The mystery of soda prices in restaurants

Posted on Apr 2, 2009 in Misc. | 3 comments

Had dinner at P.F. Chang’s tonight (not my favorite place, but not too bad), and as I perused the menu I noticed the back was all drinks. Orange Peel Manhattan, 8.5. Snow Maiden saké - glass 7, bottle 35. Harbin beer, 4.5. Tea…? Coffee…? Water?! Soda?! What the hell do they cost? Why aren’t the prices listed for non-alcoholic drinks? See for yourself on their beverage menu. Update: they’ve changed their site and now have a web-based menu instead of a PDF of their printed menu, which mysteriously does not include prices…

But it’s not just bland, Americanized Chinese food “bistros” that are guilty. Most places that don’t list their fare on a board above a counter manned by teenagers wearing paper hats don’t display prices for soft drinks on their menu. Red Robin, Cucina Cucina, Hard Rock, etc. They’re all guilty of the annoying tactic of not displaying prices for non-alcoholic beverages. (For some reason, non-chain diners seem to exempt themselves from this, thankfully.)

I think it’s because they feel like customers would opt not to get a $2- to $3 coke, despite its “bottomless” nature. Sure, people know the sodas are vastly overpriced (especially considering it’ll be taxed and figured into the tip). But it’s the psychology of not seeing the price that the restaurants are banking on. To me, though—and I’m sure many others—not displaying the price is a cheap (pun totally intended) shot.

Anyone have any ideas on why the these prices are kept so mysterious on restaurant menus?

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