Chinese School - Average restaurant meal in London: $79

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WORLD / Europe

Average restaurant meal in London: $79

(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-13 07:16

LONDON: Getting hungry can cost one dearly in London, now the most
expensive city in the world for dining out, research showed Wednesday.

The dubious distinction belonged to Tokyo last year but it has slipped
into third place behind London and Paris, a survey by Zagat restaurant
guides revealed.

An average meal, including a drink, tax and service for London diners
runs to $79.44 per person, up 2.9 percent from last year.

A roughly equivalent meal would cost $71.93 in Paris and $71.38 in Tokyo.

Eating out in the United States is a relative bargain, leaving New York
City diners only $39.25 out of pocket. In Los Angeles, people could
expect to pay $31.78 for the same.

"It's astonishing to see how expensive the London dining scene has
become," said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey, which published its 2008
London Restaurants guide yesterday.

"But as indicated by this survey, the city still offers many great
values, both in terms of quality and price," he added.

London residents are less likely to eat out, visiting restaurants 2.5
times per week, compared to 3.6 times for those in Tokyo or 3.4 times in
New York. Zagat suggested that London's high costs could explain the
difference.

Restaurant inflation at the upper end of the spectrum has been especially
severe in London. An average meal at the city's 20 most expensive
restaurants hits diners to the tune of $168.65, 6.1 percent higher than
last year.

But these first-class venues were still cheaper than their peers in Tokyo
and Paris, where meals cost on average $209.22 and $205.62 respectively.

The findings come from about 300,000 surveyors working in 80 cities
around the world. They rate restaurants for their food, decor, service
and estimated cost.

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