Restaurant Tips

by Laura Donnelly — September 12, 2007

Beware of "specials of the evening" at restaurants. This will most likely be a seasonal dish that the chef has taken special care with, but you may end up paying a lot more for it. Ask the waiter how much it is (they seldom volunteer this information).

Remember that restaurants make most of their money from drinks, so if the waiter approaches the table for the fifth time and eagerly encourages you to order another round, use your OWN good judgment.

If you have a problem or complaint about the service or the food, here's the best way to deal with it: speak calmly to the manager on duty, then follow up with a polite but firm letter about your experience. This almost always guarantees a good response (like a free meal!) from the restaurateur because they appreciate knowing when a customer is not happy or something needs fixing.

Ever had a horrible restaurant experience? Tell us how you dealt with it.