This past weekend, we went to a nationally known pizza kitchen for a Mother’s Day lunch. They have a variety of delicious pizzas and I knew a Thai Chicken Pizza and sweet tea would hit the spot. This wonderful pizza kitchen usually offers a fruit tea when I ask for tea, so I peeked at the menu to make sure regular sweet tea was an option before I ordered.
When I looked at their tea selection, I noticed the staggering price tag, $2.50 for regular tea and $2.99 for fruit tea. This is almost double the price of beverages at other local restaurants. In fact, I could have bought 15 two-liters at a discount chain store for the $9 we would have spent on 3 teas. With this information, three of us ordered water and my daughter was finally excited to be eating off the kid’s menu since her choice of drink came with her meal.
Checking drink prices and saving on the restaurant bill worked for us. For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, visit We Are THAT Family.
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{ 13 Comments }
I absolutely agree ~ the prices of beverages have gotten crazy! I got my boys excited about ordering water when I told them they could order it with a lemon and add a dash of sugar to make their very own “lemonade”. For now, it works!
Frugal Girls,
I love it! I might have to steal your idea next time I’m out with the kids.
Heather
We are all about the water with lemon when we go out!
Drinks do so add up. Do you think they’d notice if we snuck in our own (like candy into the movies?
Kirsty,
What?! You mean people sneak candy into the movies?
Thanks for reading!
Heather
I’m plugging my ears and not listening.
My dh always orders water and the kids’ drinks usually come with their meals, but I’m a hold-out…I *need* my sweet tea. lol You’re right, though, it’s unreal how quickly the drinks add up. That’s where the restaurants make their money, because the mark-up on their cost for drinks is unbelievable.
Kris,
At least the price of the tea is worth it to you. That makes a huge difference! Thanks for reading and enjoy that tea!
Heather
Way to not say CPK! At least the prices for the drinks were on the menu. There is a growing number of resturants that do not put the drink prices on the menu any more. I went to a restaraunt chain that specializes in pies and not only did they not have the drink prices on the menu, they did not have the pie prices on the menu!
Homeschool Dad,
That’s crazy, leaving the prices off the menu. Imho, unless you know you are at an expensive restaurant, leaving prices off the menu just seems dishonest.
LOL, thanks! I’m debating on calling CPK by name in hopes they might see these prices are noticed by many.
Heather
I agree! My husband was the one who suggested we order water instead of soft drinks when we go out. It took a while to get used to it, but now that’s what we almost always do.
Melissa,
He’s a smart guy! I agree it’s all in what you are used to and as I notice these prices more and more, the water keeps tasting better.
Thanks for reading!
Heather
SO TRUE! Whenever we’re not splurging on a meal out, I request that everyone order water. It doesn’t bother me a bit because it also saves me calories. I just squeeze the lemon that comes with it in there (and sometimes steal the lemons from the other waters if they don’t want them) and put some sweet-n-low (or equivalent) and I get just enough taste out of it. Sometimes I drink the water plain, too, of course
We try to stick with water when going out as well!
my father taught me this trick years ago
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Have a great day and I’ll see you around the blogosphere. 
Years ago we decided that we would rather have more food and drink water – however, sometimes I just “want” fountain pop. Then I order a smaller meal. It is a tradeoff but I am ok with it!
Christy,
The tradeoff is a good idea. Flexibility can save us a ton of money!
Heather
We have been getting water out for years. My in-laws take it a step farther and actually take the CL “to-go” packs with them to the restaurants…pretty much 100% of the time. They’ve never had a problem with doing it! Love your blog, by the way!