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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Portion sizes in pubs and restaurants-why are they so big?

541 replies

AlternativelyWired · 16/04/2022 10:21

Unless of course it's somewhere very fancy.
Inspired by the calories on menus threads I was wondering why portions are so big. One place we go to does a children's pizza, chips and peas. This is just short of 900 calories. It's a Chicago town style pizza with a large handful of chips and a portion of peas. Even the adult menu has very little that's below 800 calories. Starters to share (for two people) are over 1000 calories. Some of the meat 'challenges' are over 4000 calories each! Why?
Surely if portion sizes were smaller or rather, appropriate, this would be better than stating calorie values and would help avoid food waste. Food waste induces a lot of guilt in me, and the calories do too as a former anorexic, and although eating out is a treat that we don't do often, I don't want a huge plateful of food that I won't be able to finish. I think the meat challenges are obscene but that might be my eating disordered and veggie brain speaking.
Why are pizzas so big? And burgers? Over 1000 calories for a burger and that's without the chips.
Could places offer small portions? Although even the seniors menu is a larger than normal portion.
I don't particularly want to know the calories of the dishes on offer but I do want a choice of smaller portions rather than contributing to food waste.
And while I'm at it, what happened to sandwiches on menus? In the 80s and 90s everywhere we went had a sandwich section with egg mayonnaise, prawn mayonnaise, beef, ham, cheddar ploughman's and now sandwiches don't seem to exist except in cafés. A nice sandwich with a salad garnish and maybe a handful of crisps. My mum would be so happy if they came back. And omelettes.
Bring back proper plates, the ones we had in the 80s not the huge ones we have now.

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 18/04/2022 11:49

And the OP’s username should give some sort of clue.

Original poster
AlternativelyWired · 18/04/2022 13:48

@wentworthinmate you've never heard of autism? Sensory issues are a huge thing to many of us. Light, sound, taste, texture, smell, touch. It's a minefield out there a lot of the time. It must be nice in your NT bubble.

OP posts:
MMMarmite · 18/04/2022 14:35

They should give you the option I guess

But I do a lot of exercise and often need the calories. It's very frustrating to leave a pub or restaurant meal still hungry!

VanGoghsDog · 18/04/2022 15:50

As I said, it's a very privileged thing to be sat in front of a plate of food that's too much to finish, but you wouldn't think that what with the way some posters on here are being so dismissive.

It is very privileged. But the point many of us are making, and you're choosing to ignore, is that quite a lot of us CAN and DO finish it, and WANT to. So why we should get less because of your issues I really don't know. Because the pub doesn't know in advance who is a you and who is a me. Though you can always say "please make mine a smaller portion" I suppose. It won't stop food waste but it might help you feel full of smug.

Maybe just stop eating out?

WanderleyWagon · 18/04/2022 17:13

I think you're getting a hard time here, OP! I don't think it's precious to observe that portion sizes in restaurants are designed to be more than someone needs for one meal. And I definitely don't think it's precious to draw a link between portion sizes and population-level obesity problems.

Mirw · 18/04/2022 17:13

Who actually needs calories on a menu? Surely if you are eating out, it is not an every day thing and is a treat. Therefore doesn't matter what the calorie count is, you are these to enjoy yourself. The world has gone mad. And the suggestion from the government or nanny state that everything comes with calories on it, is madness thought up by middle class policy wonks who have too much time on their hands.

Florenz · 18/04/2022 17:20

Maybe a tax on high calorie restaurant meals could help.

CynthiaRothrock · 18/04/2022 17:30

Where abouts are you op? Portion size round here is pathetic. Im nit a big eater but last time i went to the local pub it was crap food, expensive and i had to double check i hadn't ordered from the kids menu 🤣 the portion was that small. The local Chinese and Indian takeaway however i can serve 6 people from 2 meals

aSofaNearYou · 18/04/2022 17:50

@WanderleyWagon

I think you're getting a hard time here, OP! I don't think it's precious to observe that portion sizes in restaurants are designed to be more than someone needs for one meal. And I definitely don't think it's precious to draw a link between portion sizes and population-level obesity problems.
I think the thread has largely strayed away from the point about calories, the main thing people agreeing with OP are now arguing is that portion sizes are simply too big for anyone to reasonably want or manage to eat that much. Which is obviously not the case, because the majority can and do.

