Prompt: (restaurant name, cuisine type, dietary goal)
"I'm going to [restaurant name]. Here's their menu. I'm on a [keto/vegan/low-calorie] diet and want to eat under $15, limiting sodium. What's my best order?"
Restaurant-specific insights:
- Chipotle: Build your bowl for macro control (choose protein, rice ratio, toppings)
- Panera: Salads are trap (high sugar dressing), choose soups instead
- Sushi: Rolls are calorie traps (cream cheese, mayo), choose nigiri or sashimi
Restaurant Value Scoring
Metric: Value score = (Quality × Portion) / Cost
| Restaurant | Quality (1–5) | Portion (1–5) | Cost | Value Score |
|---|
| Chipotle | 3 | 4 | $10 | 1.4 |
| Panera | 3 | 3 | $13 | 0.69 |
| Olive Garden | 3 | 5 | $18 | 0.83 |
| Steakhouse | 5 | 4 | $55 | 0.16 |
High value: Fast casual + quality ingredients (Chipotle > Panera)
Low value: Fine dining (premium for experience, not food cost)
Delivery vs. Dine-In Economics
Example: Pizza dinner for 4
| Option | Food cost | Delivery fee | Tip | Tax | Total | Cost/person |
|---|
| Dine-in | $35 | — | — | $3 | $38 | $9.50 |
| Delivery (app) | $35 | $4.99 | $8 | $3 | $51 | $12.75 |
| Pickup | $35 | — | $5 | $3 | $43 | $10.75 |
Finding: Dine-in is 25% cheaper than delivery, pickup is middle ground.
Hidden Restaurant Markups
Cost breakdown for a burger at casual restaurant:
| Component | Cost to restaurant | Your price |
|---|
| Beef patty (5 oz) | $1.50 | — |
| Bun + toppings | $0.50 | — |
| Labor (prep + serve) | $2.00 | — |
| Rent/utilities (portion) | $1.50 | — |
| Total cost to restaurant | $5.50 | $12–$15 |
Markup: 120–170% on burger
Smart strategy: Order items with lower markups (salads, sides are often lower margin, so restaurants are willing to discount or combo)