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Original poster

Portion sizes in restaurants getting small!!!

169 replies

SantaOnFanta · 03/01/2023 21:52

Am I just getting greedy lol or are portion sizes in restaurants really going down??

A pasta dinner no more than 7 mouthfuls.

A roast pork dinner which consisted of six small strips built up like a Jenga and one plate of veg to share with husband with his meal. £17.

Two burgers and one side of chips and drinks £53!

Anyone else noticing this?

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mincepiesandsomemorr · 04/01/2023 04:02

Went out today with a friend....first place we went to had to send the food back. It was just awful. This is a place I have visited over years. All of a sudden the quality has dropped below standard! The second place again is a place I regularly eat at...we stayed and ate but the quality of the food and potions were shameful.
I am not eating out as much anymore. Going to cook at home and just get good quality ready meals. It's a shame but I'm not wasting my money anymore.

OldTinHat · 04/01/2023 04:18

I noticed Wetherspoons three 'small plates' deal which used to be £10 last year is now just shy of £14.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 04/01/2023 04:42

Local Chinese restaurant (not a chain) has been the best for over ten years. This past year they rewrote their menu and dropped all beef and pork dishes. They are serving chicken dishes only. The explanation was that the price of beef and pork had gone so high that to keep them on the menu would double the prices.
I appreciate the economy, but "Chicken and fresh Mushrooms" is NOT the same as "Beef with Fresh Mushrooms".

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echt · 04/01/2023 04:49

Much the same here in Melbourne with mid-range outlets. I ordered a Caesar salad a seaside cafe and yes, I know it's lettuce-based, but this was almost entirely lettuce. 🥬🥬

More expensive restaurants seem to have maintained quality and portion size, though prices have gone up. Friends in London have noted the same there, and now go out far less, cook at home more, and go higher end on occasions.

garlictwist · 04/01/2023 06:06

We went to Wetherspoons for lunch the other day and while I know it's cheap, the portions were tiny. I had a jacket potato the size of my palm.

liveforsummer · 04/01/2023 06:15

It's the cost for me - ikea used to be somewhere you found go and eat for not much more than it would cost you at home but it cost £24 for 3 of us this week, and dc both got pasta which is a cheaper option

AriettyHomily · 04/01/2023 06:17

I was in my local gastro pub the other day, had a chicken burger that I have had before and it used to be a whole chicken breast, this one was half, it was tiny. £22.50.

I don't think it has anything to do with calories and everything to with trying to maintain a profit.

user1471530109 · 04/01/2023 06:20

Pizza express. Used to be a regular place to take the dc. Went over Christmas. Prices gone up and no vouchers to be found (always a voucher before!). What used to be a £30-35 meal out came to £50. No starter for me or glass of wine like usual. We won't be going back.

fajitaaaa · 04/01/2023 06:23

garlictwist · 04/01/2023 06:06

We went to Wetherspoons for lunch the other day and while I know it's cheap, the portions were tiny. I had a jacket potato the size of my palm.

How big/small is your palm? Coz that would be fairly standard potato size for me

user1497787065 · 04/01/2023 06:43

I agree and appreciate that if our own food bills have increased by 20% so have theirs.

We recently had a meal at our local pub. It was nice but nothing special £125 including one beer, one G&T and a carafe of wine. I certainly won't be doing that again for a very long time.
I understand they have to make a profit but I felt the price had increased by 25-30% and the portion size had decreased by 15%

icanwearwhatiwant · 04/01/2023 06:56

*Really? You’re can’t finish a single course at any restaurant?

How extraordinary.*

I don't think it's that extraordinary, no.
Why do you struggle so much with the concept that the size of people's appetite differs?

Getamoveon36 · 04/01/2023 06:58

fajitaaaa · 03/01/2023 22:00

I think the problem is more their portion sizes were getting far too large for years!

Exactly this. Eatingnout these days like gluttony on a grand scale, this could be a good thing if it helps people get back to normal portion sizes.

icanwearwhatiwant · 04/01/2023 06:58

user1497787065 · 04/01/2023 06:43

I agree and appreciate that if our own food bills have increased by 20% so have theirs.

We recently had a meal at our local pub. It was nice but nothing special £125 including one beer, one G&T and a carafe of wine. I certainly won't be doing that again for a very long time.
I understand they have to make a profit but I felt the price had increased by 25-30% and the portion size had decreased by 15%

But it's not just the food price increase they're dealing with is it? They also have massively increased energy costs and I'm guessing many are having to pay higher wages to recruit staff too.

I feel incredibly sorry for anybody running a restaurant or cafe just now, it must be a massive struggle.

