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Dr. Mercola
July 16 2007
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10 Things Your Restaurant Won't Tell You

Americans spend roughly half their food budget dining out, and restaurants are getting increasingly more savvy about getting you to part with more of your dollars.

What are some of the effective tricks used in their marketing psychology?

If you‘ve ever been hit by the urge to leave a fast food restaurant within minutes of sitting down, it‘s not by chance. Fast food restaurants encourage you to get out of your seat quickly by providing as little "feel-good" ambiance as possible. Bright lights, bright colors, loud upbeat music and uncomfortable seating increases turnover.

Do you usually opt for the Daily Special, thinking you‘re getting the chef‘s inspiration of the day at a great price? Then consider this: daily specials are often dishes prepared specifically to get rid of ingredients nearing the end of its shelf life. To spot these iffy "specials," look out for expensive items used in a way that minimizes its flavor, such as cut and braised lamb chops playing second fiddle in a dish.

Many don‘t realize just how much butter and extra calories are added to even the healthiest restaurant fares, in order to keep your taste buds making mental notes to return. According to a registered dietician and representative for the American Dietetic Association, restaurant meals average between 1,000 to 1,500 calories.

MSN Money May 3, 2007





Dr. Mercola Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Although eating out is sometimes unavoidable, and sometimes a delicious treat for a special occasion, I recommend switching over to home-cooked meals for the majority of your lunches and dinners. Not only will it save you lots of money, you will also know exactly what's in the dish you're eating, which is key when you're trying to lose weight and maintain good health.

My previous article Promoting Sustainable Agriculture offers a wide variety of links to everything from local organic farmers markets, to slow food organizations, to independent farms, as well as other groups that can help guide you in your quest to obtain fresh, nutrient-dense foods for your home cooking. 
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Community Comments ( 43 )
 		Comment on this Article
  
  
annapavlova42
 [ Joined on 02/07 ] [ Posted on July 13, 2007 ]
12 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Greed, cheating, lieing, deceiving, crimminal intensions and ,out and out  breaking everyones trust, is very wide spread.

Seems that the only resturant you can fully trust,is your own home kitchen.

I stopped eating in resturants many years ago, and am the healthier for it.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
cheftodd
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on July 16, 2007]
17 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
this is true for many out there. but it is not true for all. there is many chefs out there that pour out there whole beings to the art they create.and are in the position that they are in because of true and good practice. not in to being  decptive and trying to harm people.  there are many chefs that buy from small area farmers for milk, meat, and vegetables.
Mercola
  
Bridestein
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on July 16, 2007]
10 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Cheftodd - you guys need to get the word out, so people can find you. I am willing to eat at restaurants that serve grass fed beef and locally grown organic vegetables.
Interestingly enough we have lots of them here in the unpopulated north, but when I visited my mom in Los Angeles two years ago, I couldn't find a single one.
Mercola
  
cheftodd
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Bridestein, there are a lot that do this.  they know that the best foods come from local farmers. if you want the best buy the best!     here are some names ( Alice Waters, Charlie Trotter, Daniel Boulud) they have great places to eat
Mercola
  
Healthy Harvest
 [ Joined on 08/07 ]  [ Posted on August 4, 2007]
7 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Actually, this Article is very biased.  This article should be titled "10 Things your FAST FOOD Restaurant Won't Tell You".  This article does NOT completely apply to the average restaurant.  As owner of the Healthy Harvest Gourmet Market and Restaurant on Indian Street in Stuart, FL these statistics are quite stretched to apply to my restaurant.  At Healthy Harvest, we ONLY use the freshest organic ingredients for our fruits and veggies, natural grass-fed beef with no antibiotics or chemicals, and free range poultry.

And I am truly offended by the first line of the last paragraph of the article "even the healthiest restaurant fares use so many extra calories".  Between 1,000 and 1,500 calories DOES not at all come CLOSE to my healthiest restaurant in town.
  
  
phooey
 [ Joined on 02/07 ] [ Posted on July 14, 2007 ]
7 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
The more time you spend in the kitchen, the more time you spend on earth.
I eat out maybe 3 times a year, and it is always because of a family members birthday or the group at work just wants to get out for lunch. I have not been able to find anywhere that can create food that tastes as good as my locally grown and raised meat, eggs, milk, and veggies that I prepare at home. I am not that creative either. Just raw and steamed veggies with very rare steaks or meats cooked in a crock pot. What is interesting is that I use small amounts of fresh herbs for the health benefit, not for flavoring. I do not like to add a lot of these things because it covers up the wonderful natural flavors of these foods. They do not need anything added. I wish everyone eating processed foods could eat these locally grown things for a couple of weeks just so they could experience what actual food tastes like. I think most all of them would be converted just like I have been.  
 [ Reply ]
  
