Scone and a coffee - how much is too much?

BattleCorp1 · 29-03-2022 10:49am

I haven't been to the Cashel Palace but here's a few points.

€15 is too much money for a coffee and scone in a Spar. You don't get jam, butter, cream, nice cups, saucers, plates, cutlery etc.

€15 is probably par for the course in an upmarket hotel. People have to realise that they aren't just paying for the scone and coffee. They are paying for the surroundings, the luxury etc.

If I was there, I'd be far more concerned with the poor service rather than the price.

Cyclingtourist · 29-03-2022 11:09am

Next there will be thread about 'how much is too much to pay for a pint of Guinness?' citing the Shelbourne or some other establishment. I buy the Financial Times at the weekends (good value at €4.50)which is chock full of advertisements for houses, watches, clothes, etc. at prices to make even someone's eyes water who occasionally browses through Brown Thomas.

I assure you there's a market for coffee and scones at €15 even among the Irish middle class.

Quitelife · 29-03-2022 11:30am

The amount of people who can afford to pay 15 euro for a tea ans scone is very limited especially in rural Ireland. A huge swathe of middle Ireland under pressure with Mortgages, Rent, Childcare, College costs certainly struggle. Id say quite a few middle ireland people that thought they might be able to go to this place for a meal or a night out have abandoned the idea.

Who could honestly pay 15 euro for a tea and scone and not feel somethings not right ? ...A few large Dairy Farmers , Hospital Consultants , local CEOs of companies , Tipperary's Drug dealers, RTE staff working remotely??

sporina · 29-03-2022 11:41am

true, price is more than about the tangible items - tis also about the service, surroundings/location, significance of the establishment.. etc..

have since read up on this - so the customer said the scones were tiny - when she queried it with staff she was told that they were standard size... seems they are homemade.. (wow).. artisan jams and clotted cream.. but they ate on garden furniture beside a busy car park.. so,. I guess they didn't feel that the experience reflected the price..

also, it was mother's day... but seems thats irrelevant

BattleCorp1 · 29-03-2022 11:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118850751#Comment_118850751

Yet many of them will be able to pay €15 for a box of fags or a bottle of wine. It's about priorities.

I don't mean to be harsh but if someone can't afford €15 for a coffee and a scone, then don't go to the Cashel Palace.

Are you seriously saying that unless you are a large dairy farmer, hospital consultant, local CEO, drug dealer or RTE staff member you can't afford €15 every now and again for a luxury?

It's all about priorities and what you want to spend your money on to give you a bit of pleasure.

Cyclingtourist · 29-03-2022 12:05pm

There's far more widespread examples of extravagance in Ireland, including rural areas, than €15 for a light snack. Just look at the weddings, first communions, women's hair salons, mark-up on wine in restaurants, cars.......It's not all down to big farmers, top barristers, RTE big-wigs, some of it's expenditure by school teachers, retirees, even the odd nurse or garda.

Quitelife · 29-03-2022 12:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118850826#Comment_118850826

Maybe your right i just cant afford it , myself and my wife both work and would be considered middle ireland but with college fees, mortgage etc we have no disposable income.

I gave up cigarettes ( which is a good thing) 5 years because i couldn't afford them any longer( not for health reasons) and have as good as given up going to the pub for the same reason .

Will we be here next year though with someone showing a receipt from this Cashel hotel saying 25 Euro for a plate of chips and some people saying its too much and others on about the surroundings as you eat the plate of chips??

dxhound2005 · 29-03-2022 12:33pm

Fancy hotels must hope they can afford a lot more than €15 for a scone. Otherwise who is going to occupy their €300 a night rooms. It's good to see them spending their money, instead of hoarding it.

Greyfox · 29-03-2022 3:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118850225#Comment_118850225

If you shop around it's easy to get good coffee and a decent bit of cake for €7 or €8. To be honest Scones are the rich tea of treats, as in they are a fairy rubbish are barely a treat. A scone and coffee is never worth €15

Greyfox · 29-03-2022 3:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118850826#Comment_118850826

It's not about what one can afford it's about a coffee and scone not been worth €15. I could easily afford €10 for a pint in Ireland but I'd never pay that much as it would be a rip off, charing €10 for a pint would be wrong.

Allinall · 29-03-2022 3:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852026#Comment_118852026

It's never worth €15 to you.

It may well be worth it to someone else.

BattleCorp1 · 29-03-2022 4:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852147#Comment_118852147

@Allinall sums it up perfectly. It's all about priorities. For you it's not worth it but others might be very happy to pay it.

Here's an example of how I learned about value.

Years ago I was in the pub with the lads. Some were drinking and some were playing cards for small enough money and taking it easy with the drink. One of my mates lost a tenner playing cards. I was never interested in cards and viewed my mate losing a tenner to be a complete waste. I pretty much told him so and that he could have gotten two pints for that tenner. He told me that he got more pleasure playing cards and losing the tenner than if he bought two pints with that tenner. He valued the game of cards more than he valued a tenner or two pints. Someone else might value the scones and coffee in a luxurious location more than they value €15.