CeriB82 · 04/01/2023 06:59

Portions were too big in some places.

people are getting fat. Its time to curb those portions

Paq · 04/01/2023 07:02

They were definitely too big previously, I could either not finish meals or felt uncomfortably stuffed.

But restaurant costs - food prices, energy, wages are also increasing - so it's not surprising they're passing that on to customers.

I like the addition of calories on menus, it probably encouraged some to cut down on massive portions.

Morph22010 · 04/01/2023 07:03

OldTinHat · 04/01/2023 04:18

I noticed Wetherspoons three 'small plates' deal which used to be £10 last year is now just shy of £14.

Depends where you go Wetherspoons prices are diff at diff pubs

WordtoYoMumma · 04/01/2023 07:07

We rarely eat out these days. Mainly due to cost, for a family of 5 it's eye watering! If we go out it is either to the local curry place (always delicious, always loads of food) or Nandos - I know lots of people hate Nandos but it works for us as we have the family platter and refillable drinks (and maybe a wing platter too if we want to push the boat out!) and we all leave happy and full.

I used to go out for dinner with friends quite a lot but I just don't enjoy it now, it seems so expensive and I can't really justify it.

I do like a Spoons pizza though 😁

namechangeforthisoneeee · 04/01/2023 07:08

@icanwearwhatiwant thank you and yes you're right. I own a cafe and had a meltdown last week, ugly crying for ages because I can't see how I can go on like this. I work 7 days a week to try and keep my staff bill down, my electricity and gas is off the charts. My place is normally full (thank god) but not turning a profit any more. I've put the prices up already, I can't do it again or no one will come so I'll work 7 days a week for NO MONEY but then the price will go up again of my stock and then I'm basically fucked

MargaretMead · 04/01/2023 07:08

We ordered a Chinese takeaway a few months ago and the containers were the same size as normal, but the more expensive dishes containing prawns were only half filled. We haven’t bothered since. I feel sorry for the businesses, as their costs have gone up so much, but if it isn’t value for money, people won’t pay.

RampantIvy · 04/01/2023 07:15

I find portion sizes are too big here in South Yorkshire. Last time I went for a curry with friends we had two starters, two mains plus rice and naan bread between the four of us.

When DH and I eat out we just have a main course.

We aren't competitive under eaters at sll. Portion sizes round here really are generous. Any place doing small portions would soon go out of business.

DinosApple · 04/01/2023 07:16

We had a meal out at TGI's with the kids in November in London. It was very disappointing.
The chicken fajitas used to come with lots of peppers and onions. Nope, now it just comes with a load of onions.

I don't know when that changed, as it's been about 15 years since my last visit to TGI's, but I won't bother going back.

icanwearwhatiwant · 04/01/2023 07:16

namechangeforthisoneeee · 04/01/2023 07:08

@icanwearwhatiwant thank you and yes you're right. I own a cafe and had a meltdown last week, ugly crying for ages because I can't see how I can go on like this. I work 7 days a week to try and keep my staff bill down, my electricity and gas is off the charts. My place is normally full (thank god) but not turning a profit any more. I've put the prices up already, I can't do it again or no one will come so I'll work 7 days a week for NO MONEY but then the price will go up again of my stock and then I'm basically fucked

Oh gosh that sounds awful! I hope somehow things start to improve soon.

MargaretMead · 04/01/2023 07:17

@namechangeforthisoneeee 💐

It’s heartbreaking when you’ve put so much into your business. The industry is undergoing massive consolidation.

Now I think about it, I was in a huge and very old pub a few weeks ago that used to be popular and their menu looked similar to before, but it was almost empty. After sitting in our coats for a time we realised that they couldn’t afford to put the heating on and we were going to have to sit and eat in our coats. So we went somewhere else. It’s such a nightmare for them. People expect to be warm, comfortable and a big plate of food for the same ish price. In our small town we will end up with a small selection of places to eat out at, eating out will for many people become a treat for birthdays and occasions only.

Gingerkittykat · 04/01/2023 07:39

Where are you eating that 2 burgers, chips and drinks costs £53?

I had a similar experience to a PP. I go to a pub quiz once a month in a small independent pub and we used to struggle to get a seat but in the past couple of months there have been around half the number of customers. The food menu is pretty much the same, except they have taken steak off the menu. We were sitting at a table next to a radiator and the radiator was off and we were really cold.

It's a small pub which wins national awards, it is in a listed building so I think there has been a pub there for decades, if not longer. I really hope it survives.

AriettyHomily · 04/01/2023 07:53

£17.50 for a burger in my local, just checked. Add chips at £3.50 it's very easy to get to £53. I'm in the SE.