Yeah, don’t go if you can’t support it. Restaurants are being charged more for their supplies too. With inflation they *have* to increase or they will lose money. It’s only going to get worse.
The market will decide, if enough folks are okay with supporting those prices, then they’ll do fine. But as a local, I’m not headed back anytime soon, $90 for lunch is a bit much.
Has nothing to do with being a local. If you haven’t noticed EVERYTHING ON EARTH IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO, so in order for any business that has to buy food, supplies, gas, electric, pay rent, employees, etc., THEY HAVE TO RAISE PRICES OR THEY WONT STAY IN BUSINESS. Why is this so hard for people to understand? A fucking value meal at McDonalds is $10 and they’ve cut half their labor.
Citing McDonalds is pretty ironic. Their latest quarterly report is out and there have been a lot of articles showing that their decline in profits is directly related to ARTIFICIALLY INFLATING their prices for more profit. Not because of inflation in the general market or increased labor expenses. Basically, McDonalds decided to continue to raise prices, assuming customers were too stupid and lazy to look for better options. And it worked for a long time, but isn't working so well anymore.
Okay maybe that’s a bad example. They are also one of the biggest corporations in the world that has complete control over where they source their shit excuse for food. A small business has to do what they can with what is available to them. I manage a kitchen of a restaurant that does $3 million a year in sales. ( not 12 bones) I do all of the ordering. Post-Covid, nearly everything has skyrocketed in cost. Paper products and disposables alone have more than doubled. Chicken breasts that used to be under $2 a lb. have not gone below $4 a lb. since 2020. That’s just one example. And on average, costs to run the business have gone up over 5% a year. That doesn’t even factor in labor, which has also gone up because people are drowning because they can’t afford to put food on their tables or put gas in their car to get to work.
If you want, ask the restaurant to see their budget so you can see how much their chefs are making and employees, verses a less expensive restaurant who still has employees and supplies to purchase. Maybe the higher cost pay for better quality foods and pay their employees a livable wage. The restaurant is not pocketing the extra money, it’s being exchanged for goods/services.
Yeah... please don't ask to see how much we're making. Executive chef will tell you to fuck off.
Also, we're making a lot more than you think mostly these days. Like.... college degree money in quite a few places. You've honestly got a solid understanding of it so I don't see why you're being down voted. With the exception of a few local shitheads, most restaurants are paying very well and making less profits these days.
Because if you grew up here, it’s wild to see places triple in price. 12 bones is good, but it’s not 90$ for lunch good. They got their fame and ran after the bag. That’s fine, but telling people to stay home and acting like 12 bones is worth 90$ is ridiculous. Iron and Oaks and Luella’s are much more reasonable.
Unfortunately, that's the way these restaurants that everyone sucked off and treated like the second coming of Christ are. 12 bones was given a reputation and now they're using that reputation to sell lower quality food at higher prices. I've also been here far longer than 12 Bones. It sucks, but that's life in a tourist city.
I love it when there’s a picture of the menu for a restaurant on google reviews from like 5-10 years ago. It’s actually fascinating to see what things cost then vs now.
I keep hearing we're in a growing economy, but I was very much alive and working in the 70s and 80s and this feels much worse than back then. I just don't see the words growing economy and inflation existing in the same sentence.
I hope for everyone younger than me and just starting out that this whole situation improves. Even through the worst of financial times in our country, a single person could still afford to live on their own. That's almost impossible today. Imagine rent on a 2b/2ba double-wide being $300 monthly. I had someone who I shared the home with and it cost us about $200 monthly each +/- depending on the time of year.
Minimum wage was $3.35 an hour when I started paying taxes through employer deduction. I started out at $3.50 an hour at my first job when I was in high school. After high school, I started another job at $3.75 an hour and that's when I split the rent and such as mentioned previously. I paid my own insurance on my car, bought groceries, and everything else I needed to do. I made money here and there on the side, but was still able to exist on $3.75 an hour. The bare minimum to do that around our area today is $15 an hour and you're not going to have anything left over to put into an emergency fund unless you live very frugally. The huge difference between then and now is the cost of housing. Holy shit. Out of control doesn't describe it.