Different strokes for different folks.

gmisk · 29-03-2022 4:14pm

It was three small scones...seemingly.. if that is better or worse who knows....

https://twitter.com/mcdigby/status/1508743912193724419?t=G7Or3MD9GM2wJKs3M10J5w&s=19

BattleCorp1 · 29-03-2022 4:26pm

🙄 🙄 🙄

Ah yeah. The economy is going to crash because the Cashel Palace charges €15 for a coffee and scone.

Overreaction much?

29-03-2022 4:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852253#Comment_118852253

I’m still not seeing the justification in pricing though- scones with jam and cream are a common request in hotels- you’d expect the price to be about 4-5 euro at most for a decent sized scone warmed through

funnily enough I was in the Cashel Palace hotel about 7 years ago and ordered 3 cream scones and 3 coffeesi don’t think the bill was any more than 20 euro .

29-03-2022 4:47pm

There was a discussion about it on Tipp FM this morning and the general consensus was that it was good value for a special treat. 3 scones, butter, clotted cream, jam, unlimited tea/coffee and no time limit.

BattleCorp1 · 29-03-2022 4:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852356#Comment_118852356

You are getting more than a Spar scone in a bag to take away. You are paying for more than the scone. You are paying for it to be served to you on nice plates, well presented with jam and cream etc. You are paying for the surroundings too. I'd imagine with that pricing they are going for a certain type of clientele.

I can afford €15 for a coffee and a scone but I wouldn't dream of doing it regularly. I could probably afford it every day but I'd consider it ~~too expensive~~ a waste to do it every day, but as a treat, in a nice place, yep, I could go for that.

It's like getting an €100 steak in the Shelbourne. Is it any better than a €30 steak in your local restaurant, probably not. But some are willing to pay extra for the surrounding and service and to have their tablecloth ironed before the meal is served to them etc.

29-03-2022 4:55pm

The greed in this country is something else.

dxhound2005 · 29-03-2022 4:58pm

This is how to eat a scone.

https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/how-to-eat-a-scone-properly/

29-03-2022 5:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852398#Comment_118852398

Rubbish - I’ve had cream scones and coffee in 5 star hotels in the last year and have never paid 15 quid a place for them - you’re not getting 3 standard scones you’re getting 3 small scones - I’m well aware what you’re served in hotels and the surroundings you dine - it’s rip off pricing - yes scones in a hotel is a treat but they’re never this expensive

Donald Trump · 29-03-2022 5:06pm

Has nobody asked the question "how little is too little"?

At least if the place charges exorbitant prices, it means I can enjoy my scones and tea in peace without fear of being surrounded by the rest of ye riff-raff.

And you can't really put a price on that!

😉

joe40 · 29-03-2022 5:12pm

A coffee and a scone is not essential so the max price is whatever people are willing to pay.

If a business can charge 50 euro for a scone and someone pays it fine by me.

I wouldn't pay more than a fiver personally, but these are business decisions.

BattleCorp1 · 29-03-2022 5:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852451#Comment_118852451

Might I suggest rocking down to Adare Manor and seeing if you can get a scone for a fiver? By the way, it wasn't €15 just for a scone (or three small ones), it was for the three small scones and a coffee. I'm guessing about €5/€6 for the coffee and €9/€10 for the mini scones.

Look, I'll agree with you that the price is expensive and does not suit everyone's pocket but people have the option of going somewhere cheaper. It's only a rip-off if you don't value the surroundings etc.

Greyfox · 29-03-2022 5:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118852485#Comment_118852485

You could say that about a pint of beer too. People don't charge €50 for a beer here as its understood that there's a general price range for common items like a beer. A coffee and scone are also a common items, theirs nothing special about a scone. People here are acting like clotted cream is the new caviar.

Quitelife · 29-03-2022 7:12pm

Cashel House ( mikey ryans) In tipperary looks like the dearest place in Ireland for a coffee and scone it seems at 15 Euro (16.50 with compulsory service charge).

13 Euros in the Four Seasons ( now Intercontinental) in Ballsbridge is the next dearest .

dxhound2005 · 29-03-2022 7:16pm

Very reasonable for afternoon tea as well.

https://www.intercontinentaldublin.ie/en/afternoon-tea-ballsbridge/

29-03-2022 7:31pm

Look, if you are cribbing about the cost of a coffee and scone, you are not the customer they are aiming or catering for. The type of people they want are the ones who don’t look at the price. If they have the clientele to sustain the business, fair does, one of the best advertising lines invented is “reassuringly expensive”. If you want a €3 coffee and a scone, make your own.

Quitelife · 29-03-2022 7:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853119#Comment_118853119

Their riding people with those prices, maybe you have loads of money but the vast majority dont . Maybe they should put up a sign - Super Rich only allowed in . Pure greed.

