Misleading tricks restaurants use to boost your bill

Savvy tactics

There's no denying that running a restaurant is a difficult business. Once you've factored in all of the overheads, including taxes, staff costs and rent, it can be hugely expensive too, which is why many joints have had to get savvy with their profit-making tactics. From enticing loyalty schemes to eye-catching menu designs, we take a look at the smart, albeit sometimes deceiving, things restaurants do to boost your bill.

Read on to uncover 28 tricks restaurants use to make you spend more – counting down to the most common of all.

28. Handwritten bills

There’s a reason why your server scrawls a personal, enthusiastic message of ‘Thanks!’ on your bill – and why your receipt comes with a little sweetie for each person at the table. This personalisation often leaves guests with a feeling of warmth, finishing the meal on a good note and, in turn, encouraging a bigger tip.

27. The colour red

Even the décor plays a part in how much we spend in a restaurant. The colour red is said to engage and stimulate our senses, including our appetite, which is why a lot of restaurants and fast food chains opt to use the bright primary colour in their branding. Research has shown that the colour enhances our hunger and encourages us to eat more, faster – another key factor that restaurants use to turn tables more quickly.

26. Going big on carbs

While they can be extremely tasty when executed well, many carb-packed dishes (we’re talking cheesy pasta and thick-crust pizza) are incredibly cheap to produce, making them highly profitable for restaurants. Since the ingredients cost little to buy and are easy to make, the resulting markup can be substantial. If you aren’t in a dedicated pizzeria or old-school Italian joint where these dishes are carefully crafted, it’s worth ordering something else on the menu.

25. Free items for online reviews

If you've ever been enticed into a café by a sign featuring the words ‘free food this way’ (or similar), you’ll know you usually have to do something in return. Restaurants rely on good reviews online, and one way some joints tackle this is by offering diners a free incentive, such as a dessert or coffee on the house, in return for a Google review. So, if restaurants are essentially ‘buying’ reviews, how do you know if they're actually any good?

24. Not offering tap water

A good venue will offer you tap water, while a great one will filter its own on-site to reduce environmental footprint. Everyone else will encourage its servers to offer ‘still or sparkling water’, forcing diners themselves to request the third option, tap water, which we tend not to do for fear of looking cheap.

23. Out of drinks at the wrong time

Ever noticed how your table conveniently finishes a bottle of wine midway through a meal? Servers tend to top up your glasses frequently throughout your reservation, and it often seems as if they time it so that the bottle is emptied just before the main course arrives (or halfway through filling up everyone's glasses around the table) – thereby encouraging you to order another.

22. The use of smell

How many times have you wandered past Subway and been enticed in by the alluring smell of freshly baked bread? It’s hard not to be guided by our senses, and restaurants are sharp enough to know this. From the buttery pretzels scent of Auntie Anne’s to the signature French fry aroma at McDonald’s, restaurant chains can be recognisable from down the street thanks to a distinct smell. In fact, some restaurants even position their ovens near the entrance or bake goods during the day to encourage customers to come in. It’s all a marketing tactic to boost profits further.

21. Words not numbers

Some restaurants go above and beyond to encourage diners to spend more, and this comes in the form of smart menu presentation. As well as removing the currency symbol, you'll also find a few spots writing out the meal prices as words instead of numbers. Seeing ‘ten’ as the price further removes it from monetary reality, tricking the brain. Don't be fooled – you'll still need to pay at the end.

20. A raw deal for vegetarians and vegans

From cheaper cuts of meat to dishes that minimise the use of pricier ingredients (read: crab or fish cakes), those who eat meat and fish can get short-changed in a number of ways. But vegetarians and vegans tend to get the worst deal of all, with a significant markup on cheap ingredients. The likes of grain salads, cauliflower steaks and mushroom risotto can often come in at the same price as a rib-eye steak, despite being vastly cheaper to produce.

19. Loyalty schemes

From a free item when you reach a certain number of stamps to gaining points with every purchase, there are endless loyalty schemes out there these days, and they’re a great way for restaurants to encourage diners to return again and again. But would you actually go back as often if you weren't part of these initiatives? Some bigger chains even offer monthly subscription packages to entice repeat custom, and it's likely you'll end up spending a whole lot more money than you bargained for as a result.

18. Soft launch pricing

Often, when a new restaurant comes onto the scene, it will do so with what's known as a soft launch. This is essentially when a restaurant operates for a few weeks before ‘officially opening’; during this time (while the team is getting on its feet and the chefs are learning the menu), prices are usually heavily discounted. It’s a way of encouraging customers in and for word to get out. However, it’s important to remember that, while the meal may seem like good value for money during this period, the pricing will likely double the next time you visit.

17. Homing in on nostalgia

Look at any old-school restaurant’s menu and you’ll likely find a handful of dishes cooked according to ‘grandma’s famous recipe’ (or similar phrasing) – and nine times out of 10, it’s the item you end up ordering. Anything suggestive of family, tradition or nostalgia tends to generate a response, which is probably why restaurants across the globe use this marketing tactic. But who's to say it’s actually true?

16. Fluffy menu descriptions

Though some restaurants have taken to pared-back menu descriptions, many still rely on fluffy language to tell their customers about their dishes. This descriptive copy is usually around one or two lines long and comes loaded with adjectives informing the diners exactly what to expect and, most importantly, how delicious each item is. The longer the description, the more likely you'll fall for a simple ham and cheese sandwich you could have made at home for a fraction of the price.

