I think American restaurants give you too much food and at a high price.

As I have gotten older, I find that I need and should eat less. But I am out of luck. When I got a restaurant like Potbellys or Jersey Mikes, I order their smallest size. 15 years ago, I used to order Large or Regular. 5 years ago, I would order"Skinny" or whatever the smallest is.

Then I saw that I was good with half of the smallest size. I felt light and not hungry. So why was I eating the entire serving? Just more calories.

Why won't restaurants give out real small sizes? Even small is very big which contributes to national obesity. People in the 60s and 70s were slimmer, I have photos from my childhood that shows it. Everyone is so fat these days and restaurants encourage it (I agree it is not their job to care about anyone's health).

Maybe they do so because it does not work out for them if they don't as they have rent and labor to pay for.

So I buy a sandwich or whatever and split with my wife or kid. I have no shame in doing so. Saves money, keeps me healthy.

Don't be this guy.

Da Bears

I agree with you. It's too much. Especially for those who don't eat mindfully and just space out or eat while distracted; you aren't thinking about whether you're full or not, you're just continuing to eat until the food is gone.

Have you noticed how much larger the egg McMuffin and the Chick-fil-A biscuit have gotten over the years? We are a fat ass country.

Order 1 entree
Split between 2 people

toucan82 said:

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This is america

If you want self control go to europe

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The continent where everyone smokes and drinks has self control?

Just taking a guess, having worked in corporate at two national restaurant chains.

The food cost for a serving typically runs around 30%. So, if the total food cost is $3.50 the menu price would be around $11.69. The 'return to net' would be the difference between the price less the cost, or $8.19.

Now double the size of the portion. Food cost is $7, so the cost stays at 30%, but the menu price of $23.38 doubles the 'return to net.'

Not saying that's why portions are big, but in a competitive industry the return on net is a big deal. Just my opinion.

ToddyHill said:

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Just taking a guess, having worked in corporate at two national restaurant chains.

The food cost for a serving typically runs around 30%. So, if the total food cost is $3.50 the menu price would be around $11.69. The 'return to net' would be the difference between the price less the cost, or $8.19.

Now double the size of the portion. Food cost is $7, so the cost stays at 30%, but the menu price of $23.38 doubles the 'return to net.'

Not saying that's why portions are big, but in a competitive industry the return on net is a big deal. Just my opinion.

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I am not sure I got all this....

So if I order a meal and split, does it hurt restaurants (not that I GAF).

Yes

We get two meals out of dining out pretty often. Take half of it home.

infinity ag said:

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I think American restaurants give you too much food and at a high price.

As I have gotten older, I find that I need and should eat less. But I am out of luck. When I got a restaurant like Potbellys or Jersey Mikes, I order their smallest size. 15 years ago, I used to order Large or Regular. 5 years ago, I would order"Skinny" or whatever the smallest is.

Then I saw that I was good with half of the smallest size. I felt light and not hungry. So why was I eating the entire serving? Just more calories.

Why won't restaurants give out real small sizes? Even small is very big which contributes to national obesity. People in the 60s and 70s were slimmer, I have photos from my childhood that shows it. Everyone is so fat these days and restaurants encourage it (I agree it is not their job to care about anyone's health).

Maybe they do so because it does not work out for them if they don't as they have rent and labor to pay for.

So I buy a sandwich or whatever and split with my wife or kid. I have no shame in doing so. Saves money, keeps me healthy.

---

I read this and have decided to open a new restaurant chain. I will call it "Nothings" because when you go there, you get nothing. You get a menu and it has nothing on it. You can order small, medium, or large and the prices will vary of course.

We will be doing our part to fight obesity and will guarantee that if you only eat at our restaurant, you will lose weight, or we will give you half your money back. And, if our smallest portion is too much, we offer to go boxes so that you can finish the meal later.

At our place, feel no shame if you split your order with a spouse, a friend, or the whole family.

maroon barchetta said:

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toucan82 said:

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This is america

If you want self control go to europe

---

The continent where everyone smokes and drinks has self control?

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Americans drink more than Europeans.

toucan82 said:

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This is america

If you want smaller portions go to europe

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My only regret this weekend is that I could only give 1 star to this post. Murica!

I thought Wegovy solved all these issues?

FIDO*98* said:

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I usually go with a larger portion because it doesn't typically cost much more and then I can make 2 meals out of it.

For example at a place I frequent:
Mexican Plate: 2 Enchiladas, Taco, Rice, and Beans. $9.99
Combination Plate: 2 Enchiladas, Taco, tamale, chalupa, rice & beans. $12.99

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Eddie's?