Where does it stop twenty euro for a pint? One hundred euros for fish and chips?

Cluedo Monopoly · 29-03-2022 8:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118844745#Comment_118844745

Ah I see, it's the Cashel Palace in Tipperary. Got it. 🙄

avfc1874 · 29-03-2022 8:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118847451#Comment_118847451

E2.30 for a 99.😲 Extra for sprinkles 😤😡

Grandeeod · 29-03-2022 8:15pm

In the industry I work in, I'm well used to this going back many years. I got caught out in the K Club in 2011. No choice but to dine on site. €15 for soup and brown bread. These kind of places just want to price it in a way that keeps certain kinds out amid their exclusive offering. I don't see the fuss. It's been like this forever.

29-03-2022 9:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853190#Comment_118853190

Their target customer is those who don't mind being ridden, not the vast majority of people. You are not their target customer, if you end up being ridden, it’s because you paid them to put the saddle on you, they are literally advertising the fact that they cater for the rich by charging what they do.

29-03-2022 9:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853258#Comment_118853258

Yip, I played golf there just after the Ryder Cup, they were charging around €350 pp, we were the only people on the course. When I asked why they didn’t charge less and have more players, the guy in the pro shop said they didn’t want a lot of golfers, they wanted the few who paid €350pp. Which is fair enough.

NSAman · 29-03-2022 9:52pm

If Little Tarquin and Tamara are kept out of the establishment and you can have a nice cuppa and a scone... thats worth the 15 quid..If you think its a rip off, then this is not the place for you.

If you have to ask the price you cannot afford it.

:)

sporina · 29-03-2022 10:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118850826#Comment_118850826

you can't compare the price of cig's with coffee and scones.. you can't get cig's lower in price unless you buy on the the black market or roll.. and its an addiction.. coffee and scones - not an addiction - you can pay muuuuuch less than said price here.. but the main this is, its not about whether or not she could afford it - just wasn't worth it - and didn't enjoy the surroundings or service either!

Cyclingtourist · 29-03-2022 10:34pm

The gubberment shud ban dis sorta ting.

Jinglejangle69 · 29-03-2022 11:17pm

Can’t believe this is making news.

Certain things are more expensive in certain places in every country in the world.

You want to stay in a 5 star hotel, everyone knows you pay more.

Its the most basic well known rule of consumerism.

You pay double the price in Super value than you do in Aldi…

Where’s the outrage????

The expression 1st world problems suits Ireland to a tee.

30-03-2022 2:48am

I thought scones with jam and cream was an english thing.

I eat my scones with butter. My local Lidl does delicious freshly baked scones in their own bakery for 39c each.

As an aside, was there a menu with prices displayed?

Because i know if I looked at a menu and saw coffee and a scone priced at €15 I'd be walking out the door.

(eta) I looked up the menu out of curiosity, and it gives prices for everything except scones, tea and coffee which is right at the bottom, served between 10:30 and 12.

freshpopcorn · 30-03-2022 3:10am

During the long weekend one of the big instagramers were in Cashel for the weekend and I was wondering why.

They've put a fortune into the place I'd say and they've to make there money back some way.

30-03-2022 4:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118854412#Comment_118854412

“eta) I looked up the menu out of curiosity, and it gives prices for everything except scones, tea and coffee which is right at the bottom, served between 10:30 and 12.”

Thats Mikey Ryan’s. Not The Cashel Palace.

This is The Palaces Menu https://www.cashelpalacehotel.ie/pdfs/The%20Bishops%20Buttery%20-%20%20Lunch%20Menu.pdf

https://www.cashelpalacehotel.ie/pdfs/The%20Bishops%20Buttery%20-%20Dinner%20Menu.pdf

30-03-2022 5:40am

The receipt says Mikey Ryan's.

Sgt Hartman · 30-03-2022 7:32am

I think €10 per person should be the very maximum price for a scone and coffee, even if it is really good quality, and in a place with a lovely view. €15 is a rip off unless you have more money than sense.

30-03-2022 7:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118854511#Comment_118854511

Hey, I think the maximum price for a new car should be €20k so lots of people can buy whichever one the want, but that don’t make it so. There could be lots of people who will pay €15 for a scone and coffee, so why should there be a max price to suit you?

breezy1985 · 30-03-2022 8:08am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853190#Comment_118853190

500e a night hotels like the Cashel Palace dont give a fk about the "vast majority". Also 20e pints exist and Ive seen it in a number of different places.

Quitelife · 30-03-2022 8:11am

I see they have cigars for 28 Euro after your food as well.

Finty Lemon · 30-03-2022 8:31am

Yes indeed, Cashel 'Palace', located beside a cattle mart in a small town. Plush.

Finty Lemon · 30-03-2022 8:32am

30-03-2022 8:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118854619#Comment_118854619

So what? A lot of the finest hotels are out in the country in the middle of farms, some are even in the sea. Do the guests sleep/eat in the mart or the hotel?