Eat Out And Save Money!

Dining out isn't cheap but if you learn the tricks that restaurants use to get you to part with your cash, you can cut your bill

The Menu

Heavy menus: A weighty menu with thick paper is associated with quality and better service, say psychologists. This influences your dining experience and how much you tip.

The "golden triangle": Studies show that our eyes first move to the middle of a menu before going to the top right corner and then top left. So high profit margin dishes in these areas catch the eye.

Descriptions: Enticing adjectives sway customers, according to a US study, which found this strategy increased sales by 27%.

Decoy dishes: "Some restaurants place an expensive dish prominently so other choices look cheaper in comparison, but these actually generate more profit," says Andrea Knowles, personal finance expert at vouchers.co.uk. "Items which aren't as profitable may be placed at the bottom of a page, where they're less likely to be noticed."

Boxes: "Highlighting the most expensive item in a box not only encourages big spenders to treat themselves to the 'best' item but also makes everything else look like a bargain," she adds.

Odd numbered starters eg three chicken wings or bruschetta: "Restaurants know that this makes it awkward to share between two, encouraging you to order another," says Andrea.