Dining costs drop in New Orleans

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Dining costs drop in New Orleans
November 28, 2010
NorthJersey.com

New Orleans diners got more than good food this year, they also got a price break.

According to the latest Zagat Survey, the average cost of a meal in New Orleans has dropped for the first time in a decade, from $28.52 in the last survey to $28.36 this year.

Not a huge drop, but enough to rank the Crescent City as the nation's most affordable dining-out locale, well below cities like New York at $42, Chicago at $37 and Los Angeles at $35.

New Orleans is also below the national average of $35.37.

Zagat surveys customers and rates restaurants on a 30-point scale, on food, decor, service and cost.

The survey found, however, that diners were not happy with the service at many of the city's restaurants, with 75 percent complaining about it. Despite that, New Orleans diners ranked as the most generous, leaving an average tip of 19.7 percent, compared with the 19.2 percent national average.

The latest survey cited several restaurants for the first time, including Eiffel Society, Sylvain and the new Bouligny Tavern, which provide comfortable cuisine for diners, while upscale arrivals include Creole-French eats at the latest location of Dominique's and Feast.