How to Avoid a Costly Restaurant Bill

Experts reveal the sneaky strategies restaurants use to get you to spend more money.

Expect the Unexpected

This article originally appeared on LearnVest.com.

We’ve all been there: You head out to dinner with a friend, a ballpark amount in mind that you want to spend. You have a great time, laughing and catching up, and before you know it, the wine is flowing, you’ve ordered the extra appetizer, that tasty-sounding special, and life is fantastic—until the check arrives, and it is double what you wanted it to be.

It’s not a coincidence.

Smart restaurant owners know how to boost their profits by using subtle strategies that encourage you to spend more. Here, a restaurant insider and a behavioral psychologist dish about these secrets, so you won’t fall for them.