Restaurant gimmicks to watch out for

So, you’re investing your time in going out to eat, you would expect to get what you may find to be “normal” but some restaurants are trying to scrimp and save during the recession just as much as you are.

Smart Money has some of the things that restaurants are starting to do to grab a few extra dollars from their patrons these days. You really have to watch out for some of these.

1) “The bread isn’t free.” How many times have you gone to an Italian restaurant and gorged yourself on the free bread? There is a restaurant near where I live that has a delicious basil bread that has always been complimentary with the purchase of a meal. However, some restaurants are starting to charge for these little extras. I have not personally seen one restaurant begin charging for bread when it used to be free, but I suppose there is a first time for everything.

2) No more tap water. When I go to a restaurant and try to order a Diet Coke and they say “Is Diet Pepsi ok?” I let out a sigh and say “I’ll take a water.” The truth is, by asking for water I’m not only saving myself from having to drink a poor excuse for a diet soda, but I’m also typically saving myself from paying $2.50 for a fountain drink; water is free. Well, this may not be the case at some places. Some restaurants are now charging for bottled water instead of offering tap water. With the markup on bottled water, who can blame them?

3) Ingredient swapping. Some restaurants pride themselves on the quality of food they use. However, when prices are clearly marked on the menu, it can be difficult for some restaurants to get the same ingredients when the prices fluctuate. The article says that there was a chain restaurant that decided to switch its scallops with cod. It did not list which restaurant chain it was or if the change was posted on the menu.

4) A la Carte Sides. I have begun to also notice when a restaurant offers its menu “a la carte” they are typically going to be making more money off of you than if they offered the menu with an entree and a side for one price. When you’re paying $5-$6 for a side of steamed broccoli, the restaurant is making a good bit of money off of you.

5) Restaurants that offer deals (like 2 meals for $20) are giving smaller portions sometimes. I haven’t noticed this at Chilis with their 3 courses for $20 special. I did notice that if you order the Queso as an appetizer the cheese is a bit watered down, but other than that the entrees and desert seem to be regular sized.

6) One that I personally noticed that isn’t on the Smart Money list is a restaurant’s use of bottled sodas. Chris and I ate at Texas de Brazil once without knowing their “soda policy.” This was a year or so ago. We both ordered Diet Coke and they brought it to us in a little glass bottle. I thought, “Oh, how cute.” Well, cute typically equals expensive. In this case, every single bottle of Diet Coke was $2.50.

These tips aren’t limited to restaurants, grocery store brands are using these tactics and have been for years. I’m sure everyone has noticed their favorite items getting smaller, but also getting more expensive at the store.

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