Emily Flores
Restaurants usually rely on what you don’t know. Some dishes are crafted to disguise subpar ingredients and rushed prep behind fancy descriptions and Instagram-worthy plating. Many chefs and foodies have seen it all, and they warn that many of these items are overpriced disasters. So, don’t waste your money—or your calories—on these 10 meals.
Buffet Sushi
Buffet sushi is a disaster waiting to happen. Behind the scenes, there are reused chopsticks, fish kept at unsafe temperatures, and mayonnaise (a thick, creamy sauce) that’s been sitting out too long. Then come the weird “innovations” like sushi pizza. Real sushi needs precision and fresh ingredients, not hours under heat lamps at unsafe temperatures.
Overcooked Steak
The thing about ordering steak at restaurants is that it’s a gamble. So many places struggle with cooking it properly, which is why it’s returned constantly. You might order it one way and get something completely different. Honestly, unless you trust the kitchen, you’re better off choosing something else they actually specialize in.
Chicken Parmesan
Chicken parm at most restaurants is simply and honestly disappointing. They use cheap chicken, drown it in way too much cheese, then deep-fry and sauce it until everything’s soggy. Plus, the pasta on the side is usually microwaved. You’re paying for what sounds like a hearty Italian classic, but you’re getting low-quality ingredients smothered to hide their flaws.
Microwaved Veggies
You can spot microwaved veggies from a mile away—they’re limp and usually cold in the middle. Heating in the microwave strips out nutrients and ruins the texture completely. If you’re paying restaurant prices, you deserve vegetables that were actually cooked with care, not just zapped for convenience.
Caesar Salad with Bottled Dressing
Ever order a Caesar salad and instantly regret it? That’s usually because they used bottled dressing packed with preservatives and artificial flavors. Restaurants charging decent money should, at the very least, prepare their dressing on-site because the texture gives it away. It’s too thick, too creamy, and has zero natural tang.
Over-Sauced Pasta
Over-sauced pasta is one of those things that seems minor yet ruins the whole dish. Sauce should enhance the pasta, not drown it. When it’s pooling at the bottom of your plate, you’re basically eating a soup with some noodles thrown in. Proper technique means every strand gets coated evenly—nothing more, nothing less. Anything else is just sloppy.
Overloaded Burgers
Those massive Instagram burgers with everything piled sky-high? They’re all show, no substance. Toppings completely overwhelm the actual meat flavor, and good luck trying to take a bite without everything falling apart. A quality burger should let the protein shine with just a few simple, well-chosen ingredients instead of burying it under chaos.
Frozen Or Prepackaged Fish
Restaurants love claiming their fish is fresh. In reality, many are serving frozen stuff, and you can tell by its mushy texture and that off smell, which no amount of seasoning can hide. Fresh fish has a clean taste and firm texture that frozen versions just can’t match, no matter how fancy they plate it.
Deep-Fried Appetizers
Deep-fried appetizers are kind of a gamble. Most places use the same oil way longer than they should, so everything ends up tasting bitter and looking darker than normal. It’s just greasy and unappetizing. Some restaurants have even been caught serving fried food from broken fryers, too.
Overcooked Lobster
Nothing’s worse than expensive lobster that’s been cooked to perfection, gone wrong. Tender, sweet meat turns rubbery when restaurants boil it too long. Just poke it with a fork—it should feel soft and delicate. If you have something with a tough texture, it means they failed.