Doesn't this make you MAD!!!
 

I have this problem that's been festering with me for a long time, and it has to do with restaurants who screw over LC'rs with outrageous prices.

Like for instance, my local Coney Island restaurant, will not just let me order a Omlette and Bacon by itself. They insist on charging for the hash browns and toast etc. So when I order the omlette and bacon, I get charged 5 dollars for an omlette which I didn't get toast or hashbrowns, plus 1.75 for 4 strips of bacon. Almost seven dollars for a meal which cost them a buck to throw together. I'm about to go crazy with these people!


Styx

Yes it is aggravating, but when I think about it the potatoes and toast are the cheap part of the meal - a piece of bread costs them, what, 10cents maybe, and a potato, about the same? Compare those to the cost of eggs/cheese/bacon and it starts to make sense. Without the carby stuff it is a lot less food, but its the cheap food. Does that make sense?

Liz

Just like if you buy a pasta dish it's pretty cheap but when I get beef and veggies ya pay threw the nose AND the portions are small.

We have this hamburger resturant here, that has an Atkins meal. This meal consist of a bunless hamburger, salad and water. Their Atkins meal is 8.00 dollars. The can get the regular hamburger (w/bun), fries and a drink for 5.50. Makes me wonder why a reg. hamburger, with fries and drink is cheaper than thier Atkins meal. :confused:

Yep that's crazy that they charge so much more for a dinner just because it's low carb :(

I can't believe they won't let you order separately. I don't think I've had that problem yet with either substitutions or omitting something, but I haven't eaten out in a while.

Just wait a little longer. They'll realize that we're becoming too many and will HAVE to change to accomodate us. :)

Birddog, that's crazy! I would ask the manager about that, for sure. Maybe the low carb burger is substantially larger?? Ok now I'm getting pissed off..


Liz

I'm mean...I'll buy the regular dinner and get the potato or fries, and then just leave them on the plate...At least they can't charge me any more for a so called "low-carb" meal, and this way I feel like I'm in control of things by making the choice to leave the potato or fries!! Its ridiculous the way food place gouge people for these meals!!

I think they'll have to come around eventually. Just look at all the restaurants that are finally getting on the bandwagon! I read something recently that three times as many low-carb products were expected to come on the market this year as compared to last year. If the demand keeps increasing, the restaurants are going to have to get their act together with the price/value or LC people will go elsewhere!

My 2 cents for the day! :)

we don't eat out that much, so I haven't run into that problem. But I do remember seeing at hardee's their low carb burger was 50cents more than a regular burger. Doesn't make much sense to me, except that LC has become so mainstream more people are doing it, they figure why not cash in. :mad:

I am a little meaner than that! I'll have them wrap everything up for my dog! At least he's happy too! :)

I'd speak with a manager. If that does not go well, tell him/her that you will be taking your business elsewhere.

I grew up with one rule when eating out: if you can make it easily at home, you don't buy it at a restaurant.

I see the other side of the coin, too. Some of the restaurants I frequent (although not very many) charge less for the so-called low carb meal.

Because low carb is the new trend and they know people will pay more if LC is slapped on the side. I compaired spaghetti sauces. The Ragu lite had the same number of calories as the "carb counting" one, but was over $2 cheaper a jar. They will charge what they know people will pay. Russle Stovers Sugar free candies have the same exact ingredients as the low carb ones, but are cheaper.

Hey ya'll-

You know what I hate even more than the price is when they tell you it's low carb and it's really not. Like when you get a wrap or some sort of salad and you think that the dressing is lo carb or the tortilla is lo carb and it's not. There are alot of hidden carbs even in the so called "lo carb" fare at restaurants. More so than they even say. :)

You're ABSOLUTELY right about this, LadyBelle! I warned two people today who were looking at the so-called Russel Stovers Low Carb Candy. They charge $2.58 a bag for them...but if you go to the candy isle, instead of the lc isle, you can get the RS Sugar Free candy (which is the same thing) for $1.50 a bag....THEY ARE CHARGING $1.08 MORE because it says LOW CARB on it. It makes me sick!!! And I think MANY companies are doing this. It isn't right and yes, as you can tell, I'm mad about it. :lol:

I went to Arby's last night - they have a lighter choice roast chicken salad with lean roast chicken, iceburg lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, brocolli, tomatoes, cheese, shredded carrots and bacon bits (real) adn a choice of dressing on the side....I asked for it without the carrots or tomatoes, adn they were more than willing to accomodate this...as well, it was only $3.89 for a HUGE salad - I had to bring some home. So there are some good places out there..

I was eating at my local pub last week and noticed a new menu. You could order some of the hamburger meals, and if you wanted it without the bun, they charged 40 pence less (UK prices)! They have also been very good about substituting salad for chips, so I'll definately be returning.

The tides are finally turning over here!!

Dawn

A LOT of places will let you substitute, so I usually just get the regular meal, and then get salad or veggies in place of the fries. Cheaper that way. I know what you mean about the breakfast thing though, most places don't offer an a la carte omellette, so you end up paying for sides you don't get. And there arent any really good morning substitutes for the sides.

There are a few honest restaurants out there. One of my local restaurants has just added a 3 choice low carb section to their menus. It's the same food as some of their more popular dinners, but they charge 40 cents less because you aren't getting the roll with it and they leave the croutons off the salad. You get your choice of chopped steak, broiled chicken breast or grilled pork chop, salad with your choice of dressing and one other side (cup of soup or veggie) for around $6.00. They also list the carb counts for their soups, dressings and veggies so you can make an informed choice. This is a restaurant that has done their homework and I complimented the manager on it. When we eat out, it will probably be there most often.
OTOH, another local restaurant did the "hamburger patty with a sad looking salad and call it low carb for big $$" thing. We ordered it once and didn't go back, although I did suggest as we were leaving that it would probably be more popular if they added a second veggie choice for the same price. :rolleyes:

I get more upset if I ask to substitute something and they say fine and then charge me extra. A couple of weeks ago I went away and for breakfast I ordered bacon and eggs and asked if they would sub tomatoes for the potatoes. They said fine and charged me extra. That evening at a restaurant they said they would sub broccoli rabe for the mashed potates and charged me extra for it.

What upset me even more, was the next day for breakfast we went to the same place and didnt ask to substitute the tomatoes, just asked for it with no homefries and the brought it with lettuce and tomatoes and didnt charge anything extra. I did go to one place that had an atkins special and instead of a breadbasket and oils they brought out the most amazing veggie platter with zucchini and eggplant and broccoli and cauliflower and an assortment of cheeses and olives

That place was amazing! The manager there was on Atkins and lost 40 pounds and he was showing me how his stomach went down and how his pants are bigger on him.

We need more places like that!

Most restraunts do charge for substitutions but that goes for any sub, not just for atkins people. I used to be a waitress and sometimes if I thought the people were really nice I would go grab the sub myself so they wouldn't get charged. Other times I just didn't feel in the mood to be generous. That might have been what you experienced with it being different one day to the next.

Jenn