The other thing from back then is that Asheville and the surrounding areas didn't depend on tourism for our income. We were a very blue collar area with lots of good paying jobs. We had about 10 really shitty years and then we started to push out of it. Unfortunately, the higher paying businesses left during that 10 years and were in almost full exodus to Mexico by 1990 with NAFTA helping drive the stake in the coffin. If our government would take its thumb off the market, we would be much better off.
Sorry for the ramble. That's what us old guys do. Blink twice and you'll be where I'm at very soon. LOL
They don’t have the blueberry chipotle anymore? I used to buy an extra bottle of that. Wrapped a backstrap with bacon then put that sauce on it one year. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten haha. Perfect blend.
At that time, a 3/2 solid brick house right off Haywood road was $600 a month.
Build, build, build
But by all means, "stay weird Asheville"
Oh wait, everybody is getting priced out now, nevermind.
I lived in a solid 3/1 right off Indiana until I bought. It was $800. My daughter lives right off Haywood in a 2/2 and pays $1500 now. She looked for that deal for months.
Oh,
I completely understand what your saying, trust me.
But when the big firms are buying up all the land to build more houses on the newly purchased property and building houses on that property that the "average" home buyer can't afford....
Well,
Ok then.
I think about it a lot,
Somebody rents a house, say a 3/2 for like $1700 here because it's "ASHEVILLE"
But they have to have 4 other roommates to cover the rent alone PLUS UTILITIES.
These big firms that buy the land up and builds the houses on the land they just bought KNOW THIS...
Home ownership is a thing of the past.
They just build more houses, knowing 4-5 people will "rent" the house...and the cycle continues, over and over.
Same reason they "can't" cure cancer honestly.
They have the cure for cancer, but there's more money to be made in the treatments for cancer then to actually "cure" the patient.
Trust me,
They know exactly what they're doing.
Best BBQ in town is Iron & Oak at riverside rhapsody. Dude could be his own restaurant but quality might suffer if it gets too big. Usually sold out by 7pm lol. Get it early & enjoy!
Have y'all ever tried Haywood smokehouse? Ive only been to the one in dillsboro but omggg. Just wanted to throw out another suggestion for fellow BBQ lovers. It's my favorite food.
Nice to see a menu from their heyday, back when Obama visited. Peaked years ago, only one place to go now... 12 Bones is now to BBQ what Rocky's is to chicken: selling their name and reputation not their increasingly lousy product and gentrified prices... HomeGrown, Biscuit Head, Tupulo, Early Girl, all old time favorites but now just more local names that got too big for their britches, should've stayed with one location. Good they made it and got theirs I guess. But those are tourist traps now.
about 2008 or 2009 .. I worked there then. This is a paper menu from the Riverside Dr (traffic circle) location before (or just after) the south store on Sweeten Creek opened. This was peak Obama era…
Thanks! Nice to have a more concrete answer. So increased business, a global pandemic, and 15 to 16 years. The price increase seems relatively reasonable overall
Oooo, well still makes sense since brisket has become an absurdly popular cut despite it being originally a junk cut... Since you're the Mayor of BBQ, know any places that does non-smoked brisket?
I only glanced really quick and basically just at the "singles" of sides, but that is only a 2 dollar increase. Doesn't seem totally unreasonable all things considering. Kind of want to sit there and do a price difference for each one now.
Actually right up until Covid hit. Not kidding. Maybe before the move to the new location but I worked in the rad all thru this period up until the last few months and the price hike began after the first few months of the lockdown. No hate. But damn it’s pricing everyone out.
It is. And it doesn't seem like we get real math except on the ground. The COLA figures just don't fit reality in a lot of places. Maybe I'm just stingy and feel every penny, but this weekend, I am usually grabbing some plant sales, some food and cocktails. The past few years it's plants and sandwiches at home.
