Listen to dieticians, and they all suggest one way to cut back on calories when you dine out is to make sensible substitutions. For instance, ask to swap out the French fries (which seem to come with everything you can order at a restaurant these days) for a healthy vegetable. My wife and I decided last month that we’d commit to a more healthful eating plan in the fall, so that’s one of the first things we do whenever we’re at a restaurant. Wouldn’t you know it—at the first place we decided to try this we learned a restaurant chain isn’t about to do anything to encourage diners to opt for the healthier choice.
At Ruby Tuesday, look up any of their lunch combos and they all come with endless fries (their emphasis). Ask to swap them out for another vegetable, and they’ll give you the choice of green beans or broccoli, generally. Not bad. Unlike the fries, however, these healthier alternatives come with a catch: they aren’t endless. You’re allowed one serving, and that’s it. In other words, Ruby Tuesday is more than happy to fill you up with a feedbag’s worth of fatty fries if you want it, but ask for a second helping of green beans, and the answer is a firm no.
It’s hard enough to turn down fries (and Ruby’s has some darn good fries, I must say) when they tempt you from every corner of the menu. Now, add in the fact that their fries are an all-you-can-eat proposition (while the healthier alternative is limited to one helping), and it’s obvious what Ruby Tuesday would rather have you order.
Tags: French fries, Ruby Tuesday
