Sneaky restaurant tricks: Ten to watch out for

Walletpop ^ | May 15, 2008 | Carol Vinzant

[gracesdad]

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

Liver and onions. Yum. Chicken livers with bacon, onions and mushrooms. Yum.

[weegee]

Dessert sales can almost disappear,"

They try to sell a desert portion "big enough to share" starting at $5. Been this way for some time.

[weegee]

You are spoiled! You want to be able to order your cake AND to be able to EAT it too!!!

[Kozak]

MMMMMM.Liver and onions, with a side of creamed spinach.
That’s comfort food for me.

[GulfBreeze]

I like liver and onions.

[weegee]

A salad bar can be the serving site of last resort for cheese or vegetables that are about to turn. See lots of chili? It may be a disguise for leftover hamburger.

Board of Health would have something to say about using past date foods.

[weegee]

Often the signature dish may not be all that profitable. But a pasta dish can offer a low cost for the eater and a drastically lower food cost for the restaurant. Arthur recommends restaurants look to add low cost, high margin dishes. In other words, it's better for them to make $2 off a $12 entrée than to make $2 off a $25 dish -- even though making the $25 dish may be more fun.

It used to be called spaghetti for 75 cents, now it is called PASTA for $10 a plate ~ Michael Savage

[mysterio]

I stopped eating out very often after gas and energy prices became obscene.

[weegee]

Right, I still see restaurants selling upsize portions (no half order available) so they can charge more. I go to these places maybe once every couple of months now and generally take some home.

[knittnmom]

I suppose it takes all kinds! ;-)

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I’m with you. Liver and onions done properly is a great meal. Love the chicken livers too.

(I’m also the father to a Grace, as well.)

[RockinRight]

My wife and I have spent a small fortune eating out the last few weeks - but as soon as we have a kitchen countertop (we ordered it...it should arrive next week) we plan to cook at home a lot more! At the moment, we have no sink or countertop making cooking difficult.

[Freedom Dignity n Honor]

I totally agree with both of you.

We lead, we don't follow. As a whole, we are for good, not evil. We believe in succeeding, not submitting.

Long live the United States!

[RockinRight]

Even those that offer a half order don’t CHARGE half for it. If it’s a $12 dish they may knock off $3, not $6 - it’s more economical to order the full and take some home.

[netmilsmom]

>>I stopped eating out very often after gas and energy prices became obscene.<<

Exactly. For the 60.00 I’m spending at Applebees for my family of four, I can go to Sams Club and get some really nice steaks, potatoes and salad. For three days.

[mysterio]

Yeah, it would be tricky to cook with no kitchen counter!

[investigateworld]

Took a crew into Burger King yesterday. They have a $6.99 “Indy” Burger. Really not impressed :^(

[PurpleMan]

Sneaky tricks? Like these are something new?

Anybody who has been in the business knows that you do these things to run a profitable business. That’s WHY you’re IN business. Sheesh.

[knittnmom]

I know there are people who like L&O, I just don’t understand it! ;-)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I was at a “causual dining” restaurant once with my daughter when she was about ten. She ordered an apple juice and what they brought her was at least half water. If they had mixed in a couple of tablespoons of sugar with it, she probably wouldn’t have noticed.