What's with the green beans?

Perhaps you can tell me why green beans appear on nearly every restaurant plate as a side.  These flaccid vegetables simply take up space...oh but wait, sometimes they are so crisp  one wonders if they had even a brief nod to heat. There they are on $100.  plates and on Red Lobster plates.  Who eats these sad sides? The chefs get away with this pile of waste because everyone is focused on the meat. There may be an even sadder pile of potatoes to grace the other side of the meat.  Now that makes me even madder.  I do love potatoes in any form but the torture these spuds endure when they reach a professional kitchen is unacceptable, but, do we send them back?  No,  because we cannot wait to attack the meat. We also don't want to embarrass our table guests who at times are halfway through their entree before one can face the sides. Why can't some attention be given to the sides?  These stepchildren are even an extra expense when everything is ala carte on the menu.  I have not forgotten broccoli.  It takes the place of green beans sometimes and is equally pathetic. Don't they teach vegetables in culinary school? 

Does this look like a hundred dollar dish for two? I have to say this was my fault.  I wanted to try the steaks at Smith and Wollensky and the Chateaubriand was delicious and plentiful. Mike's fillet was just over $54. (just for the steak) Beth's mussels were beautifully done and delicious. So have at it if you want a very good expensive meal sans the vegetables.(Actually, the carrots were pretty good and not overly done.  The green beans, however...)