Sneaky restaurant tricks: Ten to watch out for

Walletpop ^ | May 15, 2008 | Carol Vinzant

[PCBMan]

“Appetizer sales are down...”

You betcha. I’m not paying $8.00 for an appetizer.

[CodeJockey]

I'm at Wendy's the other day (at the drive in) and order the Hot & Spicy chicken combo. On the menu it has the price for $5.29. Order taker asks "medium or large combo" I say medium logically assuming those are the available sizes. She says the total is $6 and change.

When I get to the window I ask how can something $5.29 be over $6 with tax?

She says 5.29 is for the small, but they are told by management not to offer that as an option when taking an order. I told her I wanted the small.

[RockinRight]

"Americans have been kind of spoiled. We have supersized everything," Arthur says. "That's not necessarily the way it is in the rest of the world."

Yes, our portions are too large. But if I'm getting a smaller portion, I expect to PAY LESS for it.

[knittnmom]

liver and onions as old school comfort food?? Writer lost credibility right there!

[Manfred the Wonder Dawg]

From the article:

“People easily see the prices and start shopping by price. Price should be the last consideration. People on budget are going to do that anyway but you don’t want to force it on them.”

Anyone NOT living on a budget - regardless of how much money one has - is foolish.

[Vigilanteman]

One of the best tricks which isn't even listed works great for those all you can eat buffet places:

Have the wait staff constantly circulating to keep drink glasses full. Water, lemon water and ice tea are cheap, filling and great to push as healthy eating. Soda is even better because, even though it is more expensive, the carbon dioxide help customers feel full and leave sooner.

Even if the friendly drink pushers encourage people to stay longer, it will be to consume inexpensive liquids rather than expensive plates.

Best of all: There's no customer backlash because they love the added service.

[gate2wire]

Restaurant here charges $8.00 for a piece of cake.
Skip the appetizers and the desserts...

[MrB]

Arthur says. "That's not necessarily the way it is in the rest of the world."

Somebody needs to tell these people that we don't GAF about "the way it is in the rest of the world". This is America, we are different, we are, yes, EXCEPTIONAL.

[beaversmom]

They did this to me at Village Inn the other day. Dinner salad had 3 crutons, 4 pieces of grated cheese (literally) and no wedge of egg or tomato like they normally do.

[television is just wrong]

that writer has never had liver and onions. I hate it.

Comfort food consists of meat loaf mashed potatoes, macaroni cheese, and other things that most people actually like.

[beaversmom]

Skip the drinks too. I always get water.

[RockinRight]

Excellent point.

I’ve said before that I have no problem with restaurants serving smaller portions - it’s part of our obesity problem that portions are so big.

However, economics usually takes the lead and I can’t see spending only a dollar less but getting half the food for a smaller portion size.

[Ditter]

I stopped going to a cafeteria because they stopped selling calf liver and went to bull liver. OMG! I tasted that for 2 days afterward. BARF!

[rightwingintelligentsia]

That’s pathetic.

I go to a restaurant to eat, not just to experience the “ambience.”

[svcw]

Sometimes that is all we order.
Usually you can get the appetizer which is the same thing as a dinner but without the salad, soup and extras for half the price.
Went out to breakfast the other day and the menu said “we now make our omelets with medium eggs, healthy choice” yet they were charging the same price. (Oh yea only one piece of toast.)

[knittnmom]

Comfort food consists of meat loaf mashed potatoes, macaroni cheese, and other things that most people actually like.

Absotively! And chocolate - brownies, cookies, ice cream, whatever!

[knittnmom]

Way back in the olden days, Weight Watchers required liver once a week - my husband and I discovered chicken livers are actually palatable. Not delicious. Just palatable.

[gracesdad]

“This is America, we are different, we are, yes, EXCEPTIONAL.”

AND exceptionally large (yes, including me).