11 Tricks Restaurants Use To Make You Spend More Money

Leo Benson wrote:

Yes, I read it. $1.69 for a cup of tea. that's reasonable. I'd prefer to have a small pot of green tea but I'd expect to pay $3-$5 for that (if it holds more than 1 cup). $1.69 is about what McDonald's hot water plus 1 tea bag would cost.

never ordered McDonald's tea but I just had a small coffee for 69 cents. that local Chinese restaurant charges about $8.00 for the meal which includes the pot of tea, if they tried to charge $13.00 for it they would go out of business. Perhaps gouging customers is common and accepted in CT but not so everywhere else in the country.
Perhaps if all CTans would just say no and order water instead how long the gouging would last.
bumpy

In May we ate at a recommended restaurant, in NC. Ordered tea. When it came to the table it didn't taste like tea. When waitress eventually returned, I asked her about it as I was informed that it was brewed.
They had bought the restaurant a few years before and were still trading on it's reputation.
She said we use to but it got to be too much trouble as they had too many Customers. They sold a Coca Cola product out of the same machine as soft drinks. I had her take it back. The charge was 2.40 for tea. I discovered I had been charged for it anyway after we left.
Many places charge more than 2.40 for tea or coffee.
What we have experienced is happening all over. Someone buys a restaurant and trades on its reputation until they have exhausted its reputation for fine food.
i padi something like 25.00 for a steak at the same place. It was supposed to be prime. It was the worse excuse for steak in a long while. It was aged, no doubt, while frozen from some time last year perhaps. The salad was miniscule and prepackaged. The dressing was in little palstic containers they had half filled from plastic jugs, made in China perhaps and disgusting. I have never liked plastic flavored or aged in plastic anything.

Bumpyroad wrote:

Leo Benson wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

magnusfide wrote:
Thought this was interesting.
http://www.businessinsider.com/restaurant-menus-spend-more-money-2014-7

a lot of talk and no mention of the biggest theft at a restaurant, charging for drinks. one Chinese restaurant charged $1.69 for hot tea, and it was just hot water with one tea bag. ordered water there ever since. unless it is included in the price, it is always only water for me.
bumpy

That's a reasonable price for a cup of tea. A business uses cost accounting to allocate a percentage of all manner of overhead or cost to a unit so for instance it might reflect the price of the tea cup, the dishwasher that washes the cup, a fraction of the water bill, the waiter, the bus boy, etc. And part of the pricing is what the market will bear. no drink around here is under ~$2.50.

did you read the part where it was a cup of hot water and a tea bag? I wouldn't have minded so much if it would have been like most every other Chinese restaurant that I have eaten at that gives you a metal tea pot full of already made tea. but you are certainly correct, it is what the market will bear. $1.69 is not a reasonable price for a tea bag and hot water IMHO. I have my free glass of water, they lost some money they could have earned if they would have provided a decent cup of tea.
bumpy

Yes, I read it. $1.69 for a cup of tea. that's reasonable. I'd prefer to have a small pot of green tea but I'd expect to pay $3-$5 for that (if it holds more than 1 cup). $1.69 is about what McDonald's hot water plus 1 tea bag would cost.

Dog Folks wrote:

Super_Dave wrote:
Going out to eat fits in our budget under the heading, "Entertainment". I expect to pay more for my food and drink but if the food is good and the overall experience was enjoyable, everyone is happy. It's kind of like buying a musicians CD for $15 or going to their concert for $75.

X2. When I go out, within reason, I don't worry prices. I certainly do not worry about tea costing $1.69. If I want tea, I will pay it.

If the shrimp cocktail is $6.75, and I want to eat shrimp, I will buy it.

It is all part of the experience and I will not lessen it by worrying about prices. I will be frugal at another time, in another place.

Make that X3

I worked hard to earn enough money to enjoy a few things in life.
And I therefore enjoy........heartily

NYCgrrl wrote:
LOL, I'm loving the use of the term "quality control" as a marketing ploy. I'll never forget learning that franchising was the future for most of the country's eateries back in hotel and restaurant mgmt college in the early '80's. Growing up in NYC this seemed impossible. Lo and behold, NYC now has a coupla Red Lobster's, one Olive Garden and more TGIF's than I care to count. My prof really did predict the future and I'm sorry for doubting him.

