Value meal mentality infiltrates haute cuisine

Clark and his wife like to go out and have a nice dinner every so often. Last week, they went to an extremely expensive place that offered a 3-course meal for $29. Usually, it's around $80 per person!

High-end restaurateurs are finding they're having trouble getting customers. And those customers who do come in are really picking and choosing what they order. The Dallas Morning News reports one restaurant has seen a 30% decline in desserts.

Appetizers, desserts and alcohol are what Clark calls the Bermuda Triangle of your restaurant bill. That's where most of your money disappears. By comparison, the markup on the main course is usually much smaller than on those items.

Meanwhile, the only segment of the industry that's doing well right now is fast food. So it's no wonder the high-end restaurants are experimenting with the tried-and-true "value meal combo" approach.

The Howards enjoyed their 3-course "value meal" so much that they've already lined up a different deal at another restaurant for their daughter's upcoming birthday!