

 

Edit: I'd add that I was also a member of the most famous bass fishing country club in the USA that cost me a pretty penny and worth every dime for the sales meetings I had on the lakes.  Every oilfield sales guy had a golf membership.  Very few of us belonged to Lakes of Danbury.  So bass fishing was the draw of BassPro.  Fly fishing was the draw of Cabela's back in the days before they went mainstream.

 

[No Forwarding Address]

58 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Another reason Springfield MO wouldn't be a match for him.

I would pay money NOT to visit a Bass Pro Shop.

They have important stuff like Snake bite kits, Mosquito/insect repellant for both body and clothes.  

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, No Forwarding Address said:

They have important stuff like Snake bite kits, Mosquito/insect repellant for both body and clothes.  

There's Amazon for all that.

[cjinchiangrai]

We eat at the night market. We get what we want and microwave it.

[No Forwarding Address]

8 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

There's Amazon for all that.

Wait, Amazon delivers in Thailand??   But on a lighter note, Springfield MO is not as bad as anyplace in Alabama or Mississippi (except Gulf Coast).  It’s not a small town either, but you are right about Thai resturants being pricey as all hell.   and the food is not all that authentic, no matter what they say, they spices and vegetables are just ‘not right’.    Peace

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, No Forwarding Address said:

Wait, Amazon delivers in Thailand??   But on a lighter note, Springfield MO is not as bad as anyplace in Alabama or Mississippi (except Gulf Coast).  It’s not a small town either, but you are right about Thai resturants being pricey as all hell.   and the food is not all that authentic, no matter what they say, they spices and vegetables are just ‘not right’.    Peace

Especially with sanctions.

It's true on the west coast there are more freshly grown Asian ingredients available so that should lower food cost.

Interesting that you say Mississippi.

What do you think about Hattiesburg, about an hour from the coast?

 

As far as Springfield MO I don't have a problem with living in red states at all, but Springfield is more like a red city in a red state. Massively white, massively right wing republican, gun nuts, evangelical center, etc. It's hard to imagine fitting in there.

[Harrisfan]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Another reason Springfield MO wouldn't be a match for him.

I would pay money NOT to visit a Bass Pro Shop.

What dishes do you eat?

[Harrisfan]

12 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

We eat at the night market. We get what we want and microwave it.

Pretty small in Rai.

[novacova]

I was in the US for a few weeks recently, everything has gotten ridiculously expensive there, not just at the restaurants. There’s like a price gouging pandemic going on there, everyone is getting ripped off and scammed.

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, novacova said:

I was in the US for a few weeks recently, everything has gotten ridiculously expensive there, not just at the restaurants. There’s like a price gouging pandemic going on there, everyone is getting ripped off and scammed.

Yeah there are strong economic reasons NOT to move there even if leaving Thailand. There are other countries than Thailand and the U.S.

[DezLez]

24 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

What dishes do you eat?

Most people eat the food that is placed on the dishes and not the dishes themselves!!

[spidermike007]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I was looking at a repatriation option in the low cost midwestern small city of Springfield Missouri. (Lots of good things about it for retirees such as cheap rent but probably not a good fit for me being as it's the buckle of the bible belt.)

 

There is a recommended Thai restaurant there -- ironically called Everyday Thai.

 

In flippin' Springfield Mo for chrissakes, not NYC or LA!

 

19 dollar tom yum goong? Plus add tax and 20 percent tip. Everyday? Really? More like every MONTH.

 

Everyday Thai

www.myeverydaythai.com/#menu

 

Made me think it's kind of crazy NOT to eat out (or get delivery) everyday in Thailand.

 

A satang for your thoughts.

 

 

I am in complete agreement, the restaurant prices in America right now are downright scary, and like you say you have to take into account nearly 30% for tax and tip. Same applies for delivery I can order a great two or three course meal here for 200 or 300 baht, back there three dishes with the $18 in delivery fees and taxes, about $80.

 

Though the government and some rather gullible people believe that inflation has gone down back there, I still insist that it's near 20%. Every time I go back there, every 6 months every single one of my staples has gone up 10 to 15%, and inflation is still raging. Prices are getting completely out of control. I'm very thankful to be here, though there's some inflation it's still quite reasonable .

[novacova]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah there are strong economic reasons NOT to move there even if leaving Thailand. There are other countries than Thailand and the U.S.

That’s for sure. Though I’m pretty much obliged here, and on the fence about selling my properties in the US. Just keeping it simple as a perspective seems to work well. 

[NickyLouie]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

 

I would pay money NOT to visit a Bass Pro Shop.

 

Why ?  the Bass Pro Shop has excellent gear and a really neat live tank filled with all sorts of swimming critters .....

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

It's not just restaurants.  Had lunch at some of my faovrite places back in CA in Feb 2025:

 

1. Chicken Burrito and a soda at Chipotle was $16

2. 3 Chicken Finger combo at Raising Canes was $13

3.  Breakfaast at Ihop (3 panackes, 2 eggs and a coffee) came in at $15

4.  The saving grace was at my all time favorite, In N Out, where a single cheeseburger combo was under $10.

Even lunch at a fast food for under $10 is now a bargain.

