Wellness Expert Reveals Why You Should Avoid Eating The Free Bread At Restaurants
We all can't resist free bread, but maybe we should start.
@sweetfiber / TikTok / inewsfoto / Shutterstock When dining out at restaurants, most of us look forward to the mouth-watering complimentary basket of bread or chips we receive before we place our meal orders.
However, what many of us may not realize is that the action is not at all a generous one performed by restaurant servers and managers concerned about our hunger.
Free bread is a calculated act designed for restaurants to make more money off their customers, as one health and wellness expert reveals.
Denise, (@sweetfiber), a health and wellness expert on TikTok, warned frequent restaurant goers to avoid the complimentary bread and chips.
“If you’ve ever wondered why restaurants give you a bowl of chips or bread right before your meals, it’s not because they want you to fill up on the free stuff,” she says in a video. “And they’re not being generous.”
Giving customers free bread or chips before a meal is an intentional act performed by restaurants in order for them to make more money.
Restaurants allegedly offer you free bread and chips to increase your appetite, prompting you to order more food.
Denise claims that eating bread or chips causes a spike in blood glucose, which increases one’s appetite. And according to doctors, she’s correct.
Foods like bread contain amylopectin A, which is converted into blood sugar when consumed, which then increases your appetite.
“In fact, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar does,” Dr. William Davis told Maclean’s. “And then, after about two hours, your blood sugar plunges and you get shaky, your brain feels foggy, you're hungry.”
When your body experiences this change at a restaurant, it is most likely coupled with the fact that you have a menu in your hands detailed with endless mouth-watering options. Naturally, the menu items will jump out at you more, and you’ll want to order more than you originally anticipated.
“They [restaurant staff] know that a glucose spike is gonna make you hungrier, crave more, and have a hard time resisting food,” Denise adds. “So while it feels like they’re being generous, they are actually winning. You order more food, they bring you some more bread, and then offer you a dessert that’s nearly impossible to resist.”
By the conclusion of the meal, you will be full of appetizers, entrees, and desserts (and obviously a lot of carbs) while the restaurant staff’s pockets will be full of extra money you spent.
Restaurant service workers have attempted to debunk this theory.
Waitress Kimberly Lewis shared on Quora that customers are often given free bread to curb their hunger pains before their meals arrive and to reduce complaints to servers.
“Customers are pains in the a– when they're waiting,” Lewis admitted. “Bread is a distraction mechanism. When you're waiting at the table, everything feels like it's taking longer. As soon as you have some bread to occupy yourself with, you're not going to be bothering me for entertainment and demands while I take care of my other tables.”
Others claim that complimentary bread “sets the tone” for the meal and is considered an appropriate way to welcome customers into the restaurant.
No matter the reason we are given bread or chips upon arrival at restaurants, most of us will not miss out on the opportunity to enjoy free food, even if it means we may have to dish out some extra cash!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.