  
Russ Bianchi
 [ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on July 15, 2007 ]
6 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Cleanliness is indeed an indicator of food quality.  However, whenever possible, prepare you own real food at HOME...be counterintuitive to the lemmings rushing to a cliff.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
8 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Having worked in a restaurant many, many years ago, I was disgusted and disturbed at the food that was served.  I saw the cook chopping up some unwashed romaine lettuce to make ceasar salad, but with all the dressing, who can see the bugs in the lettuce?  Lost track of the food that was dropped on the floor and then served to customers.  I still remember the cook telling me that the seafood lasagna was still good and the next day when I complained about food poisoning, he said that it had only been in the cooler for a week.  My rule of thumb is, throw it out after 3 days, and only 1 day if it has egg or mayo in it.  Restaurants do not go by this rule, they keep selling it until it's gone.
Mercola
  
A.M.E.
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
5 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
SheilaC,
I couldn't help but think of the movie "Waiting".  If you do go out to eat, don't ever tick off your waiter or the staff!  Just this morning on the radio people in food service or who used to be were calling in to tell of the awful things they did to people's food (most people deserved it; but, there are some ugly people who will do it to everybody regardless)...makes you really think twice about allowing your food to be prepared behind closed doors, by people you don't know, where you cannot see the whole process!

Cooking at home is much safer and you know what you did or didn't do to the food before it is consumed!
Mercola
  
cheftodd
 [ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
12 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Sheila C.  I am sorry that you had such a bad experience at this place.(which I hope does not exist any more.) not all are like that. just the same as going to the DR. and getting bad treatment. it puts that trust issue there.  I and other chefs like me do not cut corners, put out bad foods,or order to much food as to have to get it to sell.     I would rather walk away from what I do , than to loose the trust that I have gained.    if I would not serve it to my wife and children, I would not serve it to you.
Mercola
  
A.M.E.
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
6 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
cheftodd,
If only more people in the industry had your integrity!  It's sad that a lot don't and would put somebody's health at risk (and the business itself) for the sake of money or to feel that they are getting even with a customer (ie. the radio example I gave earlier).

Thank goodness for people like you!  Keep up the awesome work!
Mercola
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
7 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Hi Chieftodd, unfortunately they still are in business, but guess what?  I don't eat there because I am sure the practises have not changed.  You are right, I would never serve anyone anything, that I would not eat myself.  And I'm pretty damn picky.  AME, please believe every single one of those stories that you heard on the radio.  A few years ago there was a herpes outbreak that was traced back to an alfredo sauce.  Don't even try to imagine how that happened.  On the rare occasions when we have to dine out, we are always polite to the waitress/waiter (even if the food is crap, we would never dream of sending anything back to the kitchen) and leave a good tip.  Also remember that there is a good number of food service workers who have Hepatitis B.  This can be spread through handling food.
Mercola
  
The New Christine
 [ Joined on 09/06 ]  [ Posted on August 3, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

Russ, if you can, could you check into why I was demoted down from Moderator to Savvy?  It made me very upset last week, or maybe the prior week to see that.  I just don't understand why that has occurred.  And why is it that so many people are giving out negative points?  Is someone purposly signing on and knocking down everyones points?  I contacted Mercola.com and asked the same question and they have yet to reply.  Thanks.
Mercola
  
Pat Ormsby
 [ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on August 4, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

Russ, you said it right!  This is a good time to be going the opposite direction of the crowd.

Like The New Christine, I was knocked down at some time during the past two months from Moderator to Savvy with no explanation.  I have been unable to participate much recently, so it is not that I am getting negative votes.
  
  
mmc88121
 [ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on July 13, 2007 ]
6 Points        
   
 
Moderator User
10 Reasons to eat a home whenever possible,  You have more control over what you eat.

Mary
 [ Reply ]
  
  
jennbennana
 [ Joined on 06/07 ] [ Posted on August 4, 2007 ]
5 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User

My family has been lucky enough to live in Japan for the past three years, where small family restarants and cafes still pride themselves on providing you with top quality fresh, local food.    Most cafe owners here are more concerned with providing the best quality food and great service rather than making a little more money.  There are even a handful of 100% organic restaurants.  

Unfortunately, we will be moving back to the states in the spring, and good-bye eating out, unless we are lucky enough to find similar establishments where we wind up in the states.  Even the best-case scenario American restaurant food(not spit in, not dropped on the floor and not hanging around for a week)  is still what most of us on this site avoid like the plaque- additives, pesticides, and hormones.  

And sadly, there are chain restaurants all over the world now.   America is poisoning the world with it's diet.  Here in Okinawa we see A&W, KFC, McDonalds, etc.   It makes me sad to see these places, because people see them as an okay food choice.

Thank God I actually like to cook....

 [ Reply ]
  
  
ThomasT
 [ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on August 4, 2007 ]
4 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User

And, I almost forgot, need more gingko, another reason I dont eat in  restaurants is that they use tap water for cooking and soups, tea and coffee.  I dont have to chlorinate and fluoridate my body for convenience, when I make the effort to drink spring water and cook with it at home.?

 [ Reply ]