Some Starters Cost More Than They’re Worth
Appetizers are supposed to get you excited about your entrée, but not all of them stretch your stomach for a plate of pasta. If anything, some fancy-sounding (or familiar) hits have figured out how to charge way too much for ordinary food. Between tiny portions, frozen products, and dishes you could make at home, these 20 appetizers are the easiest ones to skip.
1. Truffle Fries
Apparently, regular ol’ fries become premium if somebody adds parm and a drizzle of truffle oil. We hate to say it, but those spuds are pretty much the same. Worse still, restaurants can charge high prices for a basket made from one of the cheapest ingredients in the kitchen.
2. Chips and Salsa
At many Mexican restaurants, chips and salsa arrive free, so paying separately somewhere else is tough to justify. Oh sure, a restaurant might dress the order up with house-roasted salsa, but you’re still paying for a bowl of corn chips and tomatoes. Save your money for the actual tacos.
3. Cheese Quesadillas
There’s nothing wrong with melted cheese in a tortilla, but that simplicity is exactly why a restaurant quesadilla is often wildly overpriced. A basic dish might contain little more than cheddar or Monterey Jack, but it’ll still cost as much as an entrée. Unless there’s excellent carne asada or slow-cooked pork, you can make the same thing at home in minutes.
4. Garlic Knots
A basket of garlic knots sure smells good, which makes it easy to overlook how little you get for your money. The recipe is basically pizza dough, butter, garlic, and maybe some Parmesan if you’re lucky, none of which are particularly expensive. They’re also hard to defend when the restaurant already provides bread shortly afterward.
5. Edamame
Edamame sprinkled with sea salt is an enjoyable, protein-rich app, but some spots price it as being worth more trouble than simple steaming. In reality, frozen edamame is readily available at grocery stores and takes only a few minutes to heat, so unless the kitchen adds something special, you’re paying restaurant prices for an easy snack.
6. Pretzel Bites
Those warm little nuggets are dangerously easy to keep eating, and our stomachs only crave more when they come with mustard. Unfortunately, that small basket has a surprisingly big price tag for flour, water, and salt. There’s rarely enough substance to make the bill reasonable.
7. Avocado Egg Rolls
Chain restaurants have spent years turning avocado egg rolls into the kind of app that sounds elaborate—even when it isn’t. Inside the wrapper, you’re really only getting avocado mixed with tomato, onion, or cilantro, followed by a dip. Once the novelty disappears, it’s tough to understand why a handful of fried rolls should cost the same as lunch.
8. Loaded Tater Tots
Adding cheese sauce and scallions certainly makes frozen potatoes look more exciting, but those add-ons also permit restaurants to raise the price. Those toppings also hide the fact that the foundation of the dish is something you can buy in almost any freezer aisle.
9. Bruschetta
There’s nothing better than good tomatoes and properly toasted bread, but the markup on this is difficult to swallow. Let’s be honest; you’ll frequently get four or five pieces that disappear long before everyone gets a slice. During peak tomato season, recreating a plate at home is both easier and way cheaper.
10. Caprese Skewers
Putting cherry tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella balls onto cocktail picks doesn’t turn inexpensive ingredients into a luxury dish. Some restaurants only bring out a few skewers but still charge high prices. Unless the mozzarella and tomatoes are exceptional, you can confidently leave this one behind (or just make it at home).
11. Chicken Tenders
Don’t get us wrong, we’re not hating on tendies. But ordering them as an app means paying close to the same price you’d see for an entrée. The kitchen may toss them in sauce, but it doesn’t make the underlying base special. When you’re eating somewhere with a solid appetizer selection, don’t waste your first course on tenders.
12. Jalapeño Poppers
Fried jalapeños filled with cream cheese? These sure have a habit of getting expensive! Many casual spots also use products similar to the frozen poppers sold at grocery stores, so you’re not paying for skilled prep all the time, either. Four or six small peppers also don’t stretch very far.
The Fry Family Food Co. on Unsplash
13. Fried Cheese Curds
Cheese curds will always have a place in our hearts, especially when they’re fresh, but deep-frying them gives restaurants an excuse to sell a piddly basket for more money. Once batter and dipping sauce enter the picture, it’s also tough to tell whether the cheese itself is anything special.
14. Mini Tacos
The phrase “mini tacos” should immediately warn you that you’ll probably pay full-sized prices for very little food. Three tiny tortillas with a spoonful of chicken or beans vanish in a few bites, so if tacos are what you actually want, ordering proper ones from the entrée section is the smarter move.
15. Fried Ravioli
Restaurants love to make ordinary cheese ravioli seem more exciting by breading it. Try not to fall for it! The result tastes good, but it’s still just pasta stuffed with cheese. The portions are often too small to justify the price as well.
16. Crab Rangoon
The trouble with this one is that the name alone often promises more seafood than the filling delivers. Plenty of versions rely heavily on cream cheese with only a small amount of crab mixed in, meaning you’re largely paying for fried wonton and dairy.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Wikimedia
17. Fried Zucchini
Few things show the power of a deep fryer like a restaurant charging premium prices for slices of zucchini. Breaded zucchini is inexpensive, straightforward to prepare, and usually accompanied by nothing more than ranch, so you can find something more memorable on the menu.
A Healthier Michigan from Detroit, United States on Wikimedia
18. Parmesan Crisps
Restaurants serve these delicate crisps as though their thinness makes them especially sophisticated, but they’re really just baked piles of cheese. They also require few ingredients, and the portion can be so light that sharing makes no sense. Unless they’re supporting a more substantial dish, there isn’t enough here for the price.
Annie Witkamp from Northfield, MN , US on Wikimedia
19. Bread and Dipping Oil
There was a time when bread and oil were part of sitting down, so seeing them turned into a paid appetizer just feels stingy. It doesn’t matter if the oil has herbs or roasted garlic, either; restaurants are still selling you bread that some chains provide for free.
Alpha from Melbourne, Australia on Wikimedia
20. Charcuterie Boards
Restaurant boards love testing just how much you’re willing to pay for food the kitchen mostly just sliced and arranged. A few pieces of salami, cheese, olives, and preserves can mean a high price for something you can do at home. Unless the board has unusual cured meats or exceptional local cheeses, you’ll often get far more for your money by building one yourself.
KEEP ON READING
