# When do expect to pay more when you order "extra" at a restaurant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610 "2015-08-12T02:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/41 "2015-08-12T20:31:16Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Thanks. Apologies for thinking otherwise. No apologies necessary. I can see how my post could have been taken as a slight to all fast food workers. I didn’t intend that and I’m glad you gave me a chance to correct the appearance I left. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/42 "2015-08-12T20:43:59Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > order their double bacon cheeseburger with lettuce tomato mustard and onion only. Since it seems the only thing you don’t want is ketchup and mayo, why not just say ‘no ketchup or mayo’? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/43 "2015-08-12T20:48:45Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > My teenaged daughter works at a fast food restaurant. Believe it or not she’s an actual human being with emotions and everything. > > People can be assholes to workers who they feel are beneath them. Don’t be one of those people. My daughter worked for a Subway as one of her first “real” jobs. I was one of her first customers. After she made my sandwich, she rang me up. I handed her a fifty, but she said she didnt have enough change yet. I told her to keep it. She thanked me but gave me a look. Turns out the two people working a shift split all the tips. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/44 "2015-08-12T20:53:33Z")
Editing time has expired. Or better yet, you could say ‘Hold the ketchup, hold the mayo. Special orders don’t upset you.’ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/45 "2015-08-12T21:17:27Z")
Before everyone keeps jumping on Burger King and fast food workers for misrepresenting their product on the menu board… do a quick search for Burger King’s menu. Here, I’ll save you a second… [Burger King](http://www.bk.com/menu/burgers) Notice that the only Whopper that shows cheese is the Bacon and Cheese Whopper. NONE of the others do. All of their burgers that depict cheese have cheese somewhere in the title (other than the Big King which is a clone of the Big Mac). I also did an image search and didn’t find any pictures of menu boards depicting the Whopper Jr. with cheese. I learned several years ago that if you want one with cheese you have to order it that way… and I would fully expect to pay more for it. I think there is a slight chance that **JohnGalt** may be mistaken in his memory of what he saw. In the interest of research I’ll get a Whopper Jr. tomorrow and report back what is pictured on the menu board. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/46 "2015-08-12T23:01:47Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Since it seems the only thing you don’t want is ketchup and mayo, why not just say ‘no ketchup or mayo’? That would work if the default assumption was that the place would put everything on it. Most places don’t work that way. And BTW you forgot about pickles 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/47 "2015-08-12T23:31:16Z")
I wouldn’t mind paying extra for cheese on a whopper, but .50 for a slice of cheese is crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/48 "2015-08-13T00:42:36Z")
Especially when it isn’t real cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/49 "2015-08-13T00:48:07Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Especially when it isn’t real cheese. Your signature could not be more appropriate… American Cheese is real cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/50 "2015-08-13T00:54:06Z")
I used to work at McDonald’s briefly while I was in college back in the Cretaceous Age, and I learned the proper, McDonald’s-approved way to order my burger of choice: “Quarter Cheese plain.” That means “Quarter Pounder with Cheese, nothing else.” Worked for years, no problem. Lately, though (I’d say the last five years or so) I’ve needed to adjust my order because the order taker gets confused when I say that. “You want cheese with that, right?” “Yes. Meat, cheese, and bun. Nothing else.” It comes out with the little tag that says “Quarter Pounder, only cheese.” So that’s how I order it now. I’ve found it pays to just work within the system. You get what you want, everybody’s happy, and you don’t have to go back to the drive-thru with a misbegotten burger with icky stuff on it (or no cheese). What I _really_ like is for them to put the little onion bits on and take them off again (I discovered this a couple times when they screwed up my order and tried to fix it by taking the onions off–leaves a nice hint of onion flavor but without the icky crunchy things) but there’s no way I’m gonna try to explain that to your average McCounterDrone. Wouldn’t be fair. And to answer the OP’s question, I have no problem paying a little extra if I wanted extra whatever (like McNugget sauce). I rarely order any, though, so it’s usually not a problem for me. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/51 "2015-08-13T00:57:18Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Your signature could not be more appropriate… American Cheese is real cheese. Why else would I use it? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/52 "2015-08-13T01:17:18Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Your signature could not be more appropriate… American Cheese is real cheese. No it’s not. In Canada it has to be called processed cheese. It’s not real cheese and can’t even be called “cheese” in any marketing pitches. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/53 "2015-08-13T01:32:13Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > No it’s not. In Canada it has to be called processed cheese. It’s not real cheese and can’t even be called “cheese” in any marketing pitches. It is just a technicality… it is a blend of two or more cheeses. If you add other dairy products like cream (gasp) it becomes cheese food. Is the bag of Monterrey Jack not cheese anymore because it has two cheeses? How about purple… is it not a color because it is a blend of red and blue? If I have Mozzarella and Provolone on my pizza is it no longer a cheese pizza? As you said… it has to be called “processed cheese.” Notice the word cheese in the name. If they used Velveeta then you may have an argument, but their menu is held to the same laws and it lists it as American Cheese so I believe it is a blend of cheeses which still makes it cheese. