Free yet Still Ripped Off...

[JanetMegan]

I'm a foodie. I love food, eating it, reading menus, cooking etc. So I was excited when a subcontractor gave myself and a co-worker a $200 gift card to Ruth Chris Steakhouse for the holidays last year. I had never been there. Well jump ahead 8 months and we finally found a chance to go last night.

Boy did I feel ripped off. It was even free! 2 drinks, 2 appetizers, 2 steaks, 2 sides. Tax and tip. $200. The food was good but not great. For that kind of money you would think everything should be the best you had ever had right?

I don't know, I mean I'm normally a fairly thrifty person so the idea of spending $200 on one meal was bad enough. But on the other hand the one thing I don't skimp on normally is buying food to fix. I buy angus beef, good produce, nice spices etc. Still I could fix a TON of good food for $200.

I just felt kind of let down...

[SBETigg]

Premium steak houses can be super expensive. We're far from thrifty and we've had some really pricey meals, but steak places really seem to get those prices up on the most basic and easy to fix of foods. I definitely understand your let down. When a lot of preparation is involved and you're eating food that you can't fix at home, it seems so much more worth the inflated price tag somehow. But for simply prepared foods that you can get on your own? Yes, overpriced. I still enjoy some of them. I haven't been to Ruth's Chris but I have enjoyed Mortons and a few others. Still, there's always some degree of sticker shock.

[Maleficent's Dad]

I know how you feel - retaurants can get pricey. Go to any major metro area, and you'll find that $100 pp doesn't go very far at upscale eateries! :eek:

Side note: This is why I feel that V&A's is such a bargain. For what you get, it would be double or triple that price in NY, Chicago, or LA.

[Melanie]

That's a shame, Janet. I have always wanted to eat at a Ruth's Chris after years hearing such great things about it.

[LouRodriGIS]

I know the feeling. I haven't been to Ruth Chris but I have been to Morton's and Capital Grille in Philadelphia. In both cases the food was good but the prices were insane. You're paying for the name and the atmosphere more than anything else.

For that reason I agree with the last post in that I rarely feel ripped off at WDW because in many cases you are actually getting more for your money when compared to trendy restaurants inbig cities.

[JanetMegan]

Thinking more about it I think I have had better meals at Longhorn or Outback, and that's kind of sad. I will say our service was really good. So that helped.

My dining mate even asked for A1 and they brought him something else in a little ramekin that was not A1 (he's an A1 snob.) But the next table over had a bottle of A1 so?

[Ian]

I haven't been to Ruth Chris but I have been to Morton's and Capital Grille in Philadelphia.I've been to all three and Ruth's Criss was definitely my least favorite of the three.

Morton's was a $210 meal, Ruth's Criss was a $210 meal, and Capital Grille was a $230 meal. That was all for comparable orders.

Of the three, Capital Grille was far and away the best. I've never had a meal like that before or since. I'd go back to either CG or Morton's in a second, but I doubt I'll bother with Ruth's Criss again. It was totally overated, I thought.

[Scar]

Thank you so much for posting this. I was contemplating eating at the one in Atlantic City… not anymore.

We ate at Yachtsman Steakhouse last time in WDW and for 3 adults it was $205. I was satisfied and would eat there again.

[princessjojo]

I completely agree with your feelings. In my first grown-up life, I worked as a sales rep for a large mfg. company and was lucky enough to eat at many of these high end restaurants at the company's expense. It was nothing for us to eat at a Morton's, Ruth's Chris, or Smith & Wolenskey when traveling. Though it was often very good, nothing close to what the bill totalled at the end of the evening. By far my favorite expensive meal was in Indy at St. Elmo's. It was great and the shrimp cocktail appetizer is to die for. That bill wasn't cheap either BTW.

Anyways, I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. $200 is a lot to pay for a meal when you feel it's only mediocre. We don't eat at these restaurants for that fact alone, but it would be nice once and awhile if someone else would pay for it.

[Momof2boys]

I'm sorry you didn't like your meal Janet.

I had a client take us to Ruths Chris in Chicago and I actually enjoyed my meal. I knew it was $$$$ because everything was ala carte but I thought it was really flavorful. Now remember, I live in Wisconsin so we don't have many high class steak houses so this was a real treat and I enjoyed my experience.

[crazypoohbear]

I have bought CARS for that amount of money!?
This was for dinner for 2 :confused:
I bet my 200.00 car lasted longer than the meal :D

[Scar]

I have bought CARS for that amount of money!?:rotfl:

My first two cars cost less than that combined! :car:

[PirateLover]

Very interesting. My boyfriend has been wanting to take me to Ruth's Chris for years now. As mentioned, there is one in Philly, but we were thinking about hitting up the one in AC next time we're down. Neither of us has much money at all and I can imagine how disappointed we'd be if he shelled out $200 for what ended up being an OK meal. Looks like we should rethink this one....

