Rules You Should Know For Eating At Ruth's Chris

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If you've ever chuckled at people who get dressed to the nines just to wolf down endless breadsticks at their local Olive Garden, people who dine at Ruth's Chris might make you raise your eyebrows. From wearing evening gowns and tuxedos to paying $70 for a steak, a lot of mystery surrounds this nationwide chain restaurant for those who have never dared to try it.

Ruth's Chris may seem like a place that's too pretentious for many folks, but the company actually prides itself on being fairly low-key and welcoming. If you've been on the fence about going, you can feel reassured enough to finally book a reservation after learning that the ambiance is relaxed.

There are a handful of things that first-timers should keep in mind if they want to blend in, though. Read on to unpack the top rules that diners have to follow whenever they visit Ruth's Chris.

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Figuring out what to wear when you're dining out can be a pain if you've never visited an establishment before. The last thing you'd want to do is stick out like a sore thumb or even get asked to leave because your attire isn't appropriate. Ruth's Chris may seem like an intimidating place, but the good news is that it doesn't require its guests to wear nice dresses and suits to eat their fancy steaks.

Ruth's Chris explains on its website that many of their guests enjoy having the chance to dress up a little bit, but casual clothes are also totally fine within reason. No one will get turned away at the door if they stroll in wearing jeans, for example. The only thing that Ruth's Chris asks of its patrons is to avoid wearing cut-off shorts, tank tops, or any garment that has offensive language or imagery. For example, bra straps may need to be hidden by your top or dress — and be sure to invest in a belt if your pants sag and reveal your underwear.

You might also be surprised to learn that Ruth's Chris welcomes proud sports fans who want to represent their teams with jerseys and hats. The managers' only request is that you choose the restaurant's bar or outdoor seating. Guests who want to sit in the dining room will need to remove their hats.

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There's nothing more relaxing than sitting down with a glass of wine, mapping out your perfect meal, chatting with your loved ones, and enjoying a restaurant's nice ambiance while people-watching. If you've never been to a Ruth's Chris before, you should expect your meal to take around two hours, even if you avoid lunch or dinner rush. Ruth's Chris aims to provide an experience, which is why its guests are happy to have a slow-paced meal.

This doesn't mean that you need to carve out a large chunk of your day every time you visit the restaurant, though. If you have any time constraints, be sure to communicate your needs to your waiter. They'll do their best to expedite your meal so you can get out the door on time.

Just remember that your requests have to be reasonable. If you walk in at 6 p.m. on a Friday and want to order, eat, and pay your bill within half an hour, you'll be disappointed. Your best chance of having a quick meal is sitting at the bar and ordering an entrée. Appetizers and desserts could slow things down.

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Ruth's Chris is a popular chain, which means that you could face a lot of competition for a table if you're showing up without a reservation. You can take your chances as long as you don't mind playing the waiting game, but you'll have a nicer experience if you plan ahead with a reservation. If you're among the large group of people who feel shy talking on the phone, Ruth's Chris also offers a handy online reservation tool that you can fill out in a minute. It's the perfect way to make dinner plans on the sly if you're scrambling for a reservation when you're at work.

Forgetting to call or book online in advance doesn't mean that you have to give up your dreams of eating a thick steak or juicy lamb chops. You can still grab a seat at the bar and have access to the entire menu — even though cutting up a giant porterhouse steak at the bar might feel a little awkward. The vibe will be more casual, and you might strike up a conversation with some seat mates.

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Some people are content to fork over $70 for a T-bone on a random Tuesday. Others save Ruth's Chris for special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, and holidays. If that's the case for you, be sure to mention your plans to the local Ruth's Chris team so they can throw in something extra for you, like a free dessert.

Each location is run by different people, so experiences will vary. Special touches might include some decorations or a complimentary bottle of wine. It's always worth speaking up because the team will go above and beyond to make any occasion feel more magical.

If you're a big fan of the food, it's worth enrolling in their loyalty program as well. You'll get $50 back for every $1,000 you spend, plus free desserts on your birthday and wedding anniversary. This may not seem like a great rate of return, but, considering how pricey the menu items are, you could rack up that $50 reward with only a handful of visits.

