I live in Seattle and think you are using outlier places to prove an incorrect point. You are also not favoring in alcohol prices.

It is legitimately expensive to go out to places here. I just pay it because I can, but to act otherwise is burying your head in the sand.

Hey no totally I agree, 15/sandwich is so much more than I remember and 12/drink is nuts. With inflation and cost of living here it’s like double what I remember from 2018 ‘burbs. I’m not trying to say it’s necessarily cheap.

But as someone lucky enough to be able to eat out almost every day at a variety of restaurants I have no trouble staying under 35/person without drinks. That place is not an outlier.

And like, fancy cocktails are nice but I don’t think you can say that it’s impossible to go out and do anything without spending $500 like OP claimed.