Anyone notice the rapid decline in quality in just about everything post-pandemi

[Himu]

So many restaurants have gone to utter shit since the pandemic.

IHOP, a place I've been eating my whole life, has become complete and utter garbage. I'm not saying it was fine dining pre pandemic but now it's like the cooks they hire aren't even trying. Given I go to IHOP only twice a year as a treat to myself, this makes it even more disappointing.

Schlotzsky's no idea what happened.

Many places give smaller portions or it tastes like crap despite the price hike. You might even get sick.

All of this makes me glad so much of my eating is home cooked by your truly because it doesn't even seem like it's worth going to most restaurants these days.

It's not even just restaurants. Produce goes to crap fast now or is already doo doo when you pick it up. A bag of pototoes or oranges will look fine until they're rotting one day later. It's also basic things like trash bags. It's so rare now I get trash bags that can't bust which mostly wasn't an issue pre-pandemic. It feels like everythings quality has gone down.

[Himu]

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/23529587/consumer-goods-quality-fast-fashion-technology

[Nintex]

Yup, same thing happening here too. Some have improved a bit since opening but others are still complete garbage.
People are also running all kinds of scams even a high quality restaurant that I frequently visit reuse their bottled water and fill the bottles up again with tap water.
They used to open up the bottle at the table but now the bottle is already open when you get it and clearly reused.

On top of that shrinkflation is some bullshit. First the burgers I always buy got smaller and wouldn't even cover 3/4 of a single buns anymore, while before you could fit half a burger on 1 bun. Then they made the buns smaller too.
Packaging that used to last a month, now replaced by 'eco' packaging that only lasts 2 weeks and costs 50% more. Bullshit products like cleaning cloths, instant soup, baking paper or strawberry jelly of which there is no real shortage or supply issue have doubled or quadrupled in price.

[Himu]

I'm not talking new restaurants but old restaurants or chains that used to be pretty damn reliable.

[Nintex]

I'm not talking new restaurants but old restaurants or chains that used to be pretty damn reliable.

Yeah I meant reopening post pandemic.

Some opened up again and were garbage the first week (cut most of their menu to cut costs) and that has improved but overall quality is way worse on all fronts.

[Himu]

Well in USA where I am places didn't close for the panini and yet still horrible quality downgrades even compared to DURING the padowan.

[Pissy F Benny]

Part of the wider trend of the people at the top clawing back whatever profits they may or may not have lost during the demic, and our pathetic governments worldwide letting them do it.

What legitimate reason is there for a standard sized block of cheese costing £1.50 more than it did 18 months ago other than pure greed?

[benjipwns]

Part of the wider trend of the people at the top clawing back whatever profits they may or may not have lost during the demic, and our pathetic governments worldwide letting them do it.

What legitimate reason is there for a standard sized block of cheese costing £1.50 more than it did 18 months ago other than pure greed?

The long term devaluation of capital by those pathetic governments combined with the hit to the supply chains by the pandemic.

[remy]

I love the opaqueness of supply chain as a catch all term for businesses to justify whatever they want

[benjipwns]

I suppose we can either believe that everyone got uniquely greedy suddenly thanks to the animal spirits or whatever or we can alternatively believe that a quarter of massive disruption combined with another few months of extensive policy changes revealed the malinvestment hidden by years of suppressed interest rates that themselves have subsequently been allowed to rise. Demanding more central planning won't reduce prices, just decrease supply even more raising prices.

[team filler]

I avoid fastfood and eat at locally owned food vendors/restaurants when eating out.


I noticed the drop in chain restaurant food a long time ago. I had stopped eating out to save money when I lived in boise. did that for a long while and fastfood was never the same after.

[benjipwns]

Chains that aren't McDonalds, Yum Brands! or Darden Restaurants.

[Nintex]

I love the opaqueness of supply chain as a catch all term for businesses to justify whatever they want

Why did you oversleep?

Supply chain

[BIONIC]

Also a rapid decline in forum poster quality.

[Uncle]

also on the tech side



manufacturers realized "wait, people will be so desperate for anything that they'll be happy with any old shit they can at least get their hands on"

[james]

Theres a Brazilian place near that me would sell an incredible meat platter with sides.

Pre-pandemic, it was $18 and incredible.

Now it's $24. Ok. Except the meat is also half the size and clearly of lower quality.

I will pay more. Fine. But I'm not going to eat poor quality steak.

(I rarely ever eat steak anymore so when I do it better be good)

[Joe Molotov]

Likes are way down.

[team filler]

haven't had a quality like in months 

[Polident Hive]

Question how rapid the decline was when the pandemic came with this time altering field. Two to three years happened overnight. There's that meme image where the guy is nostalgic for three years ago, but three years ago he was nostalgic for six years ago. Like that but worse. I don't know.

Economy can't be that bad if Olive Garden continues offering its never ending soup salad and breadsticks package. Once that goes, we're 11:59 to midnight on the doomsday clock.

[BIONIC]

haven't had a quality like in months 

[headwalk]

i'm just happy we're still at the early stage where the aquaduct is a bit leaky and the hot spring baths costs a couple more denari.

[benjipwns]

Also a rapid decline in forum poster quality.

You drove everyone off with your alt-right capital-G Gamer posting.

[tiesto]

Noticed that in 2021-2022 that the restaurants got a bit more mediocre, however customer service went to the absolute shitter. Contractors not calling you back and leaving you hanging, waitstaff messing up the most straightforward requests (i.e. dressing on the side, or no cheese), just ruder people in general...

Restaurants at least have bounced back a tad in terms of quality, though prices are still steep.

[Snoopycat_]

I've noticed the quality of a lot of brands who moved their production to China have gone to absolute shit. Doc Martens. Legendary Whitetails. Levis.
I bought a Whitetails jacket off Amazon the other day. Cost £140. It looked like it came off some dodgy market stall. Sent it right back. A pair of Police sunglasses for £70. Cheap plastic shite. Looked like they'd come from a toy shop. Returned. The one good thing is Amazon have made it easier to return stuff. 

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Restaurants going to shit resulted in me almost entirely cooking my own meals now. Not only does the food taste better, it’s a lot cheaper, and don’t have to deal with other assholes. I work insane hours but now consider it a rewarding part of the day.

The Vox article is pretty good about the decline of things but that only explains part of the story.

[chronovore]

Quality is pretty good still in Japan, but shrinkflation is hitting alongside inflation. Companies have tried to keep their prices the same until 2 years ago bu lessening the volume of an item. Cookies are especially telling: Country Ma’am have reduced both their size and per package number over the years. Now we are hit with actual inflation, and the items remain in their lessened form.

Visiting the United States last few months, it definitely seemed like places were unable to hire enough staff, most likely due to bait and switch hiring tricks. Companies are trying to make up for “lost revenue,” when in fact we are all dealing with this historic setback.

[chronovore]

I avoid fastfood and eat at locally owned food vendors/restaurants when eating out.


I noticed the drop in chain restaurant food a long time ago. I had stopped eating out to save money when I lived in boise. did that for a long while and fastfood was never the same after.

You ever eat at The Hungry Onion, over towards Meridian? They were great.

[team filler]

I lived in meridian for a while too. I'm sure I ate there at some point but don't remember it. I mostly ate at whatever sports bar I was hanging out at to watch raider and laker games