Seattle is becoming a popular destination for affordable first dates, as restaurant prices continue to increase throughout the country. The study, which analysed restaurant prices across the country, reveals the impact of locale on the price of a first date.
Seattle Dating Costs
Seattle is among the least expensive of 22 large U.S. cities for a first date, with an average cost of $89 for two people – the third-lowest price on the list. That’s the finding of a new study that examined the cost of restaurants across 22 major U.S. cities. The study looked at over 500 restaurants with sit-down service listed on OpenTable, and developed a typical first-date menu: a shared appetizer, two entrees, and two cocktails. The least expensive city was Philadelphia ($76), followed by Chicago ($87). Just behind it is Seattle at $89, and New York is the most expensive at $122 – a $46 gap between the least and the most expensive city.
Cost Differences Explained
The price of beverages contributed to the difference. Philadelphia cocktails were much cheaper at an average of $7.29 compared to the national average of $13.54. Meals were also cheaper, with main courses at $26 vs the national median of $33. Seattle beverage prices are higher than in Philadelphia, but lower than in many other coastal cities, contributing to lower prices overall. Phoenix was the fourth cheapest city at $94, followed by Houston at $98. Nashville and San Antonio had prices of $99 each, whereas Jacksonville and Indianapolis came at $100 and $101, respectively. The last two cities on this list were Charlotte at $103. It is quite evident from these results that there is a trend based on geography, as the Midwest, Southern, and Southwest regions had relatively lower prices compared to coast cities, which were expensive.
Dating Trends Today
Paul Madden from Mandoe Media, where the survey was done, explained that the trend of going out on dates has become more common amongst many. With dating apps becoming more popular, the need to go on a date has become a regular occurrence that must be budgeted for, based on one’s location. These findings are consistent with the Pew Research Center statistics, which indicate that 30 percent of Americans have tried dating online, especially the younger generation. When it comes to going on one date a week with a service like Tinder, Hinge,e, or Bumble, the cost of living differences between cities add up. This means going on a date a week in New York can cost $2,400 more a year than in Philadelphia.
Rising Food Prices
Increased cost of food. According to the statistics provided by the USDA Economic Research Service data, the percentage growth rate of food-away-from-home in 2015 and 2014 was 3.8% and 4.1%, respectively, compared to the average growth rate of 3.5% since 1970. Consequently, the prices of food have been rising recently.
Extra Cost Factors
Estimates in this study do not include any taxes or tips, which would raise the costs for dinner by about 20% (that is, $18 in Seattle and $24 in New York before tax). In addition, any extra costs from desserts, extra drinks, or even a second round of beer should be considered separately; therefore, such estimations are limited to only dinner costs. The choice of beverage (beer versus cocktails) can also play a major role in the estimation of total costs.
Drink Choice Impact
The choice of drinks can affect the cost. Our estimates are based on cocktails,s but other drink choices (such as beer or wine) may cost more or less than cocktails. In Seattle, for example, we found many restaurants serve locally brewed beer, so having draft beer instead of cocktails could increase or decrease the price, depending on the restaurant.
Restaurant Price Range
The difference is also much larger in the case of restaurants, particularly with respect to local restaurant pricing, where there can be a large variation based on location and eating preference. The least expensive restaurant in the list is the Il Borgo of San Francisco, whose prices range on average of $35 for two people. After that, the second least expensive restaurants from the rest are The Palace of India and Seiko Japanese Restaurant from Philadelphia, both priced on an average of $36 and $37, respectively. The most expensive restaurants from our list of sampled restaurants are Strip House Speakeasy from New York, priced on average at $223, followed by Lons at The Hermosa from Phoenix, with $199.
Methodology Notes
The study used the median (middle) rather than the average price to minimise the influence of outliers. It also only looked at restaurants that have full pricing listed on OpenTable, so the findings will be more reflective of mid- and high-end restaurants than low-end casual eateries.
Seattle Cost Advantage
To sum up, the bottom line for the residents of Seattle is as follows: going out on a traditional dinner-and-drinks evening at a full-service restaurant will cost you much less compared to similar evenings spent in such places as San Francisco or New York, approximately one-third and $33 less, respectively. For people who have chosen beer instead of cocktails, there is an additional advantage as a result of the growth of the craft beer industry in Seattle. The variety of beers in the Seattle pubs includes everything, starting from lagers and ending with local craft beers; therefore, it will impact the price. Even if you choose a cocktail or beer, both processes depend not only on price but also on Seattle culture.
