Restaurant owner reveals the menu items you should never order when dining out to avoid getting sick

New York Post

17 hours ago

You want to leave a restaurant with a satisfied belly — not an upset one.
One woman revealed on TikTok, thanks to her restaurant owner friend, the specific things no diner should ever order or consume while out to eat if they want to spare themselves from getting a stomachache.
In the caption of Julia Besz's video — which garnered over 375,000 views — she went into detail explaining her restaurateur pal's takes.
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@juliabesz.bloommoneying
We were sat over a late-night cuppa after his shift when he said it: 'There are a few things you should never order in any restaurant.' Not his, not a chain, not even the posh ones. I laughed, thinking it was some insider joke — but his face didn't budge. He wasn't being dramatic, he was being de@d serious. The first on his list? 'Specials' that aren't tied to a clear seasonal ingredient. Sounds harmless, but in the trade, that often means 'stuff we need to shift before it goes off.' The sauce masks the age, the garnish distracts you — and by the time you've finished, you've basically paid top dollar for yesterday's leftovers. Then there's shellfish in places nowhere near the coast. Unless you know they've got daily deliveries and spotless storage, you're gambling with your gut. 'Most punters don't realise,' he said, 'but the wrong handling turns a fancy seafood platter into a food poisoпing time bomb.' He also warned me about ice in drinks at certain bars. 'If the ice machine isn't cleaned properly — and in busy spots, it often isn't — you're basically sipping on a chilled petri dish.' Suddenly, that summer cocktail didn't feel so Instagrammable. And the shocker? Chicken dishes in buffets or all-you-can-eats. It's the perfect breeding ground for bacteria if temps aren't bang-on, and trust me — in high-volume places, they're not checking every tray like they should. 'You won't see it,' he said, 'but you'll feel it 12 hours later.' Here's the quick takeaway for peace of mind: next time you eat out, ask yourself one question — how quickly is this moving off the kitchen pass? If the answer's 'not very,' leave it on the menu. You'll save yourself a fortune in wasted meals… and maybe a night hugging the loo. ♬ original sound – juliabesz.bloommoneying
Whether you're dining at a chain restaurant or a posh place, 'The first on his list? 'Specials' that aren't tied to a clear seasonal ingredient,' her caption read.
'Sounds harmless, but in the trade, that often means 'stuff we need to shift before it goes off.' The sauce masks the age, the garnish distracts you — and by the time you've finished, you've basically paid top dollar for yesterday's leftovers.'
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No one wants to get sick from a meal they paid for — especially in this economy.
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And that's a rumbling stomach waiting to happen.
Ordering fish at a seafood restaurant that's nowhere near the coast is already risky – but the expert advised diners to steer clear specifically of shellfish.
'Unless you know they've got daily deliveries and spotless storage, you're gambling with your gut…but the wrong handling turns a fancy seafood platter into a food poisoпing time bomb,' the video's caption read as explained by Besz's pal.
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And you might want to think twice the next time you visit a buffet.
Be careful the next time you're tempted to stuff your plate at a buffet.
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Chicken dishes in buffets or all-you-can-eat style buffets are supposedly 'the perfect breeding ground for bacteria if temps aren't bang-on, and trust me — in high-volume places, they're not checking every tray like they should,' the video's caption read. 'You won't see it,' he said, 'but you'll feel it 12 hours later.''
If your jaw isn't already on the floor — this might get you there.
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Now, when it comes to drinks — this news might break some diners' hearts.
'If the ice machine isn't cleaned properly — and in busy spots, it often isn't — you're basically sipping on a chilled petri dish,' her insider friend revealed.
Sadly, taking shortcuts isn't the only way restaurants try to scam customers.
'Most people decide what to order in under 90 seconds,' Fred Harrington, CEO of Proxy Coupons, said, according to Yahoo! Life.
'Restaurants know this — and they've designed their menus to capitalize on that snap decision-making.'
If you're checking out a menu and prices are hidden or in an unexpected spot — there's a reason for that.
'The goal of restaurants is to put the food first and the price second in the customer's mind,' USC lecturer Dr. Jason Buhle told Delish. 'One way they can do this is by literally listing the food first and the price second.'