Eating Here as a Group Without the Bill Escalating
Every pricing decision on this menu scales with headcount, which means a group amplifies both good and bad choices considerably.
Here is where a group bill actually goes.
The four decisions that control it
Drinks. At roughly $3.50 each, six soft drinks is $21 — more than two kids meals and a side. This is the single largest elastic line on a group bill.
Starters. A table of six often orders two or three starters. At $7.99 to $12.99 each that is $25 to $39, which is two more entrées.
Steak sizing. Six people ordering 6oz sirloins pay $80.94 for 36oz of beef. Three 16oz sirloins split across six pay $68.97 for 48oz. More steak, twelve dollars less.
Dessert. Six individual desserts is $41.94. Three shared is $20.97, and all three are portioned for sharing anyway.
- Six soft drinks — around $21
- Two or three starters — $25 to $39
- Three shared 16oz sirloins beat six 6oz — more beef, less money
- Three shared desserts instead of six — saves $21
- Combined, these four are around $60 on a table of six
The practical constraints
Large groups wait longer, and call-ahead seating helps less than it does for a couple — a party of eight needs tables combined, which depends on what is free when you arrive.
Going early is the reliable answer for a group, and it overlaps with Early Dine, so the incentives align.
Splitting the bill across many cards is worth mentioning when you sit down rather than at the end.
What not to economise on
The free bread already covers the "something to eat immediately" function that starters usually serve, so a group can order fewer starters without anyone noticing a gap.
But do not under-order entrées to save money. The sides are included, portions are large, and a table where two people are still hungry is a worse outcome than a slightly higher bill.
Equally, do not over-order starters on the assumption that a group needs several. Six people with unlimited bread already have something in front of them within minutes of sitting down, and two shared starters across six is usually plenty — particularly when one of them is a Cactus Blossom at 2,250 calories.
The other group-specific saving is dessert. All three desserts are $6.99 and all three are portioned for two. Six people ordering three desserts to share pay $20.97 rather than $41.94, and nobody at the table experiences it as an economy.
Frequently asked
Can we reserve for a large group?
Reservations are generally not taken. Call-ahead seating puts you on the list, but large parties depend on tables being combinable when you arrive.
Can the bill be split?
Usually, and it is worth mentioning when you are seated rather than at the end.
What is the biggest saving for a group?
Sharing large steaks rather than ordering individual small ones, followed by tap water.
Keep reading
The Ten Best-Value Orders on the Menu
Ten orders that beat most coupons, all derived from arithmetic on the menu rather than from a promotion.
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Feeding a Family: Where the Money Goes
The bill for four is moved less by which entrées you pick than by three decisions most people make without noticing.
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Call-Ahead Seating Is Not a Reservation
It shortens your wait. It does not eliminate it, and the difference catches people out.
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