Soda. 
I have had so many unimpressive dishes that I don’t know which is the biggest rip off dishes. I have had a lamb cubes dish from an Indian restaurant which was a bit more expensive than I had expected. It was just four little cubes of lamb.
Maybe I just had the wrong expectation.
That’s almost Gillette Stadium-level of rip-off prices, and though I certainly hope the steakhouses prepare them much better than the rip-off food from Gillette (or any big stadium/ballpark, for that matter). Though I agree in general that baked potato is almost always redonkulously overpriced at restaurants.
I do order pasta, but it’s only when its house-made, fancy pasta with high quality accompaniments - not just with marinara or an some assortment of vegetables. There’s a local place that does red sauce pasta and I am mystified why anyone would order it, especially when it tastes like the stuff is from a jar.
My personal annoyance is probably the wedge salad. Good gracious - worst. salad. ever (IMO). And why am I paying that price when I can buy a whole hunk of iceberg for like 99 cents? That sprinkling of bacon bits and blue cheese don’t make it a real dish.
Any drink to go with your meal! Really $12 for an old fashioned. Had a friend who refused to order pasta at a restaurant he always said that I can buy a box for $.50 and they want $15 for it. Has a point!
Probably most sides at any level of restaurant now that I think about it.
Steaks.
Super simple chocolate desserts that are $12 just because they use valrhona. Valrhona may run $12 a pound, but that individual molten cake with a squiggle of caramel sauce probably doesn’t have more than an ounce and a half of chocolate. I have no problem with $12 desserts if there is obviously a lot of labor in them, but I’ve definitely seen restaurants jack up the price of the chocolate thing just because they can.
Since neither of us are real sweet eaters, we’d NEVER pay that kind of money! Whew. Give me another ‘small plate’ please. As a pastry chef, probably not what you want to read 
It’s ok, I support a nice cheese plate.
Here’s our fave dessert at our fave place. Budino
I like the presentation in the jar . Reminds me of eating another great Italian dessert , Tiramisu served in a mason type jar in Monterosso . 
We advise friends to put their spoon straight down to the bottom 
My wife is staying at the Ritz in Orlando for a business meeting. Ordered an old fashion…$21. Oh but it was with their private pick Knob Creek.
I know better. Most private picks are picked by restaurant or stores contacting the distillery and paying for a single barrel with their name on the label.
Unlike what we do. We have them roll out as many barrels as their program allows based on sample we send them in some cases. So they know what we are looking for. And we pass on average barrels. If it’s no better than off the shelf why bother
Cookie crumbs on the bottom, panna cotta, and caramel sauce? Better not be more than $8!
$8.50 
Ha! Did I guess the composition right?
You are SO right!!! BUT we ‘amortize’ it by getting four spoons. Put your spoon straight down to the bottom so you get a bit of it all…
I should be all for higher priced desserts and at some jobs it has been my quest to raise prices. Hopefully it means they Have a pastry chef on a decent salary.
I have a hard time not calculating food cost sometimes, and definitely have my moments of ‘kids these days! I remember when restaurant desserts were $6’. I should have some menus from my first restaurant job (at the turn of the century, now I really feel like my grandma!) floating around, it was fairly fancy for 1999, I think desserts were $6 or $7, I should check… Maybe that’s it, I’m stuck in the 90’s! As anyone who has had to listen to my iPod knows!
Calamari - I love squid (give me all the tentacles please) but from a food cost standpoint, it should be a $4 appetizer for a mound of it.
I only order it out because frying it at home is a PITA and everytime I think to myself . . . this is a rip-off . . .
I’m with you on the Calamari but it’s one of the things I love that I don’t make.
$21 ouch but a business trip, tax deduct. LOL Good bourbon is good Great bourbon is better. Living next to Kentucky I have had many good bourbons with the exception of Pappy Van Winkle. Some day maybe. If you have a chance to try Angel’s envy it is worth it.
