Server's $18 Truffle Butter Upsell Leaves Diners Baffled; Woman Shares Tips to Avoid Sneaky Charges

Sales workers trying to upsell customers is common but waiters upselling diners is something that goes unnoticed. However, it didn’t go unnoticed by a TikTok user who is now sharing tips to avoid it. Creator Joanne Strand (@joannestrand), who found herself in a similar situation, called out waiters for asking customers a trick question. Her answer amused several viewers who shared similar stories in the comments. 

Waiters Add An $18 Charge With A Clever Trick Question

 In the video which now has over 39,000 views, Strand shares how she and her husband were charged $18 for truffle butter. She explains that they went to a Scottsdale restaurant called Toca Modera and they were splurging on food and drinks. 

She says a part of their fiesta was a big steak which they enjoyed. While having the steak, the waiter came up to the couple to ask if everything was okay. It was at that time when the waiter asked them the trick question, “Would you like some truffle butter with your stake?”

At the time, Stranda and her husband didn’t know if the extra offering was free or for a charge. At most, they thought that the butter would cost about $4 to $5, so they didn’t mind accepting the offer. The creator then explained that the butter wasn’t much, about two knobs and it wasn’t that truffly either. It didn’t add much to the flavor of the steak, so it was a mistake, the creator says.

She then goes on to say that they realized it was an even bigger mistake when the check arrived. The couple found out that the butter cost an extra $18. 

The creator says she wished she had a photo of the truffle butter. She then goes on to share the value. She recommends her viewers always ask the waiter if there is any extra cost for the item they are offering. “In this economy it makes sense,” the creator says. 

Stranda says that they didn’t even finish the butter but they didn’t say anything to the waiter as they aren’t big complainers.

However, her story triggered an avalanche of comments with users sharing similar stories. “One time I was at an Italian place and they asked my dad and if we wanted mozzarella on our pasta and we both said yes. we got the check and the mozzarella was $16 each plate,” wrote one user (@lexdrish). 

Meanwhile, several others pointed out that truffles indeed are expensive. One viewer (@yinnn_yang) wrote, “I added truffles to our dish at a 3 Michelin star restaurant — my date said i didn’t have to do that, but I went on. It was $150 additional for each plate. It was my first Michelin star restaurant”. The creator replied, “Oh my god, why are truffles so expensive?” 

Why are Truffles So Expensive?

While truffles are a culinary delight, they are a rare luxury as well. They are difficult to find, difficult to harvest, and have a short shelf life, which keeps them always in demand. The black truffle costs in the range of $1,000 to $2,000 per pound, depending on the season, as per Marky’s. Thus, the $18 charge presented to Stranda may be somewhat justifiable. 

For more styling tips and lifestyle & entertainment content, follow Joanne Strand. (@joannestrand) on TikTok.