Customers Agree, These 9 Sit-Down Chains Are Way Overpriced

As dining out has increasingly trended toward a luxury reserved for special occasions, there are some restaurants that customers agree stand out as being overpriced. We're not just talking about the ubiquitous uptick in goods and services resulting from inflation. Undoubtedly factoring toward many consumers budgetary equations, such economic woes merely register as insult on top of injury that many feel after getting a receipt and discovering a former lunchtime go-to now exceeds affordability.

Where the final figure quantifies the overpriced sit-down experience, it is the myriad decisions made by the chains — be they breakfast, steakhouse, or otherwise — that tarnish reputations. In some instances, decreased quality is paired with decreased quantity making the choice to dine their increasingly questionable. This is especially cutting with meal deals built off specific dollar amounts. Other examples are readily identified as having always been overpriced, with the restaurant less concerned with selling a meal than it is interested in getting butts in seats and free social media marketing to lure in the next round of customers.

The fact that Outback Steakhouse isn't delivering the same bang for the buck that it once did isn't just a matter of public opinion. It happens to be a trying reality that parent company Bloomin' Brands CEO Mike Spanos acknowledged in 2025 after his first year in the role. Among the challenges faced by the Australian-themed restaurant chain, the executive addressed higher prices, smaller portions, and lower quality steak following the end of the third quarter.

Alongside fellow chains Bonefish Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Bloomin' Brands tallied a loss of over $36 million before beginning the final quarter of 2025. Food Republic previously outlined reasons Outback is considered one of the worst steakhouse chains with a top complaint being the chain's prices compared to its competition. And while steaks are broadly expected to come with a bigger price tag, customers have continued to complain about portion sizes and that even basic dishes like salads and baked potatoes have also jumped precipitously.

To counter the negative perspective, a $75 million investment has been planned from 2026 through 2028 to improve customer experience with better quality steak and better preparation. Spanos also aims to focus on value options like the Aussie 3 Course that often finds guests willingly choosing to upgrade from $14.99 to $17.99 or $20.99 menu options.

If you've never been to a Benihana and experienced front row seating for hibachi, then you may find the most surprising part is the bill after you've had your dinner with a show. The same goes for those familiar with onion volcanoes and beating fried rice hearts who've been away from the grill for some time. One TikToker did a receipt comparison of Benihana visits in 2021 and 2025 showing an order of steak and shrimp had jumped from $27.50 to $53 plus an $8 charge to add rice. For a meal out with a spouse and two children that factored in drinks, the tab would come to somewhere around $250.

The prevailing consensus is that the food is only okay, and a meal at Benihana really is about paying for the show. With that in mind, many consider any hibachi restaurant to be equivalent without having to pay the premium on the name brand. Of course, there remains the option to fire up a Blackstone at home and choose an oil with a high smoke point to try your own hand at landing a piece of shrimp in your pocket.

Those who've never been to The Cheesecake Factory — or who haven't watched "The Big Bang Theory" — may be surprised to learn it sells more than dessert. On the other hand, those who've been know that the chain serves far more than dessert, so much so that the overwhelming menu options are seen as a contributing factor to making the restaurant overpriced. However, that didn't stop the California-based chain from adding 23 items while nixing 13 from the menu options in 2025.

Compared to August 2023 when Alice Levitt wrote a review for Business Insider about visiting a Cheesecake Factory in Virginia and paying over $87 for two people to dine-in, the Eggroll Sampler — then $16.50 for four egg rolls — has since ticked up at least another dollar to $17.50. The chain had already seen menu prices climb 10.5% in 2023 while experiencing traffic drops of nearly 4%. Some have suggested that the once generous portions have since been cut back as well. What's more, the eponymous dessert leaves diners with sticker shock as a slice of cheesecake costs nearly $12.

Breakfast has long been recognized as the affordable option when choosing to dine out, but experiences eating at IHOP suggest quite the contrary. One such example left a customer surprised to find prices they'd expect to see at a local establishment without the backing of a national chain. Specifically, a 2x2x2 rang up to $12 in what was believed to be a weekend upcharge. Another example of overpricing found one customer relaying that their pickup order of the Think 'N Fluffy French Toast Combo totaled nearly $25.

In the years following COVID-19, as inflation marked a 40-year high and gas prices attained record-breaking averages over $5 per gallon, restaurants have fared worse than other sectors of the economy. According to a report from Finance Buzz, as of 2025, chain restaurant costs had climbed about 40% compared to the overall inflation rate of 22% over five years. Meanwhile, IHOP had spiked in price by 82% in that same time frame, cementing its overpriced status while removing popular amenities like a syrup caddy and coffee thermos to refill your mug.

