Is that fish you ordered really the fish you ordered?

[thebrick]

If you like to eat fish like I do and dine out regularly like I do, you may find it interesting that restaurants "bait and switch" more than we realize. Bottom line; its consumer fraud. That $12/lb grouper you thought you were eating may actually be $2.50/lb catfish or tilapia

For example, only 1 of 15 samples of fish billed as red snapper at Kansas City restaurants was legit. Out of 100 samples from restaurants in the last 2 years from across the country, half the time it was not the fish restaurants said it was.

**broken link removed**

don't you love dna testing

 

[Snuka]

I worked at a clam bar one summer and the boss would buy tilapia and say it was red snapper. you cant tell once its covered in tomatoes, capers....etc. He used to do that with other fish too. His prices were really high too and people weren't even getting what they ordered. This was about 4 or 5 years ago too.

 

[Ashop]

If you like to eat fish like I do and dine out regularly like I do, you may find it interesting that restaurants "bait and switch" more than we realize. Bottom line; its consumer fraud. That $12/lb grouper you thought you were eating may actually be $2.50/lb catfish or tilapia

For example, only 1 of 15 samples of fish billed as red snapper at Kansas City restaurants was legit. Out of 100 samples from restaurants in the last 2 years from across the country, half the time it was not the fish restaurants said it was.

**broken link removed**

don't you love dna testing

I know my fish very well. Thats a trick they couldnt pull on me

 

[Pekkerwood]

That is a real pisser. Brick, I eat seafood 90% of the time and its amazing how some restaraunts feel so free to "substitue" without informing. I make it very difficult on them as I order my fish brushed with Olive Oil, plainly grilled, zero toppings.

On the weekends I go to the "farmers market" type stores that have whole fish that will clean them their in front of you. We also grill whole fish pretty often. You do not see it that often in the States in restaraunts, but in Europe its pretty common to be served a whole fish and have it "deboned" and plated tableside. I guess we don't really have the experienced waitstaff in most restaraunts.


I'm taking a trip to the gulf sometimes in the next three weeks, and look forward to eating fish that "slept in the Gulf" the night b4!

 

[Pain]

Though I now work full time in the fitness industry to follow my dreams, I grew up in the restaurant biz. I started bussing tables, and by the time I resigned 6 weeks ago I was a G.M. and managed the bars for 10 restaurants in our chain. I can say, from great personal experience, that it is illegal as hell to sell the customer one thing and serve another!! Here in AZ, if you do get caught ... and they do check ... your permit to operate WILL be suspended, and can be revoked.
From my experience, the ol' bait & switch is much more common in the bar. Almost no one can tell the difference between top shelf tequila and well tequila when it's in a margarita. Float it with some Grand Mar, and people will pay $12 for 75 cents worth of booze all day long.