restaurant portiuons sizes

[PattnFmly]

In our house, going out to eat is a treat..something we only do every other month or so. We seldom even get subs or pizza. We make them at home. So when we do actually go out to eat, we want to be happy, enjoy our meal, no surprises!, and go home satisfied - by both the price and the meal itself. We watch portion sizes, whole grains, and cook a lot of things from scratch now. Thus, when I go out I want a treat! I don't want to know the calories in my fried clam and french fry basket..I want to enjoy my special meal. If I can't just eat and enjoy once in awhile, I may as well be 6 feet under!

 

[disneymarie]

And why did you save your complaints to post on the DIS instead of questioning your server???

The service part was addressed at the establishment where they know me as a semi regular for lunch meeting or bringing clients to finish business. Even pow wow's with the attorney.....

The point is had others noticed this anomaly, or was it isolated to that eatery. Just like toilet paper, can't inquiring minds compare thoughts.
I mean can TP get and narrow'er or the rolls any less sheets?

I have to budget a dinner out and in mind with we always have enough for left overs...Paying $8.95 a BBBLT, and $6.95 eggs, for the portions provided from a few weeks ago to now was an observation .

It was not about this night out, it is a comparative and input wanted budget related inquiry....I thought.

Eating out even work related has to be mega budget minded. I never had the ability to take my family out to dinner except for a special event. I am frugal and thankful.
I had my share of not even having any meals many nights the cupboards were bare. I value my $ when paying for meals out....

 

[disneymarie]

In our house, going out to eat is a treat..something we only do every other month or so. We seldom even get subs or pizza. We make them at home. So when we do actually go out to eat, we want to be happy, enjoy our meal, no surprises!, and go home satisfied - by both the price and the meal itself. We watch portion sizes, whole grains, and cook a lot of things from scratch now. Thus, when I go out I want a treat! I don't want to know the calories in my fried clam and french fry basket..I want to enjoy my special meal. If I can't just eat and enjoy once in awhile, I may as well be 6 feet under!

Yes, it is a treat, also for us. Subs and Pizza we can't afford to order out.

It was one thing that the kids liked, having a left overs meal home later. We cook at home all the time, using everything now in the deep freeze as a no buy, but to look at a plate with 8 sliced potatoes on it, and the tiniest eggs ever...I would think is a $2.99 special where you pay extra for the bacon and toast....Not a TV special to get you in there.
Yes we still have several of them around in the early AM....like the Moosic Diner......

 

[Alison Wunderland]

Yes we still have several of them around in the early AM....like the Moosic Diner......

I am not from PA but I know where you are from. I was visiting my family that lives up in that area. I was eating at the Denny's in Gibson that day. Did we go to the same one?

 

[maggiew]

I think the closest rain forest cafe for me and the OP might in atlantic city.. not really a trip around the block.

I was just giving an example - not telling the OP or others to drive hundreds of miles!! I was just surprised at how big the servings are at Rainforest Cafe. We know better, so we always share. Luckily, we have 2 Rainforest Cafes near us so we can go whenever we want. As I said, it is my mom's restaurant of choice so we often go there for birthdays, etc. - not often for just going out to dinner.

Maggie

 

[cseca]

I agree with the decrease in portion sizes but not prices. We have a local chinese place that did the same thing. We used to be able to get 3 meals out of 1 entree but now we barely get 2.
We just decide not to eat out as much anymore. It's not worth the cost.

 

[scrapquitler]

I totally agree with you!
I also agree with those who say portions are too big anyway. Anyone eating out should google the caloric intake/fat grams/sodium intake of the meal they eat. Many restaurants have this information posted...you might think the salad is healthy but chances are it isn't . Most portions these days are at least enough for 2. I always eat half and bring other half home.

Enjoy your food.....

I think the OPs point is that the portion was much smaller than the restaurant normally serves. If I was in a restaurant, and the portion of Ravioli's was 10 raviolis on my plate the last time I was there, and then I went in today, and the portion was 5 of the same raviolis for the same price, then I would feel ripped off, even if I wasn't going to eat 10 of them.

The fact that portion sizes are too big has nothing to do with it. If the restaurant wants to sell a 'proper' nutritinally sized portion, that's fine, but they shouldn't think that if they suddenly make a much smaller portion that the consumer is going to not complain if the price remains the same.