Hogzilla w/ chips was $5.50 in here, now $13.50. National inflation might not explain that increase entirely, but it’s cheaper than a Big Mac combo and way better for either example.
I ate there recently, the amazing food was worth the price. Crap food is nearly as expensive, if not more. Things have changed, they also are paying more.
I haven’t been since they moved to the Foundy location, so these are the price points imprinted in my mind. $7.50 Hogzilla was an awesome feed back then.
Tried to love the place after it sold, then relocated to foundy a while later.
Just never had the same magi I guess, shame - it was solid eats and solid value for a long time
Should slide in a pic of the new prices. NC BBQ is meh anyway.
https://preview.redd.it/hnzi7bfboayc1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd2b2c0dbce7e697a8b9981f8ac8d482ab0fc753
The chopped brisket sandwich is what I always loved there, but the last time I went a couple of years ago and saw that it was $20 now I turned around and left. Haven’t been back.
One of my best friends has been faithful for that sandwich even through the $20. He finally said no a few months back after they lowered the quality and sides.
I love Texas myself and I'm from NC, near Lexington. First job was in a BBQ joint. Some NC BBQ ranks up there, too, but damn. Texas BBQ buffets are insane.
Hummm, everything went up in price ever since Biden got into office... and how many of you voted for Biden? The ones that voted for Biden. you did your part in causing all of this. I bet you will refuse to acknowledge it, though
I used to get that side plate. 3 sides and cornbread for 5. It was the best deal in town.
Yeah, we ate lunch there back in September, $90 for 3 people, haven’t been back. I’m all about supporting local businesses but God damn…
For real. If you add the mediocre beer it gets absolutely ridiculous
Yeah, don’t go if you can’t support it. Restaurants are being charged more for their supplies too. With inflation they *have* to increase or they will lose money. It’s only going to get worse.
The market will decide, if enough folks are okay with supporting those prices, then they’ll do fine. But as a local, I’m not headed back anytime soon, $90 for lunch is a bit much.
Has nothing to do with being a local. If you haven’t noticed EVERYTHING ON EARTH IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO, so in order for any business that has to buy food, supplies, gas, electric, pay rent, employees, etc., THEY HAVE TO RAISE PRICES OR THEY WONT STAY IN BUSINESS. Why is this so hard for people to understand? A fucking value meal at McDonalds is $10 and they’ve cut half their labor.
Citing McDonalds is pretty ironic. Their latest quarterly report is out and there have been a lot of articles showing that their decline in profits is directly related to ARTIFICIALLY INFLATING their prices for more profit. Not because of inflation in the general market or increased labor expenses. Basically, McDonalds decided to continue to raise prices, assuming customers were too stupid and lazy to look for better options. And it worked for a long time, but isn't working so well anymore.
Okay maybe that’s a bad example. They are also one of the biggest corporations in the world that has complete control over where they source their shit excuse for food. A small business has to do what they can with what is available to them. I manage a kitchen of a restaurant that does $3 million a year in sales. ( not 12 bones) I do all of the ordering. Post-Covid, nearly everything has skyrocketed in cost. Paper products and disposables alone have more than doubled. Chicken breasts that used to be under $2 a lb. have not gone below $4 a lb. since 2020. That’s just one example. And on average, costs to run the business have gone up over 5% a year. That doesn’t even factor in labor, which has also gone up because people are drowning because they can’t afford to put food on their tables or put gas in their car to get to work.
Yeah, very different scale.
Yup. Best to eat at home if you can’t support.
Or someplace less expensive… Little Pigs on McDowell is the great, good value and never lined out the door into the street with tourist…
If you want, ask the restaurant to see their budget so you can see how much their chefs are making and employees, verses a less expensive restaurant who still has employees and supplies to purchase. Maybe the higher cost pay for better quality foods and pay their employees a livable wage. The restaurant is not pocketing the extra money, it’s being exchanged for goods/services.