Oh and back in the Stone Age restaurant quality control meant ensuring a plate went out with all the sides, un burnt food, etc. Got to love Mad Avenue. In some establishments it was an actual kitchen position that paid a living wage.

My life is simple when it comes to restaurants. If a refrigerated comvoy of tractor trailers delivers the food around the back......I'm not eating there if I can help it. Sorry about that Cracker Barrel, Mickey D's, P. something Chang, RL, et al. You lost my money decades back and my body thanks you.
Errrrrrrr but if only I could bypass a White Castle's.......

Agree completely. There are still a few places that make fresh mashed potatoes from real potatoes. They're getting fewer everyday though.

LOL, I'm loving the use of the term "quality control" as a marketing ploy. I'll never forget learning that franchising was the future for most of the country's eateries back in hotel and restaurant mgmt college in the early '80's. Growing up in NYC this seemed impossible. Lo and behold, NYC now has a coupla Red Lobster's, one Olive Garden and more TGIF's than I care to count. My prof really did predict the future and I'm sorry for doubting him.

Oh and back in the Stone Age restaurant quality control meant ensuring a plate went out with all the sides, un burnt food, etc. Got to love Mad Avenue. In some establishments it was an actual kitchen position that paid a living wage.

My life is simple when it comes to restaurants. If a refrigerated comvoy of tractor trailers delivers the food around the back......I'm not eating there if I can help it. Sorry about that Cracker Barrel, Mickey D's, P. something Chang, RL, et al. You lost my money decades back and my body thanks you.
Errrrrrrr but if only I could bypass a White Castle's.......

Rice wrote:

kcmoedoe wrote:
How the heck old are you that drinks were not an extra cost? Never in my lifetime.

I've seen Mexican restaurants in Texas that include iced tea in the price of lunch.

the main Chinese restaurant that I eat at does not charge extra for the pot of tea. there portions are so large that I make two meals out of one lunch.
bumpy

kcmoedoe wrote:
How the heck old are you that drinks were not an extra cost? Never in my lifetime.

I've seen Mexican restaurants in Texas that include iced tea in the price of lunch.

Leo Benson wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

magnusfide wrote:
Thought this was interesting.
http://www.businessinsider.com/restaurant-menus-spend-more-money-2014-7

a lot of talk and no mention of the biggest theft at a restaurant, charging for drinks. one Chinese restaurant charged $1.69 for hot tea, and it was just hot water with one tea bag. ordered water there ever since. unless it is included in the price, it is always only water for me.
bumpy

That's a reasonable price for a cup of tea. A business uses cost accounting to allocate a percentage of all manner of overhead or cost to a unit so for instance it might reflect the price of the tea cup, the dishwasher that washes the cup, a fraction of the water bill, the waiter, the bus boy, etc. And part of the pricing is what the market will bear. no drink around here is under ~$2.50.

did you read the part where it was a cup of hot water and a tea bag? I wouldn't have minded so much if it would have been like most every other Chinese restaurant that I have eaten at that gives you a metal tea pot full of already made tea. but you are certainly correct, it is what the market will bear. $1.69 is not a reasonable price for a tea bag and hot water IMHO. I have my free glass of water, they lost some money they could have earned if they would have provided a decent cup of tea.
bumpy

Golden_HVAC wrote:
Ever notice that the soup can be eaten in about 10 spoonfuls? Or at least it seems that way? Restaurants have special bowls, that are extra thick, so that the outside it might look like a huge bowl of Clam Chowder, but the inside is only a few ounces.

Yes I enjoy a larger plate full of food, afterall I am 6'4" tall, and can put away more food than my 5' tall kids do. I don't mind paying $15 - $20 for a good sized helping of food, and the kids and wife get to take home leftovers. It is those places with $8 plates and tiny portions that I don't go visit anymore.

Sure they make a lot off of the drinks. $1.99 - $2.59 for a soft drink! The cost is tiny, with the ice actually costing more to make than the soda to produce! Soft drink syrup is mixed 14:1 with water making up 14 parts. Then ice typically is about 20% of the total serving capacity.

Fred.

I have traveled all over the country for work and eaten out all over, and can honestly say I've never seen tableware such as you're describing.
And the food in Europe? higher priced, smaller portions- but-- rarely an overweight person to be seen. I think we expect, and eat, too much food. I would rather have smaller portions of fresh, inventive, excellent food that a plateful of whatever.