Restaurants seeing more diners split dishes to save money

Restaurants of every price range -- including the French restaurant Brasserie in New York, where a hamburger costs $18 -- are seeing more customers split dishes as a way to save some money while still indulging with a dinner out, according to an Associated Press story.

Three people recently shared an ice tea at Brasserie, said David Pogrebin, general manager at the restaurant, which didn't stop them from sharing.

"Now all bets are off," Pogrebin told AP. "People are not ashamed of being frugal."

While waiters may look down on diners splitting an entree, many consumers don't consider frugality a crime in these times of high unemployment and shrinking paychecks.