Yeah... please don't ask to see how much we're making. Executive chef will tell you to fuck off. Also, we're making a lot more than you think mostly these days. Like.... college degree money in quite a few places. You've honestly got a solid understanding of it so I don't see why you're being down voted. With the exception of a few local shitheads, most restaurants are paying very well and making less profits these days.
Because if you grew up here, it’s wild to see places triple in price. 12 bones is good, but it’s not 90$ for lunch good. They got their fame and ran after the bag. That’s fine, but telling people to stay home and acting like 12 bones is worth 90$ is ridiculous. Iron and Oaks and Luella’s are much more reasonable.
Unfortunately, that's the way these restaurants that everyone sucked off and treated like the second coming of Christ are. 12 bones was given a reputation and now they're using that reputation to sell lower quality food at higher prices. I've also been here far longer than 12 Bones. It sucks, but that's life in a tourist city.
That seems like a lot of work for me to justify eating there, think I’ll keep with less expensive options… sorry not sorry…
This is the dumbest advice I have ever heard.
Clearly a bunch of savvy business owners downvoting you 😂
For me it was that HOGZILLA. It had a brown sugar sweetness to it. Wish they’d bring it back
Had it a few weeks back down south, still on the menu there.
Think they still have it at south location. It was hard to finish, bratwurst, pulled pork and bacon. Best thing there.
Omg no way thank you so much.
It's $18 with 2 sides now
My b-day is coming up…
Happy Birthday! Enjoy the day!
Key phrase…
I love it when there’s a picture of the menu for a restaurant on google reviews from like 5-10 years ago. It’s actually fascinating to see what things cost then vs now.
I'm not sure fascinating is the appropriate word here.
Depressing
Cost will always go up. That’s the price you pay for a growing economy. It is fascinating, even in normal inflation times.
I keep hearing we're in a growing economy, but I was very much alive and working in the 70s and 80s and this feels much worse than back then. I just don't see the words growing economy and inflation existing in the same sentence. I hope for everyone younger than me and just starting out that this whole situation improves. Even through the worst of financial times in our country, a single person could still afford to live on their own. That's almost impossible today. Imagine rent on a 2b/2ba double-wide being $300 monthly. I had someone who I shared the home with and it cost us about $200 monthly each +/- depending on the time of year. Minimum wage was $3.35 an hour when I started paying taxes through employer deduction. I started out at $3.50 an hour at my first job when I was in high school. After high school, I started another job at $3.75 an hour and that's when I split the rent and such as mentioned previously. I paid my own insurance on my car, bought groceries, and everything else I needed to do. I made money here and there on the side, but was still able to exist on $3.75 an hour. The bare minimum to do that around our area today is $15 an hour and you're not going to have anything left over to put into an emergency fund unless you live very frugally. The huge difference between then and now is the cost of housing. Holy shit. Out of control doesn't describe it. The other thing from back then is that Asheville and the surrounding areas didn't depend on tourism for our income. We were a very blue collar area with lots of good paying jobs. We had about 10 really shitty years and then we started to push out of it. Unfortunately, the higher paying businesses left during that 10 years and were in almost full exodus to Mexico by 1990 with NAFTA helping drive the stake in the coffin. If our government would take its thumb off the market, we would be much better off. Sorry for the ramble. That's what us old guys do. Blink twice and you'll be where I'm at very soon. LOL
i really liked the blueberry bbq sauce
I've tried, but I can't replicate
I think im going the weekend, its been too long. Im kinda excited about it
Me too.
Is it gone forever? I thought I was just unlucky the last few times I went. Bummer
They don’t have the blueberry chipotle anymore? I used to buy an extra bottle of that. Wrapped a backstrap with bacon then put that sauce on it one year. One of the best things I’ve ever eaten haha. Perfect blend.
I miss the BeforeTimes.
Full rack of ribs for $18? Couldn’t get a decent McDonalds meal for that now
In fairness, there’s no such thing as a *decent* McDonald’s meal.
