15 Restaurant Scams, According To Food Industry Workers

From Redditor u/KNessJM:

I worked at an independent pizza place. We sold basic Italian food too. Two decent chefs could make good food, but the owners forced us to serve frozen food for two dishes, like lasagna and something similar I cannot recall.

I was a prep cook. I prepared this food daily. We opened the frozen food box, cut portions, put them on a plate, and froze them. When someone ordered it, the cook microwaved it. These were $6-7 menu items. They waited ten minutes after the order returned to microwave the food, making it look like they spent time preparing it. We felt embarrassed working there.

From Redditor u/nkdeck07:

I calculated the profit per cup of coffee. It came to about 90% of the cost.

From Redditor u/giveyouazerbert:

My friend works at a donut shop inside a big box store.big box store] Buying donuts there is a huge rip-off. One doughnut costs almost a dollar. You could walk twelve feet and buy a dozen for $3.50. The doughnuts are the same because they come from the same truck.

From REdditor u/TheDukeAtreides:

The steakhouse I work at won state awards for our "hand cut chips." Every morning, I open a bag of frozen potato slices and drop them in the fryer. They taste good. We top them with bleu cheese dressing and crumbles. Our Kobe meatball appetizers also have many regular hamburgers. Kobe beef costs a lot.

From Redditor u/advicevice:

I managed the kitchen for an "Italian" restaurant when I was young. Lasagna gave the highest profit margin. I made twelve pans in one day; that stock would feed two restaurants for a week. Normally, I portioned it and placed it on metal liners. A cook took it from the cooler and put it in the oven. The cost per portion was $1.50 with labor. The menu price was $15.

From Redditor u/randytexas:

Gift cards. My restaurant sells millions every Christmas. Less than 20% of those cards get used. That means 80% pure profit. There is no overhead. I was shocked by this fact, and I do not blame them. The cards never expire and are always accepted.

From Redditor u/SmurferPenguin:

Popcorn from a movie theater. That $5 you spent cost about $0.12 to make.

From Redditor u/Endorphyne:

I got a really good one for you guys; it makes me feel better since I am leaving the place. Now, here is the biggest rip-off I saw as an employee.

One order of Garlic Toast with Cheese (three pieces of panini bread cut diagonally) costs $7.99 plus tax.

Order one piece of garlic toast with cheese for $0.99 plus tax. Three pieces cost $2.97, not $7.99. That price lets you get eight pieces of garlic toast with cheese instead of just three.

From Redditor u/kanadaramabasa:

I work at a Korean restaurant. We have good entrees, but many appetizers are total rip-offs. Five fried dumplings cost $7. We pay that much for the entire frozen bag. We have a huge tub of green tea ice cream. Yet, we charge $5 for a bowl of four small scoops.

I feel bad for people who buy this stuff. If you can buy something at the local grocery store, it probably came from there.

From Redditor u/Bamont:

The industry rule is this: Multiply your food cost by four per serving. This covers labor, bills, and some profit. Keep food cheap enough for customers. Keep it good enough for them to return. If you own a restaurant, the bar makes real money. Liquor and draft beer have huge markups.

From Redditor u/disconugget:

Salads. Do not order a whole salad if it is not your main course. Order one salad split between two people; you will see how much greens there is.

From Redditor u/Meatychud:

At an ice cream parlor, a hand-packed pint, about four scoops, cost the same as a large one (three scoops). Toppings on the hand-packed pint were free. Only one customer used this trick (ordered a hand-packed pint with toppings, no lid, and a spoon).

When anyone made a smoothie, they made enough for a large size, no matter the order. Always ask for the smoothie size you ordered in a bigger cup (say you want room at the top if you must). Often, the cup will be full, and you only pay the smaller size price.

From Redditor u/Fuqwon:

Drinks have a big markup; this is obvious. Any pasta dish usually has a huge profit margin. Desserts also have a big margin.

Anything marked as a "special" is a special because the restaurant wants to get rid of it or a food distributor got a good deal.

From a former Redditor:

I work at a bar. People constantly order expensive vodkas mixed with cheap, corn syrupy mixers. Do you think you taste the superior Grey Goose when I mix it with four ounces of Ocean Spray from concentrate? Save four dollars and use the cheap stuff.

Note: This rule does not apply to martinis or other cocktails where the base spirit is the main ingredient.

Sugar and total calories affect hangover severity for sensitive systems. The idea that pricier liquor reduces a hangover is a myth.

From a former Redditor:

Every item on the menu is a fake. Do not trust the breadsticks. You find food of similar quality for half the cost.