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Ruth's Chris doesn't have a huge menu, but lots of people could start sweating if they imagine ordering the wrong thing and feeling unsatisfied $150 later. Once you throw alcohol into the mix, crafting your perfect meal can seem impossible. Red wine and steak used to be the go-to pairing, but the newest trend is drinking white wine with a steak dinner. If you're open-minded, let your server take you on a culinary adventure by choosing their favorite menu items and alcohol pairings.

Your waiter can also ask you a few questions about your unique taste and suggest a few things that you're most likely to love. Everyone who works there wants you to get the most out of your expensive dining experience, so use their menu knowledge to your advantage.

Lots of first-timers worry about getting judged for their choices. Ordering a steak well done isn't something that beef enthusiasts would suggest, but you're allowed to request anything. Just try to avoid asking for something like ketchup on top of your steak if you don't want any side-eyes from other customers.

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Ruth's Chris might be your new favorite place to hold nice get-togethers. From family reunions to corporate events and birthday parties, all Ruth's Chris locations have private dining areas that can accommodate larger groups. All you need to do is call your local restaurant or fill out an online form and provide key details about the upcoming event.

If you appreciate a hands-off approach to party planning, Ruth's Chris advertises turn-key services. Once its team has the basic information about your expectations for the event, they can handle the rest. Everyone can just show up ready to have a good time.

You'll also be interested in the fact that Ruth's Chris offers several private dining menus that range from $85 to $135 per person. If you don't want to commit to a multi-course experience, Ruth's Chris even has interesting hors d'oeuvres packages that are as low as $15 per person.

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It's a tale as old as time: Waitstaff telling diners not to touch their plates because they're hot and diners disregarding the warnings, only to be surprised by the burn. You might be tempted to dig into your glorious, sizzling steak right away at Ruth's Chris, but you really shouldn't listen to the devil on your shoulder. This franchise sends its steaks out on plates that are heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

There are a couple of reasons why Ruth's Chris does this. The practical aspect is that the hot plates will continue to cook the steaks a little while longer. The chefs remove the beef shortly before it's ready. Digging in too soon could make you question reality if you swore you asked for medium well, and your steak looks medium rare.

The second reason why the plates are so hot is for the drama of it all. You know how everyone turns their heads when a person orders fajitas on the sizzling plates? Ruth's Chris took note of this and made sure that nobody felt like they were missing out.

The jury is still out on whether you should remove your steak from the plate after a few minutes. If you're a slow eater, your steak could continue cooking well beyond your preferred doneness, so be mindful.

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You're not alone if your first instinct is to avoid restaurants that have a "no substitutions" policy. Ruth's Chris might seem like an uptight establishment due to its prices, but diners with specific tastes are encouraged to request any customizations they want. If you're watching your calories, asking for your salad dressing on the side could be a simple hack that cuts 200 calories from your meal. If you don't want to wait for the hot plates to cool down, your server will bring you a regular dish.

Parents who have picky children in tow don't need to panic either. Ruth's Chris is family-friendly, so the staff will be happy to prevent a child's temper tantrum by setting up a high chair and creating a yummy meal not listed on the menu. As long as you're upfront about what you need, the team will do what they can to check all your boxes.

Whether you love them or hate them, gift cards have become the number one gift for coworkers, acquaintances, and other people you might not know well enough. Others who are facing holiday burnout might also grab a dozen gift cards to get their shopping over with as quickly as possible.

Gift cards can be thoughtful if you choose them with the recipient's interest in mind. If you do plan on buying gift cards from Ruth's Chris in the near future, understand that this purchase is non-refundable. This means that the recipient should be a big steak lover. If not, the gift card might get trapped in a game of hot potato until it finally lands in the right hands.

You might even want to buy some gift cards for yourself if your local Ruth's Chris is running a deal. As long as you're confident that you won't experience any buyer's remorse, you can look forward to a steak dinner whenever you feel like treating yourself.

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There are countless reasons why you should never order a steak for delivery. This is especially true if you're spending more for a Ruth's Chris steak as opposed to an affordable cut from Texas Roadhouse, for instance. Your steak is essentially guaranteed to arrive lukewarm at best, and the carryover heat inside the container will prevent you from achieving your preferred doneness.