Had one of their combos the other day. First time in forever. When she set down the plate(s) I started laughing. Well no wonder errybody in here looks diabetic.

What the… are you serious? I can't even comprehend… this just completely blows my mind. This makes no sense. What? Less food? Do you set money on fire? Do you hate freedom? Did no one love you as a child? Do you like to destroy beautiful things?

maroon barchetta said:

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toucan82 said:

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This is america

If you want self control go to europe

---

The continent where everyone smokes and drinks has self control?

---

On food, yes. But that is changing with the rise of fast food restaurants which are filled to the brim and different generational eating.

Smoking is disgustingly rampant because cigarettes are less taxed and much cheaper here than in the US. It's weird how Europeans are so "green" but care little about polluting the air with cigarette smoke and smoking around others and their kids.

Drinking is cheaper, too, as most common people drink low-cost wines and beers rather than expensive hard liquor beverages. Cocktail bars here are rare, and good luck finding the mixers you need to make your own.

People here walk miles every day. Consistent exercise is the difference.

I have them bring the to go box out with my meal. I pack up half of it before eating at all.

I grew up with depression era parents and find it hard to NOT clean my plate. Instead of trying to fight decades of hard wired programming, I just remove the temptation before I even start.

I order off the kids menu frequently.

Ginormus Ag said:

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What the… are you serious? I can't even comprehend… this just completely blows my mind. This makes no sense. What? Less food? Do you set money on fire? Do you hate freedom? Did no one love you as a child? Do you like to destroy beautiful things?

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user name checks out but...

I am not saying less food. I am saying more food options. If you and I go to a burger restaurant, I want there to be a Ginormous size for $50 so you can have that and pay that.
I am at a point where "Regular" for $15 is a bit too big. I can eat it all but I just don't want to. So I prefer to have a "Sporty" size burger which is half the size of Regular but 60% of the cost, so around $8.50.

You are happy, and so am I. I don't want to get a Regular, pay $15 and bring the leftovers home and have it sit in the fridge.

one safe place said:

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infinity ag said:

---

I think American restaurants give you too much food and at a high price.

As I have gotten older, I find that I need and should eat less. But I am out of luck. When I got a restaurant like Potbellys or Jersey Mikes, I order their smallest size. 15 years ago, I used to order Large or Regular. 5 years ago, I would order"Skinny" or whatever the smallest is.

Then I saw that I was good with half of the smallest size. I felt light and not hungry. So why was I eating the entire serving? Just more calories.

Why won't restaurants give out real small sizes? Even small is very big which contributes to national obesity. People in the 60s and 70s were slimmer, I have photos from my childhood that shows it. Everyone is so fat these days and restaurants encourage it (I agree it is not their job to care about anyone's health).

Maybe they do so because it does not work out for them if they don't as they have rent and labor to pay for.

So I buy a sandwich or whatever and split with my wife or kid. I have no shame in doing so. Saves money, keeps me healthy.

---

I read this and have decided to open a new restaurant chain. I will call it "Nothings" because when you go there, you get nothing. You get a menu and it has nothing on it. You can order small, medium, or large and the prices will vary of course.

We will be doing our part to fight obesity and will guarantee that if you only eat at our restaurant, you will lose weight, or we will give you half your money back. And, if our smallest portion is too much, we offer to go boxes so that you can finish the meal later.

At our place, feel no shame if you split your order with a spouse, a friend, or the whole family.

---

The only small problem is you will also get paid "nothing".
The government will still tax you!

Aggie Dad 26 said:

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Order 1 entree
Split between 2 people

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We used to do that when we just got married. My wife wasn't too happy but I got to save money. My wife eats even less than I do, but she likes to look at a lot of food for some reason, and leave 90% of it or bring it home. Her daddy used to allow it, I am strictly about no food wastage.

Jetty said:

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I order off the kids menu frequently.

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We do that with ice cream!

When we go to a local icecream place, my kids order 1 scoop, 2 scoop etc. My wife and I order kids size each! Which in itself is quite large.

No wonder we are a country of unhealthy diabetic cancerous fatasses.

Backyard Gator said:

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Your wife is an adult, though, and the fact that you think you need to be her 'daddy' and tell her what she can and cannot eat, and monitor what she buys in a restaurant is disturbing.

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I disagree. It is too common for some women to order a big meal and only eat 1/4 of it. It's kind of a brag about being self disciplined thing.

If I'm paying for it, I'm gonna break her of that habit. You don't need to show off for me, honey.