The Daily Special That’s Actually Yesterday’s Leftovers
Here’s a shocking truth that will change how you view restaurant specials forever. According to some industry sources, certain chefs never order specials because “some restaurants put together their specials for the day based on what’s about to expire or what they’re trying to get rid of faster.” You might think you’re getting the chef’s creative masterpiece, but you’re often just cleaning up their inventory problem. Ordering the special is code in the industry for “the back of the house is trying to get rid of its inventory from the weekend before vendor deliveries come in for the following week.”
According to industry reports, some chefs suggest: “The one thing I do not order at restaurants is the soup du jour. Was it really made today? How long has it been in the steam well? Did the prep cook cool it down properly? It’s a crap shoot I’m not willing to take.” Gordon Ramsay agrees, suggesting you ask what yesterday’s soup special was – if they can’t answer or seem evasive, that’s your red flag right there.
Chicken Breast – The Most Boring Protein on Earth
Professional chefs have made chicken their number one “instant no” because it receives a high markup in restaurants and is often no better than what they could make at home, with many assuming the dish will be boring or even dry. Chef Ryan Ososky from The Church Key in West Hollywood confesses, “I will order almost anything when I go out – but never chicken because it tends to be overcooked at most restaurants,” and other chefs cite overinflated prices and lack of originality as major deterrents.
Chef Donald Taylor from 801 Chophouse bluntly states that “the most boring is a boneless and skinless chicken breast” because “all poultry must have at least a 24-hour brine for you to truly get the most out of your chicken dish at a restaurant.” Most restaurants simply don’t invest the time or effort needed to make chicken exciting. They slap some sauce on it, charge you premium prices, and hope you don’t notice that you could have grilled something better in your backyard.
Pasta Dishes That Cost Pennies to Make
Basic pasta dishes are among the most marked-up menu items because chefs know that noodles and sauce cost mere cents to prepare, yet restaurants charge a premium for spaghetti, penne, or fettuccine with basic marinara or Alfredo, often using jarred sauces or ones made in massive batches with little care. Professional chefs avoid pasta because this inexpensive combination of noodles and basic sauce repels industry members, who believe this is another item they can make at home or is overpriced.
Chef Yulissa Acosta from Hearth ’61 explains why she won’t order mac and cheese: “The richness that comes from the amount of cream, cheese, and butter that is used is simply too much” and it distracts from enjoying other dishes the restaurant may have to offer. You’re essentially paying restaurant prices for what amounts to a glorified box mix that your eight-year-old could prepare.
The Bread Basket Nobody Talks About
While some claim bread baskets might be reused, reputable restaurants typically follow health department regulations that prohibit serving food that has been at other tables. Think about it – that warm, crusty bread you’re eagerly reaching for might have been sitting on someone else’s table just minutes before.
Though urban legends persist about bread basket reuse, most establishments follow food safety protocols that prevent this practice. Short of catching your server red-handed moving bread from one table to another, you’ll never know if you’re getting fresh rolls or someone else’s untouched leftovers. It’s one of those industry secrets that makes perfect business sense but feels pretty gross when you really think about it.
House Salads – The Afterthought Nobody Perfects
Chef Kayson Chong from The Venue in Los Angeles stays away from house salads, preferring “something special that a chef created with seasonal products and interesting combinations” rather than “something I can find easily anywhere.” Chef Suhum Jang from Hortus NYC avoids restaurant salads because “I’ve seen restaurants repurpose leftover scraps from other dishes as salad ingredients” and “the base greens aren’t always fresh, and heavy dressings are often used to mask this lack of quality.”
The harsh truth is that most restaurants treat salads as an afterthought. They’re not putting their best ingredients or most creative energy into a simple mix of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. You’re paying premium prices for what’s essentially a side dish that got promoted to main course status without any real effort to justify the upgrade.
Truffle Oil – The Fake Luxury Scam
Pastry chef Saura Kline from Local Jones advises, “Never order anything that has the word ‘truffle’ in it,” because unless you’re at a high-class fine-dining restaurant, “this usually means truffle oil, which is very rarely made with actual truffles” and “tends to be used aggressively and will immediately increase the price.” Most truffle oil used in restaurants isn’t made from real truffles but from synthetic chemicals designed to mimic their earthy scent, often used to elevate bland dishes but overpowering other ingredients, with many chefs finding it gimmicky and believing it masks poor cooking.
You’re essentially paying extra for artificial flavoring that tastes nothing like real truffles. It’s the culinary equivalent of buying a knockoff designer bag – it might look impressive from a distance, but anyone who knows the real thing can spot the fake immediately. Restaurants love truffle oil because they can charge significantly more for dishes containing it, even though it costs them almost nothing to add.
Risotto – The Cream-Heavy Shortcut
Brian Motyka, executive chef of Longman & Eagle in Chicago, states flat out: “For me personally, the number one main dish I never order at a restaurant is any sort of risotto.” Like truffle oil, ingredients like bacon and cream can be “all-too-easy ways for restaurants to mask flavors and cut corners,” with risotto being a prime example. Real risotto requires constant stirring, patience, and technique that most busy restaurant kitchens simply can’t provide during peak hours.
What you’re usually getting is a rice dish that’s been sitting in a steam tray, reheated when you order it, and loaded with cream to make it seem rich and luxurious. The subtle, nuanced flavors that make authentic risotto special get completely lost in the shortcuts that restaurants take to serve it quickly and efficiently.
Chicken Alfredo – The Reheated Disappointment
Chef Eric LeVine from 42 Hotel warns against chicken alfredo because “while it may be a popular comfort food, it often has pre-made, reheated sauces covering overcooked chicken” with “excessive amounts of butter and cream that mask the dish’s true flavors.” Chef Vi Nguyen notes that chicken alfredo is often a “low-cost item because some kitchens pre-cooked chicken to save time and money.”
The chicken was probably grilled hours ago and reheated when you ordered it. The alfredo sauce came from a container that’s been sitting in a steam table, getting thicker and more congealed by the minute. You’re paying restaurant prices for what’s essentially cafeteria-quality food dressed up with enough cream and butter to hide the mediocrity.
Fish Specials with Bacon – The Cover-Up Strategy
Executive chef Eric Duchene from JW Marriott Scottsdale warns, “Avoid ‘fish specials’ with bacon” because “bacon is used to cover up the smell of old fish,” and notes that raw fish should not be ordered on Sunday nights because restaurants don’t receive deliveries on Sunday. When you see bacon paired with fish on a menu, especially as a special, your alarm bells should be ringing louder than a fire truck.
Think about it logically – fresh, high-quality fish doesn’t need bacon to make it taste good. The smoky, salty flavor of bacon is so strong that it can mask almost anything, including the off-flavors of fish that’s past its prime. It’s a classic kitchen trick that turns questionable ingredients into something that might fool your taste buds long enough to finish the dish.
