Quality v. Quantity v. Price

Photo © Rob Jones

Once upon a time you went to the seaside and you were lucky to get an ice cream from a van.

Then people saw the commercial possibilities of feeding the masses on the beach and Burger and Chips vans arrived.

Now there are gourmet horseboxes.

Which are lovely. And they serve the kind of food I would choose in a restaurant.

But they come with restaurant prices too. And that makes me sad. :-(

I’m sure they make perfect sense financially - everything is more expensive these days. Sadly my mental limits have not risen with inflation.

Free is fantastic.

Cheap is good.

Anything over £5 is pushing it - and let’s face it, where can you get a good snack or meal for £5 unless it’s been cooked yourself at home.

Over a tenner and I’m balking.

Over £20 and I’m choking, especially if you know that sides and sundries will probably be extra.

I have a great sense of unease if I leave a restaurant having parted with more than £25. Though I know this is the reality and the norm in London, if not a bargain.

In the end it comes down to ‘Was it good value, was it enough, and did you enjoy it?’

Sometimes a cheese and pickle sandwich with a bottle of pop on the beach is just fine.

R.