NYC Restaurant Blasted for “Sad” Charcuterie Board: “Bet It Was $50 Too”

If you've ever been to a restaurant and were horribly let down by what you ordered, then you'll probably sympathize with the horror that a TikToker named Hallie (@hallielooyaa) felt upon being served a charcuterie board that had less variety than most Lunchables.

The video begins with Hallie giving a concerned look into the camera. A text overlay in the video reads: "We ordered the charcuterie board for the table and this is what they brought out..."

The sound in the video is of someone saying, "Call the police...we need to call the police," which plays as Hallie records the reaction of another person at her table also looking down at the charcuterie order, equally unenthusiastic about what they just purchased.

She finally shows off the board on camera: a small ramekin containing what looks like four, no more than five olives, and two rows of different sliced meats, around 5 pieces to each row, greets the viewer.

Viewers who saw the clip were equally miffed at the quantity of food she received and complete lack of variety on the board: "4 olives and no cheese? What is this a charcuterie board for ants?" one person wrote.

Another said that they, too, have been ripped off with an overpriced charcuterie board they felt wasn't worth the total cost: "Happened to me too. And it was like 25$"

However, there are other people who defended the charcuterie board, stating that Americans have ruined the original definition of what the board is supposed to be, leaving folks with expectations of meat and cheese and other goodies.

"That’s what an actual charcuterie board is. The US had bastardized charcuterie boards to the point where we don’t recognize the actual thing anymore," one person said.

Another wrote: "A charcuterie board is just meats, what we call a charcuterie board is really a grazing board or a meat & cheese board"

Much has been written about charcuterie boards and the various "class signifiers" that are associated with crafting an assortment of various meats, cheeses, crackers, and vegetables in the creation of a balanced meal for yourself and/or loved ones.

For many, they feel that the price premiums usually appended to charcuterie boards as appetizer options at various restaurants more often than not are unjustified.

However there are those who argue that the reason why these boards often carry such hefty price tags is because the cured meats they contain often cost a pretty penny, like this Mashed piece details.

If you're planning on making a charcuterie board for a gathering, there are folks on social media who are quick to share some of their best money-saving tips to make your boards look and taste like a million bucks, without leaving your bank account dry.

And while there were a lot of TikTokers who were interested in knowing just how much Hallie spent on the board, along with some who speculated it was a cool $25, or even $50 for the pathetic looking appetizer, at least the restaurant that served the board can feel better knowing that they surely won't raise as many eyebrows as this chef's $7,000 board.

That's right, a chef who catered a $7,000 charcuterie board for a Napa Valley bride shared what the spread consisted over online in a brief overview that caused an uproar online, and even though she tried to justify the total cost of the meal, it didn't seem like too many people were convinced it was worth the cash.