I was attempting to verify some information for an article about family friendly restaurants that will post on our site in the next few weeks and have noticed a growing trend: online menus that do not include prices.
I don’t know about you, but when I check out a venue’s Web site, I want to know what to expect before I make my virtual visit a real one. And when it comes to dining out, price is a pretty significant consideration—especially if I’m on vacation and trying to stick to a budget, which I’m sure is the case for most people in today’s economic climate. I’m not at all averse to spending a good chunk of change on a great dining experience, but give me some idea as to what to expect.
And don’t give me the “If you have to ask, then you probably can’t afford it” line. Odds are I probably can, if I really want to. Plus we’re not talking about New York’s Masa or French Laundry outside San Francisco in Napa Valley, both extraordinary restaurants that reach into the hundreds of dollars per person for a full dining experience. No, the venues in question have been vetted by a local expert—for family dining! These are not places that require sacrificing the college fund of one’s firstborn child to enjoy.
This priceless-menu habit is especially frustrating in this age of information sharing and transparency. Why bother putting your menu online, if only to keep one of the more important aspects of it hidden?