If you don't plan on eating your steak at home where there's proper dishware available, good luck trying to cut your meat with a plastic knife. Ruth's Chris does give diners the flexibility to order takeout or delivery, but you'll probably feel silly scarfing down a big steak in a takeout container.

Some folks on Reddit have also shared some interesting information about their experiences delivering Ruth's Chris orders. With such expensive entrées, you might suspect that the delivery drivers get handsome tips. However, many of these drivers expect bad tips on orders like these since the food is already so expensive. Diners on a budget end up skimping on the tip to recoup their losses from the food bill. This means that you could end up getting bad service due to the stigma in the food delivery world, even if you had every intention to tip fairly.

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Many first-time diners are shocked to learn why Ruth's Chris is so expensive. From pricey kitchen gear to high-quality cuts of aged beef, you'll be paying for top notch food production — and rest assured you will get good value for the experience. As long as you walk into the restaurant at peace with the fact that the bill will be hefty, you can focus on enjoying your meal.

If you are on a tighter budget, though, you'll have a few options at Ruth's Chris. The restaurants advertise happy hour deals that start at $8. The cheapest food items include onion rings and truffle fries for $8. Prime beef sliders and meatballs ring in at $9, while pork belly skewers and BBQ shrimp cost $13.

It's worth noting that the portion sizes are small, so plan on ordering at least two of these dishes to fill up. If you bring a friend, you can have fun sampling all of these finger foods. You also don't need a reservation to take advantage of these prices because happy hour is only available in the bar and lounge areas, which are first come, first served.

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Depending on how busy your schedule is and if you're facing rush-hour traffic, showing up for your exact reservation time may not always be an option. Ruth's Chris restaurants try to be as accommodating as possible, but they have a 15-minute policy. If you're still not there after your 15-minute grace period, then your table could go to someone else.

Of course, the Ruth's Chris staff will try to seat you at the next available table, but there are no guarantees for how long you'll wait. Do your best to be considerate and show up when you said you would. If you know for a fact that you'll be late, give the restaurant a call and share your updated estimated time of arrival. This will help them handle the flow of incoming customers better and help you avoid a long wait time. Otherwise, you'll just have to hope for the best once you show up.

The good news is that Ruth's Chris doesn't seem to be strict when it comes to seating entire parties at the same time. If you have a friend who's late all the time, you might want to tell them your reservation is 15 minutes earlier than it really is, but you'll still get your table if your trick doesn't work. Either way, it's up to your party how long you're all willing to wait for them before you start ordering food.

Going to a steakhouse as a vegetarian isn't as treacherous as it was only a few decades ago. One of the best tips for dining out as a vegetarian nowadays is to ask if the restaurant has a separate menu. Luckily, vegetarians get their own special menu that isn't filled with pictures of meat at Ruth's Chris.

Ruth's Chris may not be inclusive enough to have vegetarian-friendly entrées yet, but this shouldn't stop diners from making a filling meal out of their side dishes. Macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, potatoes au gratin, cremini mushrooms, and sweet potato casserole are just a few of the many options.

Gluten-free diners are also welcome at Ruth's Chris. As with any restaurant that works with gluten in the kitchen, Ruth's Chris can't promise safe food for folks with severe allergies, but those with mild sensitivities or a lifestyle diet can be at ease. Most of their menu is already gluten-free, but there are some precautions diners should take. For example, gluten-free salads need to be mixed in separate bowls to limit the risk of cross-contamination.

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The internet has always gone wild with recreating beloved restaurant treats, such as the highly secretive copycat KFC chicken. You may not be able to get your hands on an official stuffed chicken breast or veal osso buco ravioli recipe, but Ruth's Chris is nice enough to share four recipes with fans. If you love the crab cakes, barbecued shrimp, bread pudding, or sweet potato casserole at Ruth's Chris, you're in luck.

The next time you dine in, ask your waiter if they can give you a copy of any of those recipes. The recipes are also available online if you don't mind printing some pages at home or looking at your phone while you cook.

Once you see the recipes, you may be surprised by how easily the dishes come together. The crab cakes only take eight ingredients, and six of them are for the crab sauce. The crab cakes are made with jumbo lump crabmeat and crumbled Ritz crackers, while the sauce combines egg yolks, mayonnaise, blackening seasoning, dijon mustard, salt, and fresh parsley.