15. ‘Enjoy a drink at the bar first’

If your reservation isn’t quite ready, it’s only natural to go to the bar while you wait, right? By the time your table is set up, you could be one or two drinks down before you’ve even ordered any food. Beverages are often marked up in price and can add a hefty amount to the bill, so if you’re keeping an eye on your budget, it’s better to arrive at the restaurant at the exact time of your reservation.

14. The second-cheapest bottle

The house wine is the cheapest and best-value bottle on the menu, but a lot of diners are embarrassed or sceptical about ordering it due to its price, so end up opting for the next one up. They shouldn't, though, as restaurants are wise to these thoughts and often mark up the price of the second-cheapest bottle to boost profits. You’ll likely find that this wine is less expensive to buy at wholesale than the one that's the most reasonable on the menu – and worse tasting.

13. Menu photos

While fine dining restaurants tend to avoid this one altogether, some establishments (often chains or cafés) opt to illustrate menus with eye-catching imagery. A selective use of photographs, usually a maximum of one or two per page, vastly increases the likelihood of us ordering the dishes in question. This move is a way to boost the profitability of certain offerings, so restaurants usually opt to show the house specialities.

12. Side dish overload

Side dishes, such as steamed vegetables, French fries and creamy mac ’n’ cheese, can make or break a meal, but it’s worth considering if they’re really worth it (or entirely necessary). These are often the menu items that are marked up in price the most. Given our tendency to over-order when dishes are ‘for the table’, offering an array of sides is a win-win for the restaurant.

11. The choice of music

Ever wondered why you love the ambience of a restaurant? Music likely plays a defining role. Classical music makes the space feel more sophisticated, justifying the higher prices and suggesting that a larger tip might be necessary. Meanwhile, studies have found that, when a restaurant plays higher tempo music, diners tend to eat faster, allowing the establishment to turn tables quicker.

10. Dropping the currency symbol

There’s a reason why many restaurants have taken to removing the currency symbol from their menus. It’s common practice in high-end restaurants, where the prices are usually a lot higher than your average joint, and – you guessed it – it's another way to disassociate the price from monetary value. It momentarily tricks your brain into thinking you’re getting a good deal, when in reality you probably aren’t.

9. Enticing deals

If you’re someone who loves a good bargain, it’s hard to say no to an alluring deal on appetisers or sides – but it’s worth weighing up if you'll actually be saving money. Some restaurants, for example, might list a selection of dishes available in a ‘three for £15 ($15)’ bundle, even though it's actually cheaper to order the items individually.

8. The rise of small plates

The modern trend for ‘small plate’ dining is not only sociable, but it’s incredibly convenient for restaurants. By deviating from a traditional three-course meal, this communal method encourages diners to over-order in fear of there not being enough for everyone at the table. Look at the prices of these types of dishes next time you dine out and you’ll realise how quickly the bill can add up.

7. Specials boards

Pinned to the top of the menu or handwritten across a chalkboard, restaurant specials can be an exciting way to try something different. While sometimes it may well be that the chef has experimented with new flavours, often you’ll find that these dishes are packed out with ingredients that are almost past their best or need to be used up. It’s best to be wary of restaurant specials, especially if an item doesn’t come with a clear price tag.

6. Burying prices

How many times have you selected a menu item because the price ends in .99, rather than a round number? More than you would probably realise. Known as charm pricing, this is a common tactic restaurants use, typically at bigger chains where they're trying to compete with other corporations. For example, when scanning a menu, your brain is more likely to associate £7.99 ($7.99) with £7 ($7) rather than £8 ($8), despite only being a penny less. This style of marketing tricks you into thinking you’re getting a better deal than you really are.

5. Odd-numbered portions

Sharing a few starters is a great way to get a taste of the whole menu, but it can often see you run into a few problems along the way – usually because of odd-numbered portion sizes. Four of you around the table, but the bruschetta only comes with three pieces? Just add another portion onto your order, so everyone can have a bite! Restaurants know how awkward dividing food can be, and your waiter is usually on hand to encourage you to order an extra appetiser to be on the safe side, ultimately making your bill slowly creep up.

4. Wine by the glass

Does ‘shall we have a glass each or go for a bottle’ sound familiar? If you look closely, the per-glass rate is usually marked up significantly compared to the cheapest bottle on the menu, so it’s more cost effective to go for the latter – especially if you end up ordering two or more glasses each. Opting for a glass could also mean you're served the dregs from an old bottle that’s on the turn.

3. Menu engineering

Ever wondered why your eyes are immediately drawn to a certain area of a menu? Well, there’s an entire industry dedicated to this. Menu engineering, also known as menu psychology, is a common practice that helps restaurant owners strategically design their menus to boost profits. The first step is choosing the ‘anchor spot’, a prime position usually at the top on the right – this is where our eyes are naturally drawn, so it’s often where you’ll find the restaurant’s most expensive items, thus enticing customers to look further down to find cheaper (and often more profitable) dishes.

2. Absurdly priced dishes

Blending psychological pricing and menu engineering together, many restaurants will opt to price up a select few items so that, in contrast, the others seem better value. Having a highly expensive dish is purely a decoy option; the restaurant doesn’t really expect you to order it, it simply serves the purpose of making everything else on the menu look reasonable in comparison, even when it might not be.

1. Menu structure

There’s a reason why many menus are printed centre-justified or in a deliberately random way. One thing restaurants want to avoid is ranking items based on price, so doing this makes it harder for customers to glance down the itemised list – and it prevents them comparing each dish based on price. Using subtle typography or colouration techniques when listing the prices (changing the text from black to grey, for example) is another common practice.

Now discover the foods you should NEVER order at a restaurant

Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.