Dining out is not cheap, but it can sometimes be nice to enjoy a different environment and food without cooking it yourself.
Minding your budget and treating yourself to nights out can be a challenge, especially since chain restaurants are incentivized to take more money from each customer.
You can stretch your restaurant budget by avoiding these 15 common mistakes at chain spots.
Earn $200 cash rewards bonus with this incredible card
There's a credit card that's making waves with its amazing bonus and benefits. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card(Rates and fees) has no annual fee and you can earn $200 after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
The Active Cash Card puts cash back into your wallet. Cardholders can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — easy! That's one of the best cash rewards options available.
This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (then 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable). Which is great for someone who wants a break from high interest rates, while still earning rewards.
The best part? There's no annual fee.
Highlighting expensive items on the menu
Have you ever noticed that the most expensive menu items seem to be the most noticeable? It’s not just you. Lower-priced items have been getting less space on signage and the website, so you might not realize there is a value menu.
Food chains are incentivized to post current “specials,” which often involve limited-edition meals that are more expensive than regular menu options.
Reducing pricing visibility
In the same vein, most menus use smaller fonts for their prices. This makes it difficult to know upfront what you might be spending, especially if you’re being rushed through an order at a fast food drive-through or casual eatery.
Testing dynamic pricing options
While restaurants aren’t inclined to let you know when they’re testing dynamic pricing, it’s something to watch for, as a few spots are set to implement it in 2025.
Be wary of drive-thrus that give you one total at the order board only to find that the total increases by the time you get to the pay window.
Stop overpaying when you shop online
Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.
Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.
Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!1
Exaggerating the value of a meal deal
Sometimes, a restaurant can use the term “deal” to con people into buying more expensive food.
If you’ve ever ordered a meal “deal” and then calculated the cost of each individual item only to realize that purchasing the bundle costs the same (or even more), you understand what we mean.
Selling gift cards
Did you know Americans have over $20 billion in unused gift cards each year? While gift cards may seem like a great idea, if you don’t end up using them, all you’re doing is wasting money.
It also means it’s free money for the restaurant at the end of the day.
Trending Stories
Charging for condiments
Many chains offer condiments and toppings for free. However, some restaurants charge 50 cents or $1 for things like extra dipping sauces.
These places are not likely to disclose the additional cost upfront. Sometimes, it’s worth it if you are eating on the go or at the restaurant, but you may want to skip it if you own the sauce.
Upselling
Most drive-thrus and waiters will attempt to upsell you on a product you’re purchasing. You’re constantly asked about upsizing your meal and adding sides, desserts, sodas, or alcoholic beverages.
To stick to your budget, remember that “no” is a full sentence.
Downsizing
You may have noticed that portions at your favorite chain restaurant are a lot different today than they were just a few years ago. Unfortunately, that usually means you’re getting less food for your dollar.
While many restaurants are implementing updated sustainability and health practices, for many, it’s also just about cutting costs.
Playing music at a quick pace
The next time you sit down to eat at a chain, take stock of the music that’s playing. Is it upbeat, charming, and being played a little loudly?
Most chains will stick to upbeat music because it encourages faster eating, which equates to faster table turnaround. In fact, you might even eat more because of the pace of the music in your environment.
Earn money online by taking surveys
$55,000 might sound crazy … but with a company called Survey Junkie, it’s possible to get your share of it every day by taking their surveys in your extra time.
Follow these simple steps to start earning:
- Sign up for an account with Survey Junkie here.
- Take surveys.
- Repeat daily and get paid for sharing your opinion!
P.S.: You can cash out with as little as $5 through PayPal or bank transfer, or transfer to gift cards from a number of stores.
Implementing surcharges
Take a look at your itemized bill the next time you sit down to eat at a restaurant. Over the past decade — and certainly since the pandemic — restaurants have been tacking surcharges onto their bills.
Items like “minimum wage surcharges” have started to crop up at storefronts that claim to struggle with the increasing minimum wage.
Providing free snacks
Depending on which restaurant you frequent, you may find yourself enjoying a free basket of delicious salty snacks or complex carbohydrates while you peruse the menu.
Chips and salsa, peanuts, and bread often create the craving to drink more, which can help the storefront sell more beverages, alcoholic or otherwise.
Refilling beverages
Have you ever ordered a beverage at a restaurant and then never had the opportunity to see the bottom of it?
Make sure to check the small print on the restaurant’s menu or website so you know if they charge for soft drink refills.
Enlisting digital kiosks
Your favorite restaurants are beginning to implement digital kiosks, like the wildly popular Shake Shack. These kiosks provide attractive photos for every menu item, which can better entice you to order something different.
Every transaction includes at least one upsell attempt, which research suggests leads to an average spending of 10% more.
Sending in the experts
Every restaurant server is also a salesperson. If they’re really great at their job – attentive, helpful, charming – they’ll rack up more spending.
Whether you choose to come back specifically to a spot due to their fantastic service or the fun stories the servers always tell, great salespeople are a trick many restaurants keep in their back pockets.
Enforcing the “entire party” rule
Often at a restaurant — whether it’s a chain or not — the host or hostess will enforce the rule that they can't seat you until your entire party shows up.
This encourages the host to lead people to the bar to wait until everyone shows up, which often leads to more alcohol sales than originally anticipated.
Bottom line
The best way to avoid wasting money at a chain restaurant is to check out local reviews and recent social media posts. A little research and digging around on the restaurant's website can also reveal portion sizes and any deals they may be running.
Plus, you can find out what people like and don’t like about the spot, allowing you to make a more informed decision about your meal.
Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Current Offer
$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Benefits
- Low spend threshold for its welcome offer — $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Can redeem rewards at an ATM for literal cash
Drawbacks
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
- No bonus categories
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Subscribe Today
Want extra-cash moves to come right to you?
Stop browsing endlessly. Get proven ways to earn pocket money, help cover rent, and crush your debt — sent to your inbox daily.