Sept 4, 2026 5 Things I Would Never Order at a Restaurant

@0kz2se13

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Why it worked

The video provides practical, money-saving tips presented in a clear, numbered list format. The creator's background as a former financial advisor lends credibility, and the relatable topic of restaurant spending makes it engaging for a broad audience.

Summary

The creator, Tyler, a former financial advisor, lists five things he would never order at a restaurant from a financial perspective. He advises against pasta due to high markups, fountain soda because of the low cost of ingredients versus the price, dessert because of high margins and often not being made in-house, the second cheapest bottle of wine due to the largest markup, and bottled water due to its extreme price compared to tap water.

Structure

1Introduction and disclaimer
2Number 5: Pasta
3Number 4: Fountain Soda
4Number 3: Dessert
5Number 2: Second Cheapest Bottle of Wine
6Number 1: Bottled Water
7Call to action for newsletter

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On-screen text

Sept 4, 2026 5 Things I Would Never Order at a Restaurant Here are the five worst things you could ever order at a restaurant. Not advice; educational purposes only. No. 5. Pasta. A serving of dry pasta cost about 25 cents. Even with a homemade sauce, each serving cost about $1.43. Thirteen dollar pasta dishes marked up more than 800%. The one exception, fresh handmade pasta from a restaurant that makes it in house. You can tell the difference, and it's worth the premium. No.4. Fountain soda. Restaurants receive a 15 percent markup when they sell fountain drinks, since the ingredients cost roughly 12 cents for a 20 ounce serving. So you're paying three to four bucks for 12 cents of syrup and carbonated water delivered through a hose. Order tap water. Heck, order a beer. Order almost anything else. No. 3. Dessert. I know, but the markup on restaurant desserts runs nearly 60 to 75% gross margin, higher than almost anything else on the menu. And in most cases, that dessert was not made in house. It arrived frozen from a food service provider, was defrosted in a microwave, plated with a chocolate drizzle that took 11 seconds to apply, and is now 14 bucks. For that price, you could buy three pints of Ben and Jerry's and have an epic evening of Netflix. And chilled. No. 2, the second cheapest bottle of wine. This is a sneaky one. The biggest markups on restaurant wine lists are on the cheaper bottles, but the single biggest markup is usually on the second cheapest bottle because that's the bottle people tend to order when they feel uncomfortable ordering the cheapest. So either order the cheapest, the third cheapest, or go to a place that's BYOB and No. 1 bottled water. Restaurants are now charging anywhere from 4 to 12 dollars for a bottle of water that retails at a dollar 50 at a gas station. This is the most passive and consistent transfer of money in the entire drinking experience, and it happens before you've even seen the menu. In most states, tap water is free legally upon request. So ask for tap water and you know what? Give the difference to your server. And if any of this is helpful, sign up for my free weekly newsletter by clicking the link in my bio and each week I'll send you over another money playbook that actually works.

Original caption

Discover the sneaky markups on restaurant prices! From pasta to the second cheapest bottle of wine, let's talk about what to avoid ordering to save money! Which tip surprised you the most? 💸💧 #FinanceTips #MoneySaving #RestaurantHacks #WealthManagement #Tyler #SmartSpending

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Transcript

Here are the five worst things you could ever order at a restaurant. Financially speaking, of course. I'm Tyler. I'm a former financial advisor and portfolio manager. Now I make financial content for free, so you don't have to pay for it. No. 5. Pasta. A serving of dry pasta cost about 25 cents. Even with a homemade sauce, each serving cost about $1.43. Thirteen dollar pasta dishes marked up more than 800%. The one exception, fresh handmade pasta from a restaurant that makes it in house. You can tell the difference, and it's worth the premium. No.4. Fountain soda. Restaurants receive a 15 percent markup when they sell fountain drinks, since the ingredients cost roughly 12 cents for a 20 ounce serving. So you're paying three to four bucks for 12 cents of syrup and carbonated water delivered through a hose. Order tap water. Heck, order a beer. Order almost anything else. No. 3. Dessert. I know, but the markup on restaurant desserts runs nearly 60 to 75% gross margin, higher than almost anything else on the menu. And in most cases, that dessert was not made in house. It arrived frozen from a food service provider, was defrosted in a microwave, plated with a chocolate drizzle that took 11 seconds to apply, and is now 14 bucks. For that price, you could buy three pints of Ben and Jerry's and have an epic evening of Netflix. And chilled. No. 2, the second cheapest bottle of wine. This is a sneaky one. The biggest markups on restaurant wine lists are on the cheaper bottles, but the single biggest markup is usually on the second cheapest bottle because that's the bottle people tend to order when they feel uncomfortable ordering the cheapest. So either order the cheapest, the third cheapest, or go to a place that's BYOB. And No. 1 bottled water. Restaurants are now charging anywhere from 4 to 12 dollars for a bottle of water that retails at a dollar 50 at a gas station. This is the most passive and consistent transfer of money in the entire drinking experience, and it happens before you've even seen the menu. In most states, tap water is free legally upon request. So ask for tap water and you know what? Give the difference to your server. And if any of this is helpful, sign up for my free weekly newsletter by clicking the link in my bio and each week I'll send you over another money playbook that actually works.