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/54 "2015-08-13T01:33:20Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > … I’m a bit disgruntled when I’m charged for \*substitutions \*of equal priced items… [Some customers are willing to work with the waitress and pay extra, but still don’t get the subsitution thay want.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XylSAxvujeA&t=35) ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/55 "2015-08-13T01:39:59Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Monterrey Jack. Sorry, I meant Colby Jack ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/56 "2015-08-13T01:43:36Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > It is just a technicality… it is a blend of two or more cheeses. If you add other dairy products like cream (gasp) it becomes cheese food. Is the bag of Monterrey Jack not cheese anymore because it has two cheeses? How about purple… is it not a color because it is a blend of red and blue? If I have Mozzarella and Provolone on my pizza is it no longer a cheese pizza? > > As you said… it has to be called “processed cheese.” Notice the word cheese in the name. If they used Velveeta then you may have an argument, but their menu is held to the same laws and it lists it as American Cheese so I believe it is a blend of cheeses which still makes it cheese. Well, it’s my understanding that it is not aged and contains emulsifiers and fillers; it’s not cheese. ETA: Apparently we don’t even get American cheese here from what I just read, and we believe individually-wrapped, processed cheese slices to be American cheese. That’s what I’ve always thought too. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/57 "2015-08-13T14:50:00Z")
**Tired and Cranky** , dial back in this forum. FInd a better way to express your opinions without resorting to this level of personal snark. Maybe you need a nap… > [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > You must be so proud of having mastered all that is expected of the highly-trained workforce at Burger King. Given the high esteem in which the public generally holds fast food workers, I’m sure your customers felt that earning your approval was critical to their emotional well-being. They must crawl out of the restaurant dejected when they catch the drift that that you don’t think highly of people who expected their sandwich to at least contain the same components as used in the picture to promote it. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/58 "2015-08-13T15:26:20Z")
I did the Honorable thing, in the name of science and all that, and went to BK for lunch yesterday. I didn’t snap a pic of the drive thru menu board, but it is accurately reflected in BK’s [online burger menu.](http://www.bk.com/menu/burgers) Notice that the only burgers that actually SHOW cheese are the one’s that, by their name, obviously include cheese. The Whopper, as an example shows the toppings that come with the burger, but does not show cheese. This isn’t hard. As someone else up thread said, if you happen to catch how they phrase your burger preferences, either on the receipt, or on their call out to the kitchen, then just start ordering your burger that way. Example: There is regional fast food place called Cook-Out, where my favorite burger is a burger with everything, but no cheese. Now, I know from past experience, that because they charge extra for tomato, I need to specify that. So I heard the counter person call out to the back “Burger with everything, add tomato, no cheese”. So, now that is exactly what I say, and they get it right 100% of the time. Fast food workers have shitty job, so if I can help ease my transaction by learning the lingo, I can certainly do that. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/59 "2015-08-13T15:59:13Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > The most unusual is a milkshake is $3.49 but if you want chocolate, it’s an extra $0.35 - WTF? To me that’s a sign of a failing business or a tightwad of an owner. Charging the customer for things the owner has to pay for is the opposite of a failing business, in fact, it’s literally the only way to have a successful business. Now, if the owner were to buy things and give them away for free, that would be a sign of a failing business. What you want, I think, is for him to just include the price of the chocolate into the milkshake. The problem with that, however, is that if I get a vanilla milkshake, I still have to pay for the chocolate. Would you prefer all the shakes were 35¢ more? Then you’d be accusing the owner of being of having a failing business or being a tightwad as well (but you wouldn’t know it because their pricing wouldn’t be as transparent). The last option is that he’s made enough money in his career that he can afford to give stuff away for free. But consider where he’s made that money. I don’t have any problem with owners that have done well enough, but they usually don’t do it by giving things away. If the chocolate is free, it’s because they included it in the cost of the regular shake. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610/60 "2015-08-13T16:54:17Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > I did the Honorable thing, in the name of science and all that, and went to BK for lunch yesterday. I didn’t snap a pic of the drive thru menu board, but it is accurately reflected in BK’s [online burger menu.](http://www.bk.com/menu/burgers) > > Notice that the only burgers that actually SHOW cheese are the one’s that, by their name, obviously include cheese. The Whopper, as an example shows the toppings that come with the burger, but does not show cheese. All good experiments need to be repeatable. As I promised up-thread, I went to BK today and looked very closely at their menu board and there is no cheese depicted on the Whopper Jr or any other Whopper that doesn’t specify cheese. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-expect-to-pay-more-when-you-order-extra-at-a-restaurant/727610.md?page=4)