DINING OUT DECODED

Time to translate the menu

The choices are plentiful, the waiters fit; no wonder you’re falling for the restaurant’s sneaky eat-more strategies. Time to hack the system

You have avo on rye for brekkie and superfood salad for lunch, but the second you set foot in a restaurant, all bets are off. Bucket of chicken washed down with copious amounts of chardonnay? Sold. ‘Customers are all bark and no bite,’ says

Chris Barber, a London-based restaurant consultant. ‘People claim they want salad, but order burgers,’ he says. So why is it so hard to stay inside the lines when you eat out? We’re just easily influenced. From the moment you walk in the door, mind tricks are steering you headlong into an unhealthy choice. Read on for your menu survival guide…

COLOUR ME GREEDY

Appetite-stimulating hues such as red, yellow and blue can lead you astray, says research in the journal Management Decision. Typography plays tricks on you, too: ‘The use of various fonts can distract you from your original choice,’ says Professor Brian Wansink, food psychologist at Cornell University. Look up the menu online before you dine to prevent impulse decisions. Then stay strong.

START RIGHT

‘Restaurateurs want to catch your eye with something tasty and inexpensive in the top left corner,’ says Barber. Chances of that being healthy? Slim. ‘People read menus in a Z shape,’ adds Wansink. ‘You’re more likely to order from one of the four places your eye naturally lands.’ Scour the menu to ensure you’re making the right choice.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

It’s easy to over-order sides – those tasty but calorie-dense morsels. The result can be a hefty bill and a heavy belly. Fancy a few for a main? ‘Ask the waiter for three they recommend, but say light not healthy, or they’ll only list the salads,’ says Wansink.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

‘Boxes disrupt the Z shape to say: “We have something great here,”’ says Barber. View it as a red flag. ‘The item in the box is rarely healthy; it’s typically a dish they’re trying to attract attention to, and one that costs more, too,’ says Wansink.

HEALTH HALO

Eye-catching symbols like these practically scream ‘virtuous’, but they’re not a nutritional green light. Salads are often the worst offenders. ‘Use common sense,’ says Wansink. ‘Beware sugary or creamy dressings. Ask for olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side instead.’

ALLURING ADJECTIVES

‘You’ll spend 11% more if tempting words are used,’ says Wansink. ‘That could mean getting three sides for the table instead of two – bumping up the calories and the pounds.’ Nostalgic words like ‘heritage’ or geographic hooks – such as Highland salmon – reel you in, too.

TOP TABLE

Where you sit is also rife with potential dangers. Wansink points out the best (and worst) seats in the house:

By the window Plonked by the window, you’ll be more conscious of how you look, and all that extra light and air can make the green salad more appealing.

At tall tables

Here, you’ll be sitting up straight, making you more alert to your choices. Meaning: fewer sides and drinks.

In a low-lit booth

Nice and comfy with moody lighting? You’re less likely to make healthful decisions. Hello pudding.

Close to the bar

You’ll drink more. No sh*t, Sherlock.