Only if you drink very slowly LOL LOL

From thegeneral :

Open a restaurant sometime. You'll be shocked at the cost of tablecloths, plates, silverware, glasses, breakage, shrinkage, food, kitchen equipment, rent, staff, etc. Things cost money. You might be best off staying at home if you can't deal with the idea that companies mark up their food and beverage.



what? such sarcasm. I was in the restuarant business for over 20 years, so I know a bit about costs, but thank you for informing me. My post was about the abuse of not letting the customer know the price and sticking them with a cheap glass of wine (bottle cost...non-wholesale....4 dollars) and charging 13 dollars. I call BS. That's why I ask my server.

I don't quite understand what abuse is taking place here. Prices for wine are always printed on the menu, so there is nothing hidden. Or are you suggesting that restaurants print the "retail" price of the wines on their menus as well?

Prices for bottled wines are almost always printed on the menu or on a separate wine list. Prices for wine-by-the-glass usually are (more often than mixed drinks or beer!) but it's hardly an "always."

you are correct.

no, that little suggestion is coming from you, not me. Prices for wine are not 'always' printed. (Who uses absolutes, geesh....)

Exaclty, I never drink booze when I go out to eat. The prices are just stupid and even the prices of soft drinks are too high. Even coffee is ridiculous. If I want to feel tipsy or need some caffeine then I pregame at home while getting ready.

Ok I'll give you maybe 1 out of 100 (and I'm being generous) restaurants "hides" their prices for glasses of wine. But that's quite a stretch to call what they are doing abuse. I personally have never seen a restaurant do this, but I'll believe you that its out there somewhere. I'd love to find some of these restaurants...my company does beverage consulting, and could always use more clients ;)

I HATE this, i usually end up asking the price, and the waitstaff has to go ask. I have decided that if they arent listed, they are probably more than I want to spend. so water it is. Paying $2 for a soda or $6 for a beer is absurd to me, except in certain places (Lambeau Field, concerts, Carnival Court Bar in Vegas)

In my case, there would not have been a tip about which to worry.... That Las Vegas is without soul or conscience is unquestionable, and confirmed by the presence of a saloon charging $16 for a glass of house white. But then, all too many of those who visit Las Vegas are willing to swallow such gross excesses as part of the "experience".

I'll take a different tack on the practices of European resturants/bars. I don't recall seeing drink prices posted that often (except in printed menus), and the real gripe for most tourists is a failure to post the different (standing at bar, inside table service, "sidewalk" table) prices for beverages.

Of course, to us 'Merkins, the European practice of charging for a refill of a cup of coffee, lait/leche/latte or not, is a barbaric custom, especially when the first cup is priced at a level at which one could have purchased an entire evening with a local professional woman back in days of yore. On the other hand, I don't expect a free refill after ordering that progressive and civilized Italian coffee beverage, "Correto"??, fortified with a small shot of cheap brandy or grappa.

while a bit off topic, still has to do with labeling.

I find it interesting that beer isn't required to have nutrition information on its labeling.

it's true at certain restaurants they have a seperate menu for alcholic beverages.

some restaurants have prices of Beer in 2 categories domestic and imported.
Beer usualy goes for 4 bucks domestic and about 5.50 for imported.

it's true for the average restaurant there are free refills on soda.

in the city at lecircs I don't know if theres free refills on soda.

usualy if you go to a restaurant /bar like houilhans , Buffalo wild wings , lucky strike, Mason Jar allendale bar and grill they will list the prices of beers.

but if you go to a actual restaurant like Aldos and giannas, saddle river inn, the ho hokus inn, Marras then you might have to ask for the prices of beer.
for anybody who lives ouside the US or has traveled outside the US when you go to restaurants what's the price of a soda? are there free refills?

soda is about 2.50 to 2.89 in the US in the New York/ New jersey area.

Yeah that doesn't sound sexist at all.

Most places in Europe you won't get a free refill on your soda. Prices vary hugely, depending on where you get the drink but I'd say 1.50-2.50 GBP was about average british pub price (with no refills) - it has happened to me more than once that the soft drink was more expensive than the alcoholic one (usually because of a particular special on the wine / cocktail, but even so!) They do lots of offers for food item plus drink for X pounds - and the 'drink' is normally a beer, or glass of wine, or soft drink - in those cases the cost is identical!

When I went to Rome a couple of years ago, I knew that refills weren't free ahead of time. I wasn't prepared for the price of the soda though. At one restaurant, I paid 10 Euros for two half-liter bottles of Coke. After that experience, I chose beer at my meals and it was the same price or cheaper than soda. I'll gladly pick beer, especially when it's cheaper. :)