Like the disappearance of Subway's $5 footlongs or Wendy's long-beloved 4 for $4, Applebee's deals, once considered reasonable, are now viewed as overpriced with obvious numerical upticks. A prime example is represented by the replacement of the 2 for $20 deal with the costlier and more restrictive 2 for $2X deal. Somewhat confusingly presented as a choice of two entrées for $25 with the choice of an appetizer or two side salads, the algebraic X stands in for the upcharges accrued for straying beyond the basic options. Plus, the previous deal had included a dessert that is no longer factored into the price.

Another menu indication of Applebee's becoming increasingly overpriced is represented by the limited time all you can eat offering. One needn't have a long memory to recall when the $15.99 deal had cost $12.99 and even $9.99 in the past after it was brought back for a limited time. On top of the larger hit to bank accounts, forums agreed that the extra charges were made even worse by servers that fail to live up to expectations while the food itself requires the bare minimum of culinary capability to prepare.

Like its competitors, Waffle House doesn't just sell breakfast, but the morning fare it's best known for has climbed to rates beyond what many casual diners find acceptable. In some instances, customers contend that there is no real upside of choosing the chain over a local mom and pop because the prices are comparable. Plus, the service and satisfaction tend to be higher from the smaller business as opposed to the chain where unwritten rules to know before visiting include no idling after eating and careful interactions with the night shift. 

Then there is the added trouble of just how frequently the prices have continued to tick up. Working for Waffle House since 2023, one employee said that within two years of starting, they had seen the menu prices creep up four times. That's not even accounting for the egg surcharge that had temporarily been imposed in early 2025 similar to other businesses contending with supply issues. In fact, given how rare it is to see a new fee removed, customers were surprised that the already overpriced menu didn't maintain the egg surcharge once egg prices mellowed out.

Quintessential to the dive bar experience, customers agree that Buffalo Wild Wings has taken the humble chicken wing beyond a reasonable price range without an accompanying added value. While prices vary by location, arguments abound for limiting dining to happy hour or promotional periods. But, reports of sticker shock extend to even the deals as a buy one get one promotion found one diner paying more than $21 for a dozen wings in 2024. Elsewhere, a customer reported seeing the price jump from $11.99 for a combo of boneless wings and fries to $16.49.

Making matters worse, dipping sauce expectations remained unmet as unlike dining in where there isn't a hassle over asking for more ranch, customers lament a $1 surcharge for each cup — even as the chain fails to fill them to capacity. For many, the atmosphere and convenience fail to overcome the financial hit for a game day snack, leaving all the more reason to forego a trip to Bdubs and make your own wings at home.

Those buzzing about getting their food served rodizio-style at Fogo de Chão are warned to temper their steak expectations. The Brazilian steakhouse experience may be satisfying enough — sating oneself on the rotation of meats brought out to the table when summoned — but is it worth it? To some, the answer is an unequivocal no as their experience at the restaurant chain has felt like being foisted filler and fluff instead of a feast.

Since the business operates on a fixed cost, customers argue that you won't get to load up on a preferred, quality cut of steak as the restaurant won't cycle those out to your table until you've been served other meats. Of course, the chicken and sausage only follows breads and salads, further restricting the appetites of diners for the top notch steaks. And while you may be tempted by some of the indulgent cuts on the menu, customers are quick to remind their fellow Fogo patrons that those aren't part of the all-you-can-eat price, which jacks up the bill further.

As a means to combat the perceived stinginess, some recommend utilizing one of the perks you didn't realize come with your Costco membership: Gift cards. A purchase of $100 worth of Fogo de Chão gift cards at your local warehouse provides a built-in 20% discount as you'll only pay $79.99 at checkout.

Silver and gold-coated confections and entrées are inherently overpriced, but they are seen as more rule than exception for the Sugar Factory experience. Whether you're ordering the 24K Gold Burger or the King Kong Sundae, customers agree the decadence isn't worth the deliciousness. Beyond a massive dessert costing over $100 meant to serve 12 guests, many express how the food does not live up to the hype one would hope would accompany typical burgers and cocktails, each in the $20-$30 range.

The prevailing consensus is that a trip to Sugar Factory is either made to scratch off a bucket list desire or to produce content appealing to followers on social media. If you enjoy the dessert or not is of no consequence so long as you can snag a sick selfie in front of the 24 scoops of ice cream topped with various sauces, candies, cones, chocolates, and even a cupcake and donut. Just keep in mind that the sugar high comes before the sugar crash, likely around the same time the tab for hundreds of dollars gets dropped off at your table.

To arrive at this list of overpriced sit-down chains, we used a combination of public opinion and real world data accounting for tangible economic changes. We established consensus by looking at a variety of online forums and across social media platforms that the food being served as well as the experience provided at the chains no longer matches the out-of-pocket cost. In some instances, the actual companies have recognized that decisions to adapt to shifting markets has ultimately devalued their products.