20 Restaurant Menu Items That Are Way More Expensive Than They Need To Be
Looking To Save Some Money?
The receipt arrives, and your eyebrows shoot up. How did one meal cost that much? The truth is that some restaurants have mastered the art of charging premium rates for putting up a few basic ingredients together. If you can relate, it's time to look at those 20 items that you shouldn't be paying extra for.
1. Guacamole & Chips
The markup on guac is so outrageous that it should be criminal! Did you know restaurants typically charge $10-15 for what costs them about $2 to make? Avocados aren't even that expensive wholesale. Sadly, many places just use prepackaged guac and still charge premium prices.
2. Truffle Fries
Most "truffle" fries contain zero actual truffles. Shocking, right? The "truffle oil" used is typically synthetic 2,4-dithiapentane that costs pennies per serving. Meanwhile, you're paying extra dollars over regular fries for that fancy drizzle. Restaurants bank on the luxury perception while serving what amounts to chemically flavored potatoes.
3. Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards at restaurants are highly overpriced. So, that board you ordered really only costs around $10 to make at home. Even upscale grocery stores have the same meats and cheeses you find at those fancy places, just without the stylish wooden platter.
4. Mozzarella Sticks
Ever paid huge amounts for six mozzarella sticks? Well, these popular appetizers cost restaurants only a few dollars to produce. The dairy industry publishes wholesale cheese prices, showing mozzarella averages of $2–3 per pound. We only keep ordering due to that irresistible combination of gooey cheese and crispy coating.
5. Caesar Salad
A standard Caesar uses roughly $2 worth of ingredients. The dressing, often pre-made, is primarily eggs, oil, and anchovies. Restaurants cleverly position this simple dish as sophisticated by referencing its 1920s Tijuana origin. Meanwhile, the romaine lettuce in your overpriced salad costs them pennies per serving.
6. French Onion Soup
Come on, a soup can't cost this much. The broth-based classic creates perceived value through its traditional presentation in those cute little crocks. What's most surprising is that onions, the main ingredient, are among the cheapest vegetables available, often less than $1 per pound wholesale.
7. Avocado Toast
The internet's favorite example of millennial excess is surprisingly simple—bread, avocado, maybe an egg. Restaurants charge $9-15 for this. The real genius marketing here is positioning a basic breakfast as an Instagram-worthy lifestyle choice. Many establishments also buy avocados in bulk for a lower price.
8. Basic Cheeseburger
Amazingly, the humble burger has one of the highest profit margins in the entire industry. The beef itself, which is usually the most expensive component, represents only about 20% of your burger's price. What they're banking on is your perception of "restaurant experience" value.
9. Lobster Roll
Those tiny chunks of lobster in your $25+ roll? Often, they're the less-premium claw meat, not the tail you're imagining. Some restaurants put only 3-4 ounces in your roll. It's the buttery presentation and coastal nostalgia factor that do the magic. Some outlets even use cheaper seafood during price surges.
10. Grilled Cheese
Paying $10-14 for melted cheese between bread feels ridiculous once you realize it's not worth it. The profit margin is dramatically excessive at some trendy spots. Apparently, restaurants rebrand this kindergarten lunch as "artisanal" by adding fancy descriptors. Even with premium cheeses, the cost is too high.
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11. Risotto
Would you believe that Risotto ingredients rarely exceed $2 in cost to restaurants? The perception of luxury comes from the labor-intensive stirring process, not expensive components. They market this dish from Northern Italy as sophisticated cuisine while using minimal amounts of any premium add-ins like mushrooms or seafood.
12. Spaghetti With Marinara
Surprisingly, many establishments use pre-made sauces for their spaghetti with marinara. This simplest of Italian dishes often appears on menus for a couple of dollars despite its humble origins. The wholesale cost of pasta is approximately 20¢ per serving, while basic marinara ingredients total about 50¢ more.
13. Mac & Cheese
The dairy industry confirms that even premium cheddar costs wholesalers only $3-4 per pound, yet restaurants charge $10-16 for this comfort classic. Pasta and cheese sauce typically cost restaurants less than $1 per serving. They basically transform this basic dish by adding a breadcrumb topping and baking it in individual crocks.
14. Alfredo Pasta
Rich, satisfying Alfredo Pasta makes customers feel they've received something special. Heavy cream, butter, and parmesan—the core ingredients of Alfredo sauce—cost restaurants less than you think. Many food cost analysts rank cream-based pasta dishes among the top five highest-margin items in restaurants.
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15. Omelet
Omelets usually have a pretty big markup, going anywhere from 471% to 566%, depending on what you add in and where you are. So, while the ingredients for an omelet might only cost around $1 to $2, they are definitely being sold for way more than that.
16. Shrimp Cocktail
The simple preparation (boiling shrimp and serving with pre-made cocktail sauce) takes minimal effort. The extra charge is for the classic glass serving. Restaurant suppliers confirm that this presentation adds more to the overhead than the actual condiment.
17. Oysters On The Half Shell
The National Restaurant Association ranks "oysters on the half shell" among the most highly marked-up seafood items. Restaurants create the illusion that shucking oysters requires specialized skill, but trained staff needs no extra time to do it well.
18. Bottled Water
According to Restaurant Business, restaurants earn a lot on bottled water, usually pocketing about 70-80% in profit. On top of that, Consumer Reports discovered that the fancy water brands you often see in restaurants go for $5-8, but they only cost the places between $0.90 and $1.50 per bottle.
19. Molten Lava Cake
A bunch of big restaurant suppliers sell molten lava cakes in bulk for under $20 a dozen. Individuals don't understand that their "freshly baked" $10 chocolate cake probably came from the freezer and just got microwaved.
20. Fancy Coffee Drinks
Did you know that the coffee beans in your $6 specialty latte might actually cost the restaurant about 20¢? However, specialized vocabulary and theatrical preparation methods have convinced many consumers to accept outrageous prices for some coffee preps.
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