Chain restaurants are known for their expansive menus that offer a wide range of tempting desserts. While many are decadent and hit the spot, others are not worth saving room for. No matter how big of a foodie you are, some desserts should be avoided. While some desserts can be masterful pieces that look so good you almost don’t want to eat them they’re not all foolproof.
Some desserts are frozen and reheated, too basic or just not worth your money. To help narrow down what to order and what should never make it to the table, Eat This, Not That! spoke with chefs who explained which ones to steer clear of and why.
Molten Lava Cake
Molten Lava Cake is a go-to popular dessert, but Dennis Littley, Chef and Recipe expert at Ask Chef Dennis says to skip it. “I know it’s tempting, it often looks good on the menu, but most of the time, especially at chain restaurants, it’s premade and frozen,” he says. “They reheat it and hope for that gooey center, but more often than not. It comes out either overcooked and dry or underwhelmingly sweet without much depth.”
He’s not the only chef who warns to stay away.
“These are almost always frozen, quickly reheated, and banking on your nostalgia rather than actual quality,” Kyle Taylor, Founder / Chef at HE COOKS says. “And that lava center? It’s usually just underbaked batter or some syrup they’ve injected in there – definitely not the rich, decadent payoff you’re hoping for when you order it.”
Ice Cream Sundae
Ice cream sundaes are always a nice treat on a hot day but Chef Dennis says it’s nothing special worth ordering.
“It’s usually just scoops of average ice cream drowned in whipped cream and generic chocolate sauce,” he explains. “The ingredients are nothing you couldn’t put together with better quality at home, and you’ll pay a premium for it just because it’s piled high. If you’re going out, make sure you’re getting something you couldn’t easily make better yourself.”
Cake by the Slice
A piece of delicious cake is a great way to top off a meal, but Chef Nicholas Lomba of Bar Lumière, opening in NYC later this spring, shares why ordering a slice at a chain restaurant is not a good idea.
“I’ve always found that any time there’s cake at a chain restaurant it’s always dry, so I would stay away from ordering slices of cake at places like that. I would instead get something that comes with a sauce or ice cream, which will make your dessert moist no matter what.”
Fresh Fruit
If you’re not in the mood for something too sugary, fresh fruit is a nice option, but Executive Chef Samuel-Drake Jones of Hudson VU in NYC, opening in May, says it’s better to buy fruit from the store and enjoy it at home.
“I avoid desserts that focus on fresh fruit,” he states. “Almost no chain restaurant offers fresh and seasonal fruit, and you’re likely to end up with flavorless, starchy melons or bland and tart strawberries.”
Pie
A good piece of warm pie with a tasty filling and flaky crust is the ultimate comfort dessert, but Chef Jeremy Sharpe, Executive Chef at Premier Residences of Chevy Chase recommends ordering something else.
“Pies at chain restaurants are often a let down,” he says. “They’re typically mass produced, frozen, and lack the homemade touch you’d expect from a dessert that’s supposed to feel like a comforting meal. When you order pie at a chain, you’re likely to get something hard and dry rather than the fresh, flaky, and flavorful pie you’d find at a bakery or local restaurant.”
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Heather Newgen
