Outrageous Restaurant Portions ...WhoWhereWhy?

[gage]

On one hand when I go to the USA I am apalled at the size of the restaurant portions ,two days food for me ( Bonus ) On the other hand if I go to a restaurant here in Canada the portions are much smaller but if it is a high end place and I need glasses just to find the meal on the plate it irritates me no end. For pete's sake what does a potatoe cost ? We had a french place where you got an artfully arranged bean, a sliver of carrot and the mearest hint of something else.,you wanted to hit a fast food outlet on the way home .
We rarely visit resaurants anymore , they delight in serving 20 cents worth of pasta with a dollars worth of sauce for $20 . Gage

 

[justplainbill]

Outback Steakhouse has outrageous portions coupled with quality and also owns Bonefish Grill (my favorite), Carraba's Italian Grill (they grow plants on their roof here), Roy's (never heard of it), and Fleming's Wine & Steak Bar in the US, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

I mean seriously...have you ever seen their Bloomin' Onion?!? It's suppose to be just an appetizer and it's huge...HUGE!

We found Outback's bloomin onion to be greasy and salty. That as well as the seasonings on some of their fried potatoes may be good for their beverage sales, particularly since their 'large' beer glasses are quite shy of a true pint. The size of their steaks is less than generous.

 

[jpinmaryland]

maybe you can give the rest to some poor person?

 

[Claire]

To me blooming onions are only a good thing if you are sharing one with at least 3-6 other people! I've given up on appetizers completely unless I'm with a large group OR hubby and I are making a meal out of them. JP, you brought up an interesting question. Why don't street people beg outside of some of these over-sized portion restaurants? If they did I'd gladly hand them my doggie bag!

 

[mollyanne]

That's a good idea, Claire but begging is illegal where I live. Even where it is legal, I can't imagine that even streetpeople would eat something that someone else has already eaten off of...the original may have had the flu or sneezed on it or worse .

 

[GB]

That's a good idea, Claire but begging is illegal where I live. Even where it is legal, I can't imagine that even streetpeople would eat something that someone else has already eaten off of...the original may have had the flu or sneezed on it or worse .

Have you heard the phrase beggers can't be choosers? If someone is that hungry then they would be more than happy to eat someones leftovers. It is better than routing through dumpsters looking for food or many of the other ways they have to feed themselves to stay alive.

 

[Alix]

While begging may be illegal, it still happens. In my experience they wouldn't take food anyway. Whenever I have been approached I offer to buy them a meal or give them some of whatever food I happen to have with me (I've often been approached at the grocery store) and have only once been taken up on the offer. Its not food they want, its money to get their next hit of whatever they need.

Its really a wonderful idea though. I've often thought about all the wasted food being donated to shelters or food banks. I just recently heard that one of the grocery stores here does that. They donate the produce that is still edible, but no longer pretty to the Food Bank here in town. I'm not sure how that would work with restaurants though.

 

[mollyanne]

Alix, our grocery store does that. I've seen an suv loading up from time to time. But I've never been approached by someone begging. I volunteer at a missions where they do holiday meals for free and many come but it's an organized thing. The nearest city to me has a soup kitchen. And of course there are other various programs.

True,GB. I guess you can tell I'm not a city girl. I've seen it in movies where they reach in trash cans but I figure they're looking for something else. So sad. Now look what you've done, GB....you've gone and made me tear up.

 

[GB]

It is sad indeed.

 

[cmarchibald]

Lots of you have already said this....but I just joined so I'm going to say it, too.

I used to wait tables at one of these "family restaurants".....in the South no less. If portions in America are oversized, then portions in the American South are double that. I can tell you it is absolutely a product of the "illusion of value" as well as the addictive nature of the foods. If they serve you a larger portion, not only do you feel you got your money's worth, you take it home and eat more. The more you eat, the more "hooked" you are and the more likely you are to come back. And the more you come back, the more likely you are to order bigger and better (and more expensive) items on the menu.

It's a vicious cycle. And the only way we can stop it is to put down the fork. We are responsible for our choices, not the restaurants. If you want a smaller portion, ask for one. You might be surprised. Although they weren't listed on the menu, our restaurant (not a national chain but a local chain) used to serve smaller portions all the time. Whatever the customer wants is what they will deliver.

 

[BigAL]

Well, I'll stir the pot then. Many choose to be in the position they are in. Don't feel sorry for them or think that they are stupid, they are just different like everyone else.

Now, back to the program...


I don't think "we" eat like we used to. My 14yr old son can eat for 2 people. He is skinny yet eats like a dang cow! He needs the portions. My wife and I, and sometimes daughter, may share a meal between two of us.

I guess I'm fine w/it. Dog loves it, too. It's their business, your choice where to do business.

 

[Alix]

BigAl, I hear you! My 14 year old daughter doesn't even hit 100lbs but she can eat more than two of the rest of us! Must be the age.

I firmly believe they need to have a "teen" menu instead of a "kids" menu. Or maybe we could ask for a "portion sized" menu. One of the things I like about many steakhouses is that I can order the size of steak I want.

In a perfect world we could have:

Kid menu - small portions and selections they enjoy
Teen menu - ENORMOUS portions
Adult menu - portion size based on the food guide with option to upsize

I'm undecided as to whether to add "senior" on to that list. And if I did, larger portions or smaller or what? Less spice perhaps?