 

[powellrj]

I have noticed that many times portion sizes vary. One time we will eat out and have to bring things home, and other times I can get the same meal and still be hungry.

Especially when it is something that is dished up, I think many times it depends on who is doing the dishing! I know at Cracker Barrel, one time we will get hash brown casserole and have a huge serving and DD and I will share and the next time, it is almost only a taste.

We eat at Dennys and usually get the senior Tilapia. Sometimes it will come with lots of veggies as my side dish and other times it seems the veggies are a garnish! The same with our local Mexican place. DH always gets the chicken fajitas and sometimes it is so huge he could feed the family and the next time, not so much.

I know its confusing and if you have an expectation of plenty to share, it can be hard, but I pretty much chalk it up to who ever is cooking makes the call.

 

[disneymarie]

I was just giving an example - not telling the OP or others to drive hundreds of miles!! I was just surprised at how big the servings are at Rainforest Cafe. We know better, so we always share. Luckily, we have 2 Rainforest Cafes near us so we can go whenever we want. As I said, it is my mom's restaurant of choice so we often go there for birthdays, etc. - not often for just going out to dinner.

Maggie

I think that was our way of relating where we live so rural, the neat places to eat are unreachable. BUT we are a hop from Knoboels Amusement Park. Our well kept secret is getting popular recently.

The area is getting in fluxed with the people but not the eating variations.
No Golden Corral, no CiCi's, we do watch our local Family Diners going the way side.

When we go out to eat (my family) it is like seeing old friends, people know us by face or name. We have our favorite table, know the menu by heart.

THe weeknight specials are memorized, Aunt Bea's pie is on the top shelf of the pie cabinet.

When my parents took me to Abe's Hot Dog's on Main St in Wilkes Barre when we came back home, there was the Mr.Peanut factory office across the street. We pushed the table together in the front window. Milk was chocolate and came in miniature glass jugs. the chile dogs were .10 a piece. For a Family of eight, it was a real treat.

When I walk in the owners grandson's always share a memory of my parents.

But, not putting you down at all, the Rain Forest is like visiting on in at Epcot is a more likely chance.

We have old country buffet, I have not been there since my parents passed away. The Red Lobster my son took me to for Mother's Day, I would rather he bought tails and we ate at home. The waitress was wonderful sweet and the extra bag of biscuits thoughtful. But, I would rather have the money then paid the $70 bill.

AND ON a much lighter and funny note then money....
In the Pocono's I think it was called Shelley's diner we stopped for lunch after working in the area. I ordered off the senior menu, portion and cost. BUT the waitress said, "I don't know if you can order off there, are you old enough?"...lol, more then old enough, use to be carded at bars, now its for senior rates.

 

[robin09]

I think that was our way of relating where we live so rural, the neat places to eat are unreachable. BUT we are a hop from Knoboels Amusement Park. Our well kept secret is getting popular recently.

The area is getting in fluxed with the people but not the eating variations.
No Golden Corral, no CiCi's, we do watch our local Family Diners going the way side.

When we go out to eat (my family) it is like seeing old friends, people know us by face or name. We have our favorite table, know the menu by heart.

THe weeknight specials are memorized, Aunt Bea's pie is on the top shelf of the pie cabinet.

When my parents took me to Abe's Hot Dog's on Main St in Wilkes Barre when we came back home, there was the Mr.Peanut factory office across the street. We pushed the table together in the front window. Milk was chocolate and came in miniature glass jugs. the chile dogs were .10 a piece. For a Family of eight, it was a real treat.

When I walk in the owners grandson's always share a memory of my parents.

But, not putting you down at all, the Rain Forest is like visiting on in at Epcot is a more likely chance.

We have old country buffet, I have not been there since my parents passed away. The Red Lobster my son took me to for Mother's Day, I would rather he bought tails and we ate at home. The waitress was wonderful sweet and the extra bag of biscuits thoughtful. But, I would rather have the money then paid the $70 bill.

AND ON a much lighter and funny note then money....
In the Pocono's I think it was called Shelley's diner we stopped for lunch after working in the area. I ordered off the senior menu, portion and cost. BUT the waitress said, "I don't know if you can order off there, are you old enough?"...lol, more then old enough, use to be carded at bars, now its for senior rates.

LOVE Knoebels.... camped there last year, about 1 1/2 hours from my home.. Love their food, and free parking, free admitance. I tell everyone about it!