Eating out can get real pricey, real fast. First, if you don't opt for water with your meal, that's an extra $5-$15 (depending on if you get an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage) added to your bill from the jump. Then, you have the cost of your meal. But the meal price is often just the base price. Some restaurants will charge for extra ingredients like butter, bacon, cheese, and avocado.
If you aren't careful, you could end up paying way more than you intended to for your dining experience. That's why Jasmine Pineda's (@jasminepanama22) restaurant hack is deeply resonating with all the avocado lovers out there.
In a TikTok, Pineda sits in a restaurant booth. She whips an avocado out of her purse and halves it right then and there with a knife before plopping the freshly cut avocado into a bowl. She even brought her own knife to the establishment.
Her short video was viewed 151,000 times.
Viewers approved of Pineda's hack, pointing to the typical cost of extra avocado at restaurants.
"I feel this because they charge about $6 for that," one viewer said.
"I used to work at a restaurant that would charge $3 for a couple of slices of avocado. Ridiculous," a second commented.
Viewers also shared the ingredients they like to bring from home to restaurants.
"I bring my own dressing and I’m not above bringing an avocado," one said.
"As a Mexican I carry an aguacate and tortillas in my bag," another shared.
Bringing your own food to a restaurant may upset the establishment
Bringing one's own food into a restaurant may be more common than you would think. A server shared that she's witnessed customers bring their own food or drinks "at every brunch shift [she's] ever worked."
Most restaurants would likely not be OK with this, however, if they catch you. According to Woolworth on 5th, "allowing outside food into the restaurant could potentially compromise" the strict food safety and health codes that most restaurants are subjected.
Why do avocados always cost extra at restaurants?
According to Tasting Table, avocados always cost extra for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is the cost of production. "They require an abundance of water to grow — as much as 50 gallons per pound — so their intrinsic price is steeper before even leaving the farm," Tasting Table reports.
Another reason is that they have a short lifespan. They are only perfectly ripened for at least two days. They also brown pretty fast. "Guacamole is hard to pre-batch, and must be made fresh at restaurants. Although such qualities present an extra hassle, it all contributes to the food's appeal," Tasting Table adds.
Tasting Table further reports that the cost of avocados is "constantly fluctuating," and demand from U.S. consumers makes them all the more costly.
The Daily Dot reached out to Pineda via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment.
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