There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a nice meal, but some chain restaurants are pricing burgers like caviar-topped masterpieces. These places act like they’ve got white tablecloths and celebrity chefs in the back when you’re eating in a sticky booth next to a birthday party of ten.
From simple dishes with sky-high price tags to sides that cost more than your streaming subscriptions, these chains are seriously testing our wallets. Here are 15 chain restaurants that charge like they’re serving five-star cuisine, when it’s just your Tuesday night dinner.
15. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
BJ’s loves a good oversized menu and even bigger prices to match. You’re paying premium rates for deep-dish pizza and a Pizookie, not a gourmet tasting menu.
14. The Cheesecake Factory
That phone book of a menu comes with a side of sticker shock. Suddenly, you’re $27 deep into chicken parmesan and wondering if you accidentally walked into a luxury steakhouse.
13. Shake Shack
It’s a great burger, no doubt. But when you add fries and a shake, your wallet is emptier than the calorie count, which is honest.
12. PF Chang’s
It’s Americanized Chinese food with fine dining aspirations. Based on the price, you’d think they flew the lettuce wraps in from Beijing.
11. Red Lobster
Endless shrimp, sure—but your final bill will have you wishing it was endless savings instead. That “fancy” seafood vibe comes at a not-so-casual cost.
10. Maggiano’s Little Italy
Maggiano’s wants to be your go-to Italian splurge spot, but it charges like you’re in Rome eating at a trattoria with a view of the Colosseum. The family-style portions don’t soften the blow as much as they think.
9. Nusr-Et (Salt Bae’s Steakhouse)
Okay, technically it’s a chain, and it belongs here. The drama is free, but everything else—from water to Wagyu—is wildly overpriced.
8. Fogo de Chão
All-you-can-eat meat sounds great until you realize your “value meal” costs more than your monthly phone bill. It’s a carnivore’s casino—you never know how much you spend until the check comes.
7. Yard House
They sell burgers and beer like they’re handcrafted by monks and aged in bourbon barrels. The prices hit harder than their IPAs.
6. Bonefish Grill
It’s seafood with a side of sticker shock. You walk in expecting casual vibes and leave wondering if you just funded a boat.
5. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Yes, it’s upscale, but let’s be real—it’s a chain with the heart of a country club and the bill of a boutique hotel. That’s the sizzle you hear? It’s your money evaporating.
4. Nobu
Another fancy chain with global locations and absurd markups. You’re paying for the name, not the noodle.
3. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
It wants to be luxury incarnate, but let’s not forget—it’s a chain, not a unicorn. A side of asparagus shouldn’t cost what a decent entrée does elsewhere.
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2. Eddie V’s
It has all the ambiance of a corporate expense report and prices. The seafood’s fresh, sure, but so is the sting on your credit card.
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1. STK Steakhouse
STK acts like it’s throwing a party every night, and your bank account is footing the bill. You’re paying a club cover charge plus fine-dining prices to eat in a DJ booth.
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