2. Menu Design

Money Talks News: Tricks of the Trade: Restaurants

Our eyes have a natural tendency to look at the right side of the menu first, so restaurants usually list their most expensive dishes in that area. Some restaurants put their most expensive items at the top of the menu, so other items look more reasonably priced. Shaded boxes and borders around menu items also attract hungry patrons and can increase sales.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

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Tricks of the Tr... From forcing you to wait before being seated to leaving out dollar signs on menus, restaurants have sneaky ways of getting you to spend more.

Going out to eat is fun and relaxing, but when it comes to cost, many of us bite off more than we can chew. The average household spends about $2,500 at restaurants annually, according to the National Restaurant Association. While we like to think we’re in control of what we spend, it’s easy to give in to the tricks restaurants use to make us pay more.

Have you ever wondered why you’re given salty snacks at the bar, or why each menu item is so decadently described? And what’s with the classical music?

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
1. Salty Snacks ... Those complimentary pretzels and peanuts weren’t set in front of you as a kind gesture – they’re there so you’ll order more drinks. Salty snacks make you thirsty. End of story.

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More from Money Talks News:
7 Ways to Radically Reduce Your Restaurant Checks
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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
2. Menu Design Our eyes have a natural tendency to look at the right side of the menu first, so restaurants usually list their most expensive dishes in that area. Some restaurants put their most expensive items at the top of the menu, so other items look more reasonably priced. Shaded boxes and borders around menu items also attract hungry patrons and can increase sales.

(iStock)

More from Money Talks News:
7 Ways to Radically Reduce Your Restaurant Checks
5 Fattiest Fast Foods - Plus Surprisingly Fatty Picks
15 Ways to Save on Eating Out

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
3. Lack of Dolla... Have you noticed more restaurants listing prices without dollar signs? That’s no coincidence. In a Cornell study, guests given a menu with only numbers and no dollar signs spent significantly more than those who received a menu with either prices showing a dollar sign or prices written out in words.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
4. Flowery Descr... Which sounds better: Classic Burger or Tavern-Style Burger with Frizzled Onions and Smoky Barbecue Sauce? According to a six-week field experiment by Cornell, menus that had descriptive or creative food descriptions, rather than items with simple names, increased sales by 27 percent. To add insult to injury, scrumptiously described dishes often cost more.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
5. Extremely Fri... I’ve personally fallen victim to this, and you probably have too. While dining at a restaurant in Chicago, I met the world’s friendliest server and gave him an exceptionally generous tip (he made it a point to thank me for my kindness). According to a study by Cornell, my behavior was common – customers leave higher tips when their servers personally introduce themselves, crouch beside the table, or ask about your day.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
6. The Upsell The servers who grip your wallet with their charisma also pull you in with the classic upsell, and they’re very good at it. That same Chicago server also convinced me that his restaurant had some of the best burgers in the city and persuaded me to buy a premium beer that would pair well with the burger.

(iStock)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
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