[DizneyRox]

Ruth's Chris is definitely over rated...

I think the best steak I've had has been a seedy roadside place in NJ off of Route 3 I think - Steve's Sizzling Steaks. Reasonable prices for sure, but the company picked up the bill anyway.

Ruth's Chris isn't bad though, just not worth the cash IMHO.

[JPL]

I think the best steak I've had has been a seedy roadside place in NJ off of Route 3 I think - Steve's Sizzling Steaks. Reasonable prices for sure, but the company picked up the bill anyway.



Steve's is awesome use to eat there all the time before the Devil Games.

Ruth Chris Use to be much better then went down hill. The best of the Chain upscale steakhouses is definately Morton's IMHO. And of course they are all much better when someone else is picking up the Tab ;)

[thrillme]

I took my parents there for their 50th anniversary last December. The food was quite good but...it was VERY expensive.

It had quite a pretty presentation, the service was wonderful but it sorta freaked me out that the waiter was making almost double what I make in my "tip" alone (65-70 tip money for an hour plus normal wages from just ONE table...not too bad even if they DO share the tip...and I know he was working more than ONE table). He and the "water boy" were quite attentive but I guess it just seem a bit much to give them so much but that's what the tip came to in accordance with the bill.

It was a very nice experience alas I've discovered I'm more of a Texas Roadhouse or Fridays sorta gal.

[Figaro]

Thinking more about it I think I have had better meals at Longhorn or Outback, and that's kind of sad. I will say our service was really good. So that helped.

My dining mate even asked for A1 and they brought him something else in a little ramekin that was not A1 (he's an A1 snob.) But the next table over had a bottle of A1 so?


I actually used to work at Longhorn Steakhouse as a host, server, and finally a line cook. Longhorn Steakhouse is rated as one of the Top 5 Steakhouses in the country, right up there with Ruth's Chris. The only drawback to Longhorn that I think that keeps it from being higher of the list is the way they plate their food, and the dining environment they have. I've had many Managers from the restaurants I've worked in go to Ruth's Chris and still say they aren't impressed with their food. Longhorn does not freeze their meat or seafood, also. Back on topic tho, I'd say stick with Longhorn :thumbsup: Ruth's Chris is very overpriced, and for the better quality, you could go to a lower priced steakhouse.

[Ian]

Very interesting. My boyfriend has been wanting to take me to Ruth's Criss for years now. As mentioned, there is one in Philly, but we were thinking about hitting up the one in AC next time we're down. Neither of us has much money at all and I can imagine how disappointed we'd be if he shelled out $200 for what ended up being an OK meal. Looks like we should rethink this one....Maryanne, trust me ... if you really want to go out to a nice, steak dinner in the Philly area, skip Ruth's Criss and hit Capital Grille.

Yes, it will be pricey, but it will be SO worth it!

[January-2007]

My brother and sister in law gave my parents a gift certificate to Ruth's Chris and they weren't too impressed either. We talked about it over a lovely meal at the Longhorn Steakhouse. :D

[Ed]

We recently ate at the Ruth's Chris in Naples, and went away totally unimpressed. As others have mentioned, I've had better steaks at places like Outback or Logan's. Even my "adult beverages" left a lot to be desired. Service was....adequate.

Our DIL had to send her dinner back not once, not twice, but THREE times (undercooked fish) before a manager came by and offered to deduct her meal from the bill. :shake:

We won't be going back. :nono: A restaurant with such a highly-hyped reputation gets only one strike and they're out. I'll try Morton's next time we get a hankering for a good steak.

[PirateLover]

Maryanne, trust me ... if you really want to go out to a nice, steak dinner in the Philly area, skip Ruth's Criss and hit Capital Grille.

Yes, it will be pricey, but it will be SO worth it!

I was actually thinking about bringing Capital Grille up to him. My mom just ate there for lunch with coworkers a few weeks ago and said it was one of the best burgers she ever had. I had a friend who waitressed there and she loved it. Said the staff is friendly, the food is great, and there's always a chance to run into local celebrities there! If the rich and famous eat there ya know it's gotta be at least half-way decent, right :cool:

[DVC2004]

We are big at dining out at nice places, although I'm often disappointed to blow over $200 for a mediocre meal. I have not tried Ruth's Chris, but there are a few other places that come to mind where I've had a similar experience. I'm willing to pay for a good meal but I find many places over hyped and not worth the time or $$.

[Ian]

If the rich and famous eat there ya know it's gotta be at least half-way decent, right :cool:Actually, it's pretty neat. Right when you walk in, on the right hand side of the entrance area, there are the lockers that people can rent to store their private items in (things like bottles of wine or liquor, cigars, etc.).

They all have names on them and you'll recognize quite a few, trust me. T.O. had one when he was still in town.