A restaurant owner has revealed the dishes diners should think twice about ordering if they want to avoid getting sick.
A woman named Julia Besz, who goes by the TikTok handle @juliabesz.bloommoneying, took to the social media platform to share the advice she received from a restaurateur friend.
She revealed that whether you’re eating at a chain restaurant or a lavish place, you should avoid the "specials" section as they “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,” she said.
Fish is another dish the TikToker's insider friend advises caution with, especially 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.”
Besz revealed that even the drinks menu isn’t safe, as the ice machine "isn’t cleaned properly - and in busy spots, it often isn’t - you’re basically sipping on a chilled petri dish," adding: “Suddenly, that summer cocktail didn’t feel so Instagrammable."
Buffets also got a special mention. Chicken, in particular, is flagged as risky because of inconsistent temperature checks.
“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.'”
Her warning echoes advice Gordon Ramsay once gave in an interview, where he said he avoids the “soup of the day” for a similar reason.
“Ask what yesterday’s soup du jour was before today’s special. It may be the case that it’s the soup du month,” Ramsay explained, per The Mirror.
Beyond safety concerns, restaurant experts point out that menus themselves are often designed to nudge diners into making quick choices.
“Most people decide what to order in under 90 seconds,” Fred Harrington, CEO of Proxy Coupons, told Yahoo! Life.
USC lecturer Dr. Jason Buhle added to Delish: “The goal of restaurants is to put the food first and the price second in the customer’s mind. One way they can do this is by literally listing the food first and the price second.”
Meanwhile, Ramsey suggests asking waiters what they recommend. “It really depends on the restaurants, but servers tend to taste most of the dishes on the menu and can give you insight to what the chef has added or what locals love,” he said.