Most of the places except for In N Out was not packed as it used to be in the past.  It seems fewer people are eating out back in CA.  

 

I cannot imgaine what it would  cost for a family of 4 to eat out at a fast food place wouild come to.  

 

[BLMFem]

Eating at least one meal in a resto/market every day is one of the joys of living in Thailand. That, and not having to check the thermometer before deciding what to wear, are two of the main reasons I'm still staying here after so many years.

[StandardIssue]

12 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Regardless, my point here is that as long as we do stay in Thailand for whatever reasons, it's kind of crazy NOT to take advantage of the affordable outside eating and deliver options opposed to cooking at home. I'm not talking ONLY about Thai food of course. Personally most of the food I eat here isn't Thai food.

Another example, if you're living in Manhattan and paying the rent for that, and you never take advantage of the cultural offerings of that great city, you really may as well be living in Springfield, MO!

 

I've lived in Thailand a good portion of the last 12 years. I still cook a lot at home because I like traditional salads with lots of leafy greens, bell peppers, tomato, onion etc. Trying to find a good large salad even at a western restaurant in Thailand is difficult and when  you do they are much more expensive than taking a few minutes to chop up some vegetables and add some dressing at home. I usually supplement the salad with one of those 7-11 small Thai meals which usually give some rice and meat of some sort or another. Good and cheap meal. I would, fairly often go out and buy som tom thai from a food stall or cart and maybe some barbecue chicken .. Gai Yang etc..

 

This is my personal diet. If one is OK with all the Traditional Thai fare than, it's quite obvious that eating out everyday is certainly very affordable.

 

The USA  obviously has a very expensive standard of living. Most EVERYTHING is at least double or more. When I stay in USA I rarely eat out because, as you point out, it's very expensive and for me the availability of good vegetable options is not that great and when available way too expensive.

 

I have really grown to hate the USA HOMOGENIZED corporate infrastructure. There are so many corporate brands that have taken over most facets of retail it makes choices limited and it makes ANYTOWN USA look like every other ANYTOWN USA ... really bad IMHO. I really don't like it.

[Equatorial]

On 6/25/2025 at 5:08 PM, save the frogs said:

what's the alternative? cook at home every day? that's exhausting ... unless you have a maid .

 

 

Or a wife who loves to cook the food you love to eat! 

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, Equatorial said:

 

Or a wife who loves to cook the food you love to eat! 

 

If you play your cards right.

 

[Equatorial]

On 6/25/2025 at 4:32 PM, Jingthing said:

Made me think it's kind of crazy NOT to eat out (or get delivery) everyday in Thailand.

 

 

I would agree, if it weren't for the quality of food. It all looks good and tastes good, but the sanitation is non-existent and they burn the oil for a week or two before they change it... so yeah, it's cheap, but...

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, Equatorial said:

I would agree, if it weren't for the quality of food. It all looks good and tastes good, but the sanitation is non-existent and they burn the oil for a week or two before they change it... so yeah, it's cheap, but...

 

I started bringing my own cooking fat to my local restaurant ie BUTTER.

At first, I thought they'd laugh their asses off, but they accepted.

So I ask him to fry me up a chicken breast, but I ask them to use my butter. 

And it's good to go.

This place does chicken breasts for only 49 Baht.

No need to cook with prices like that. 

Or try to find grilled meats. 

Watch out for fried foods in crappy cooking oils. Eating that daily will cause health issues. 

 

I found Prime Burger to be quite expensive. A double burger, fries, and cappuccino was over 400 Baht. I guess this place is designed for 2 week millionaire tourists. It's an occasional treat, but I can't spend 400 Baht each meal out. But damn those burgers are good. 100 times better than McDonald's. McDonald's is a scam. 

 

 

[BritManToo]

18 minutes ago, Equatorial said:

Or a wife who loves to cook the food you love to eat! 

That option's more expensive than a US restaurant!

[novacova]

16 minutes ago, Equatorial said:

 

Or a wife who loves to cook the food you love to eat! 

The wife cooks nearly all the meals and all healthy no white carbs, way better than anything at the restaurants and kads and she never laces the food with sugar or other toxins. Though we do occasionally eat out at a burger or mukrata joint.  

[SMIAI]

It's almost alarming to read that many of the people here can barely take care of themselves.

Just a few who can actually cobble a meal together. A quite sad state of affairs.

 

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, Equatorial said:

 

I would agree, if it weren't for the quality of food. It all looks good and tastes good, but the sanitation is non-existent and they burn the oil for a week or two before they change it... so yeah, it's cheap, but...

I think you're making false assumptions about my assertion here. I'm not necessarily talking about the cheapest (mostly Thai food) places with those kind of low level quality standards. I'm not contesting that there is an awful lot of cheap, low quality, and unhealthy food sold in Thailand. Personally the vast majority of the restaurant meals I eat in Thailand are NOT at such places, and still super amazing value compared to U.S. prices. I'll give it to you that sanitation standards may often be lower here

 

For example last night I had a wonderful Chinese meal costing about 300 baht that may have been more like 1000 to 1500 baht at current U.S. prices including tax and tip. There was no evidence of low quality ingredients.