3 On Your Side: Saving Your Money When Dining Out
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Nights and summer vacations are ideal for dining out, but if consumers aren't careful, costs can really add up. 3 On Your Side consumer reporter Jim Donovan shows us some ways restaurants get diners to spend more money and he has advice on how you can save.
A recent study from Cornell University analyzed more than 200 menus and the selections of more than 300 diners.
The research found that items with bold, highlighted, colored text, or items set apart from the rest of the menu in a text box, attracted more attention, and made diners more likely to order them.
And a few extra words in the description of a menu item, translated to 28 percent more sales.
For example, when a "seafood filet," became a "succulent Italian seafood filet," diners were also willing to pay an average of 12 percent more for that meal.
Less can also be more on a menu.
A different Cornell study found diners tend to spend more money, if the price of a dish is listed without a dollar sign, or the word "dollars."
Diners should also ask about portion sizes. Sometimes appetizers may be enough for a meal at a lower cost, while entrees may simply be too much food, especially for travelers on the road who can't take leftovers with them.
Also, be sure to keep an eye open for local restaurant weeks if you're looking to save when dining out, they're becoming more and more popular.
Diners can sample new places with special, fixed price menus, and restaurants can fill tables with customers.
