Results tagged “credit crunch” from Birmingham Mail - Restaurant Spy

With the recession officially declared, times are officially hard. As though anyone needed telling.

In the spirit of the age, the Birmingham Mail will be offering information and advice on how to save money.

Eatng out is, of course, a luxury. Likewise glugging wine.

But starting next week, our Food + Drink section each week will offer tips on the best bargain eats and drinks.

Eating out is one of life's luxuries - increasingly so in these credit crunched days.

So starting next month we at the Birmingham Mail will be passing on information and tips on how readers can save money.

In the the paper's Food and Drink section each Thursday, for instance, we'll be highlighting some of the great meal deals that are available plus drinks bargains.

Let us know of any cracking restaurant or pub offers so we can pass them on.

Meanwhile, to get you in the mood, look out for a great burger offer in tomorrow's Mail.

I ate with a friend at a city centre restaurant last night and, within an hour, we were the only customers there.Passing by another often busy city centre restaurant at around 10pm, I saw that it was empty apart from the staff.

I've not noticed any significant fall-off in trade at other restaurants I've visited recently, but last night set me wondering whether the credit crunch had really started to bite. Or maybe it's just that the holiday season is kicking in.

Either way, these are hard time for the trade.

One chef told me his bill for ingredients has risen sharply. Likewise for drinks. But he daren't pass on the cost to customers for fear of driving them away.