If you’ve ever felt embarrassed for being underdressed somewhere, a new trend has just hit the town. Two brave women took one for the team and arrived at the Four Seasons hotel in Budapest looking like they “couldn’t afford water.”
Their social experiment claimed that showing up wildly underdressed at a luxury restaurant didn’t get them side-eyed…it got them spoiled. According to their on-screen theory, the staff took one look at their laid-back outfits and quietly upgraded their portions. Apparently, in the world of high-end dining, nothing screams “old money” like looking like you absolutely did not try. Suddenly, everyone wants to know: Is dressing down the new VIP pass?
Let’s Set the Scene
One woman’s (@darlenasaurus) eight-second clip on TikTok has reached the For You Pages of 1.3 million people. It seems this research question intrigues the minds of many. The video’s text overlay reads: “experiment: underdress at a fancy restaurant, results: extra portions, reason: looked like we couldn’t afford water.”
The clip shows a woman sitting at a restaurant table with appetizers and entrees before them. The view pans from the table to their surroundings, showing the high ceilings of the restaurant and dim lighting. The caption reads: “Would you risk it for some extra breadsticks?” They added the hashtags #fourseasons and the tagged location suggests this occurred in Budapest.
The hidden perk sounds risky to try. What if they still give you small portions and charge you an eye for it? There might be a different way to ensure good treatment from a restaurant staff, though. The Mary Sue recently covered a story where a server shares what she does to ensure special treatment when dining out. You don’t have to risk your bank account, and you don’t have to underdress either. Some basic tips can take you a long way, according to @Ms.Chelsea.Daly on TikTok.
What Does Society Think?
The comments on the TikTok seem quite informed and offer their own opinion. One viewer starts by summarizing the entire experiment in a single comment: “If you underdress at a fancy restaurant, they think you are rich. Rich people don’t give a sh-t about showing off. We wear whatever clothes we want. Walk into a Ritz Carlton carrying your stuff in grocery bags if you want to get great attention.”
Other viewers also chime in on discussing social class etiquette. One of them says, “If you look homeless without any accessories which would give away status (jewelry, watch) you blend in as ultra rich but dont care.”
While another says, “I guarantee they gave you extra because they assumed you were VERY rich. if you look super casual but comfortable, then going there clearly isn’t a splurge.”
@darlenasaurus Would you risk it for some extra breadsticks?? #fourseasons #restaurant #fyp #experiment #finedining ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design
Of course, the TikTok isn’t saying to show up looking like a vagabond. Some viewers make sure to establish this. One shares, “Some places won’t let you in though cause they have strict dress codes.” Another shares, “I mean tbh, the real fancy places have a dress code and you risk not being let in but it they don’t, yeah a business casual style is ok too.”
Of course, not everyone buys into the scheme. One viewer says, “That might work for you, but definitely not for me.” While another states, “Gawd if i did this as a POC i would get kicked out.”
At the end of the day, remember that your mileage may vary.
The Mary Sue reached out to the creator via Instagram direct message and to the Four Seasons Budapest via email.
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