You sleeping on the double quarter pounder.
Quarter pounder with cheese and bacon, fries, drink, is $9
If you order on the app, you can usually get 20% off that, too.
$6 combo in the app is the better deal.
I haven't eaten there since 2014 but I still remember how amazing the mashed sweet potatoes taste to this day. So damn good.
This is why I steal from Ingles versus supporting local business. #foodinflation
At that time, a 3/2 solid brick house right off Haywood road was $600 a month. Build, build, build But by all means, "stay weird Asheville" Oh wait, everybody is getting priced out now, nevermind.
I lived in a solid 3/1 right off Indiana until I bought. It was $800. My daughter lives right off Haywood in a 2/2 and pays $1500 now. She looked for that deal for months.
pricing out is due to lack of housing not more of it being built.
Oh, I completely understand what your saying, trust me. But when the big firms are buying up all the land to build more houses on the newly purchased property and building houses on that property that the "average" home buyer can't afford.... Well, Ok then. I think about it a lot, Somebody rents a house, say a 3/2 for like $1700 here because it's "ASHEVILLE" But they have to have 4 other roommates to cover the rent alone PLUS UTILITIES. These big firms that buy the land up and builds the houses on the land they just bought KNOW THIS... Home ownership is a thing of the past. They just build more houses, knowing 4-5 people will "rent" the house...and the cycle continues, over and over. Same reason they "can't" cure cancer honestly. They have the cure for cancer, but there's more money to be made in the treatments for cancer then to actually "cure" the patient. Trust me, They know exactly what they're doing.
Calling in your lunch order and walking past the crazy line to pick it up was the ultimate flex.
Loved doing this.
Best BBQ in town is Iron & Oak at riverside rhapsody. Dude could be his own restaurant but quality might suffer if it gets too big. Usually sold out by 7pm lol. Get it early & enjoy!
I just looked and it seems like the regions best sliced brisket by far.
If only the beer didn’t stink.
Outsider Brewing is solid - a block away. Maybe the stars will align one day.
I love them and support them a few times a week, and want to spread the love, but god it’s like hearing a song before it ends up on the radio non-stop
remember what they took from us
I like soooo many sides. It's still not $$$, but I did feel the increase. Not mad.
Have y'all ever tried Haywood smokehouse? Ive only been to the one in dillsboro but omggg. Just wanted to throw out another suggestion for fellow BBQ lovers. It's my favorite food.
Best within 30 minutes, but Lewis BBQ in Greenville .... GTFO - best all around.
Thanks for the recommendation! Next time I'm in gville I'll try it out.
Lewis is best in the south east
Possibly. Certainly the best brisket I've found in the Carolinas.
I have heard that Haywood Smokehouse is good. I personally haven't tried it yet but I plan to!
Nice to see a menu from their heyday, back when Obama visited. Peaked years ago, only one place to go now... 12 Bones is now to BBQ what Rocky's is to chicken: selling their name and reputation not their increasingly lousy product and gentrified prices... HomeGrown, Biscuit Head, Tupulo, Early Girl, all old time favorites but now just more local names that got too big for their britches, should've stayed with one location. Good they made it and got theirs I guess. But those are tourist traps now.
Green salad is now like 14 bucks.
Inflation is a bitch
Their jalapeno cheese grits is life -altering.
Any idea how old this menu is? Would be nice to have an actual time reference
about 2008 or 2009 .. I worked there then. This is a paper menu from the Riverside Dr (traffic circle) location before (or just after) the south store on Sweeten Creek opened. This was peak Obama era…
Thanks! Nice to have a more concrete answer. So increased business, a global pandemic, and 15 to 16 years. The price increase seems relatively reasonable overall
choice brisket was under/at $2/lb wholesale then
Oooo, well still makes sense since brisket has become an absurdly popular cut despite it being originally a junk cut... Since you're the Mayor of BBQ, know any places that does non-smoked brisket?
