The 'Classy' Restaurant Appetizer That's Almost Always Overpriced

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Appetizers are a wonderful way to kick off dinner when dining out. In fact, the practice of enjoying small bites before a meal goes back to ancient times. While flavor is the most important aspect of restaurant appetizers, price also matters, particularly when you aren't getting your money's worth. When it comes to bang for your buck, shrimp cocktail (shrimp and ketchup-based cocktail sauce served in a fancy glass) is perhaps the most overrated, overpriced appetizer you'll find at a restaurant. 

Exhibit A: A higher-end local seafood establishment offers a jumbo shrimp cocktail appetizer for $16.50, which includes five measly shrimp and cocktail sauce, according to the menu. Exhibit B: A bag of Target Good & Gather raw jumbo shrimp will run you $7.99 for 16 ounces of seafood. Food from a restaurant is naturally more expensive since it's prepared by professional chefs (whereas you may have learned how to cook by watching "Iron Chef"). In any event, $16.50 represents a ridiculous mark-up when it comes to the price of shrimp cocktail's main ingredient. It should be noted that the price of shrimp fluctuates based on factors related to the environment, overall supply, and political factors, so the shellfish may be more or less expensive at any given time. 

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Shrimp cocktail has a pretty fancy reputation, despite featuring what many consider to be the "bugs of the sea" as a main ingredient. People have enjoyed shrimp throughout history, and new harvesting technology developed in the early 20th century allowed the seafood to become more accessible (and popular) in the U.S. The advent of mass-produced freezers also helped shrimp gain traction on American dinner tables, making it easier to preserve and protect from spoilage. 

Before shrimp, cocktail sauce and oysters were the preferred pairing, and this combo was probably where the concept of shrimp cocktail originated. Oyster cocktail might have more in common with potent potables than appetizers, as an article dating back to the late 1800s includes a recipe for oysters, liquor, and cocktail sauce in a glass, which was supposed to be drunk (rather than eaten) as a hangover cure. As oysters became less accessible due to increasing prices, affordable shrimp took their place, and the rest is appetizer history. If you love shrimp cocktail but balk at the exorbitant cost of the dish, check out our guide on how to cook perfect shrimp to ensure your homemade appetizers really shine.