 

[BigAL]

Good point, Alix. Senior menu may need to concentrate on salt, cholesterol/fat, etc. I like the teen menu idea. I have friends that can eat as much as a 14yr old and till look just fine. All based on price and portions. Kids 1st grade and under eat free w/2 adult purchases. To feed your teen you'll have to have another lein on your car. If your a senior, we'll keep you alive another day. Anyone else be happy you can eat here.

Good idea, imho. Problem is someone will bitc.......er I mean complain. That tends to be the "American" way, if your unhappy, make everyone else unhappy, too.

 

[yourstrulyewalani]

Large portions served at any establishment in my opinion are not a reason to be questioned. If the food is good quality and the staff is welcoming and pleasant then bring it on!

I have been gradually cutting back on my food intake and when we go to a place that serves large portions we either make provisions for leftovers (YUM), share amongst the table or order a variety and divide portions to try more entrees.

We have two adults and three kids and when we go out we order and share. Sometimes my little girl and I plan to share a dish if it is huge and we can agree. Heehee. Two of our kids are actually teenage boys so they do try to eat way more than is necesary but they help make sure nothing goes to waste!

I think it's a gesture to make sure customers get more for their money. Some customers are drawn to a place that gives huge portions because they think they're getting something for nothing. Serving sizes and prices are relative and it is impossible to please everyone all the time. Even in this thread we all have differing opinions about portion sizes and what would be fair servings for the price. As long as we don't get overcharged we're doing pretty good I think.

 

[cmarchibald]

I have been gradually cutting back on my food intake and when we go to a place that serves large portions we either make provisions for leftovers (YUM), share amongst the table or order a variety and divide portions to try more entrees.

This has become standard practice for me and my boyfriend as well. We have both spent most of the last 6 years in the Middle East and Asia, and in this region of the world it is common for the table to share all their dishes with one another. When we go out to eat, we either share one entree and an appetizer, or get two or three entrees (if we have friends with us), still share and still have some to take home. It never bothers me to take home leftovers. Just because the restaurant rolls out half a cow doesn't mean I have to eat it all in one sitting.

 

[mollyanne]

100 Layer Lasagna - $30 per serving

Holy Pasta!...or should I say Holy Del Posto!
Here is a 100 Layer Lasagna from Mario Batali's and Lidia Bastianich's restaurant in NYC called "Del Posto". It really is 100 layers of thin pasta sheets!

Mark Ladner, the chef at the high-end Italian restaurant, was inspired by the tortilla Espanola at Casa Mono.

"Three separate departments work on it. One department makes the ragu, one makes the pasta sheets and another assembles it in giant square pans. We butter the inside of the pans and start building in them, alternating the layers of pasta and sauce, which are Bolognese, tomato marinara and a besciamella."

Click on: The 100 Layer Lasagna - Slashfood

 

[BreezyCooking]

Frankly, so long as the food is good, I'm a fan of large portions. Not because I overeat or like to stuff myself, but because I really like being able to enjoy the leftovers for lunch the following day - whether it's 1/2 an omelet & some pancakes from "IHOP", or part of the Lamb Trio special from our local upscale European bistro "It's About Thyme".

 

[nikki]

So many people eat way too much food... When doing a project years back in highschool, I read that the average amount of calories (average. NOT for everyone...) consumed per day per person has increased significantly in the past 100 years... Also, from what I've seen travelling, portions of food in Europe are WAY smaller than what we get here in restaurants in North America...
In Toronto, at Pickle Barrel, their portions are HUGE!!!! Even my husband who eats a LOT, can't really finish his meals there... I've never been able to finish a whole meal at that place...
So many people are overweight because they don't actually know what "a single serving" of most foods really consists of, and it's sad... Not just because it makes them heavier than they should be (I'm not that judgemental), but because it's not healthy at all. Many of my family members never took care of themselves, and didn't know what proper portions of their foods were, and that resulted in heart diseases and diabetes for many of them. It's unfortunate...
Anyways, that's enough of my rant on this...

 

[JohnL]

I'm with Breeze on this one, huge is great as long as the food is prepared well. I don't have too hard of a time pushing myself away from the table. I love taking leftovers home for lunch the next day, or even deconstructing the leftovers and making something different from them.

 

[babetoo]

BigAl, I hear you! My 14 year old daughter doesn't even hit 100lbs but she can eat more than two of the rest of us! Must be the age.

I firmly believe they need to have a "teen" menu instead of a "kids" menu. Or maybe we could ask for a "portion sized" menu. One of the things I like about many steakhouses is that I can order the size of steak I want.

In a perfect world we could have:

Kid menu - small portions and selections they enjoy
Teen menu - ENORMOUS portions
Adult menu - portion size based on the food guide with option to upsize

I'm undecided as to whether to add "senior" on to that list. And if I did, larger portions or smaller or what? Less spice perhaps?

i am a "senior". i always order from the reg. menu . i love taking leftovers home. over the years i have learned what a portion should be and that is what i eat. since heart failure, must really watch sodium intake. guess i can't go out to eat. they really lay on the salt most places i have eaten.