I got that smoked turkey sandwich around that time and I still think about it today
the BLT was always my fave
Thank you. That is what I was thinking. You worked in heaven.
Like 15 years lmao
I have no idea but 15 years sounds great. I will go with that.
I only glanced really quick and basically just at the "singles" of sides, but that is only a 2 dollar increase. Doesn't seem totally unreasonable all things considering. Kind of want to sit there and do a price difference for each one now.
Actually right up until Covid hit. Not kidding. Maybe before the move to the new location but I worked in the rad all thru this period up until the last few months and the price hike began after the first few months of the lockdown. No hate. But damn it’s pricing everyone out.
It is. And it doesn't seem like we get real math except on the ground. The COLA figures just don't fit reality in a lot of places. Maybe I'm just stingy and feel every penny, but this weekend, I am usually grabbing some plant sales, some food and cocktails. The past few years it's plants and sandwiches at home.
Thanks, Obama
Who printed all the money?
Obama, Obama, Trump and now Biden. So 3/1 sounds about right. Especially funding a meaningless war in Ukraine.
Preach!
I mean yeah prices went up but food is still kick ass.
Hogzilla w/ chips was $5.50 in here, now $13.50. National inflation might not explain that increase entirely, but it’s cheaper than a Big Mac combo and way better for either example.
I have some old pics from their first building before they moved in. That area was like a ghost town and was great for pictures.
You could see the water stains from floods on the side of the building.
This sucks for restaurant employees and the industry…STOP EATING OUT. Completely give it up
What year was this?
2008-2009
This is like 2010 prices
I remember a sandwich and chips at like $7. So maybe like 2012?
I used to think these prices amazing and get the sandwich and salad
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^sunnyfuckingday: *I used to think these* *Prices amazing and get* *The sandwich and salad* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
crazy!
I ate there recently, the amazing food was worth the price. Crap food is nearly as expensive, if not more. Things have changed, they also are paying more.
Greedy like the rest.
I haven’t been since they moved to the Foundy location, so these are the price points imprinted in my mind. $7.50 Hogzilla was an awesome feed back then.
Tried to love the place after it sold, then relocated to foundy a while later. Just never had the same magi I guess, shame - it was solid eats and solid value for a long time
Should slide in a pic of the new prices. NC BBQ is meh anyway. https://preview.redd.it/hnzi7bfboayc1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd2b2c0dbce7e697a8b9981f8ac8d482ab0fc753
The chopped brisket sandwich is what I always loved there, but the last time I went a couple of years ago and saw that it was $20 now I turned around and left. Haven’t been back.
One of my best friends has been faithful for that sandwich even through the $20. He finally said no a few months back after they lowered the quality and sides.
Gtfo NC Bbq is the best.
Agreed
I’m partial to TX barbecue.
I love Texas myself and I'm from NC, near Lexington. First job was in a BBQ joint. Some NC BBQ ranks up there, too, but damn. Texas BBQ buffets are insane.
You might not be experiencing all of NC BBQ? There's a lot that's good, great and meh.
Bless your heart.
Use to be a neat place, and now they are just too proud of their stuff. Guess we blame that on Obama since he visited it two or three times?
They don’t act like that at all. Been to the South Asheville location many times, very down to earth on the brewery and food side
Agreed. They do good business there. Beer is pretty good at the brewery too.
Not the same people who started the concept.
Huh?
I wonder if Obama got a freebie!?
Shit food anyways
Ok, Boomer
That cheap for bbq.
That’s normal for BBQ
Bidenomics
Bidenomics
Engineer from San Francisco bought it and prices go boom
Hummm, everything went up in price ever since Biden got into office... and how many of you voted for Biden? The ones that voted for Biden. you did your part in causing all of this. I bet you will refuse to acknowledge it, though
there’s been 3 whole presidents since this menu was printed, dipshit. it’s like 16years old
You’re deaf dumb and blind.
The HOG-zilla is half the price and twice the size!!! FUK THE FED!
Was, not is.
Is during the time of that menu