The health argument is a separate thing really. But I still maintain, as I did towards the start of the thread, that if we were to eat the kinds of things we often do in restaurants - ie pizza, chips, burgers etc we would have to make the portion sizes minuscule for them to class as a "healthy" amount of calories because those things are just unhealthy by nature.

You can basically just eat one slice of Dominoes pizza without it being too many calories, for example.

Elphame · 18/04/2022 18:49

@liveforsummer

How do you know I don't "chose better places"?

One of the worst meals I have ever had was in a Michelin starred restaurant. Fabulous choices for the meat eaters. I was only offered a butternut squash risotto.

It was tasteless and watery. I left most of it as it wasn't worth eating.

Badbadbunny · 18/04/2022 20:56

@Florenz

Maybe a tax on high calorie restaurant meals could help.
There's already 20% VAT.
hangrylady · 18/04/2022 21:03

@Florenz

Maybe a tax on high calorie restaurant meals could help.
No! How about adults take responsibility for their own food intake? There is already a sugar tax on soft drinks, why the hell should I pay more for an occasional full sugar coke just because some people can't control themselves? When did adults become so fucking feckless? Angry
Iamthewombat · 18/04/2022 22:35

@Florenz

Maybe a tax on high calorie restaurant meals could help.
What would it help with?
KatherineJaneway · 19/04/2022 05:56

@Elphame

What Michelin starred restaurant was that?

OverByYer · 19/04/2022 06:02

Portion sizes are too big in lots of places, but there does seem to be a market for huge plates full of food.
And we wonder why we have an obesity crisis.

VanGoghsDog · 19/04/2022 08:31

@OverByYer

Portion sizes are too big in lots of places, but there does seem to be a market for huge plates full of food. And we wonder why we have an obesity crisis.
Do we wonder? I don't think we do actually.
knittingaddict · 19/04/2022 08:48

Exactly hangrylady.

I enjoy a soft drink sometimes. Maybe about 3 times a year I would eat out with friends and not want alcohol. Since the sugar tax they started adding artificial sweeteners to San Pellegrino and it tastes horrible. They wrecked a perfectly good soft drink. It's almost impossible to find a good sweetener free lemonade for a Pimms anymore.

I thought there was research that showed drinking artificially sweetened drinks etc messed with people's metabolism and may actually make people fatter.

Kurtanforpm · 19/04/2022 08:57

@knittingaddict

Exactly hangrylady.

I enjoy a soft drink sometimes. Maybe about 3 times a year I would eat out with friends and not want alcohol. Since the sugar tax they started adding artificial sweeteners to San Pellegrino and it tastes horrible. They wrecked a perfectly good soft drink. It's almost impossible to find a good sweetener free lemonade for a Pimms anymore.

I thought there was research that showed drinking artificially sweetened drinks etc messed with people's metabolism and may actually make people fatter.

Yes, they swapped sugar for harmful artificial additives which actually makes fuck all sense health wise, but at least it made Jamie Oliver jump for joy, the TWAT.
Elphame · 19/04/2022 11:09

[quote KatherineJaneway]@Elphame

What Michelin starred restaurant was that?[/quote]
Doesn't matter - it has now lost its star!

BookkeeperBobby · 19/04/2022 20:07

The artificial sweetener thing is annoying. I don't drink a lot of booze and it's now difficult to find alternatives that aren't either full of chemicals or some kind of rip off botanical gimmicky crap. Half the time I'm reduced to lime and soda like it's the nineties all over again.

FrangipaniBlue · 19/04/2022 22:56

@VanGoghsDog

As I said, it's a very privileged thing to be sat in front of a plate of food that's too much to finish, but you wouldn't think that what with the way some posters on here are being so dismissive.

It is very privileged. But the point many of us are making, and you're choosing to ignore, is that quite a lot of us CAN and DO finish it, and WANT to. So why we should get less because of your issues I really don't know. Because the pub doesn't know in advance who is a you and who is a me. Though you can always say "please make mine a smaller portion" I suppose. It won't stop food waste but it might help you feel full of smug.

Maybe just stop eating out?

I don't have "issues" and I'm not missing any point.

But perhaps read my previous post where I clearly explained that I like to have the option of eating three different courses. That's the joy of eating out for me, getting to do/try things that I wouldn't at home.

I don't want just one huge portion of the same thing thanks nor do I want to order 3 portions and leave some of them; it's wasteful and un-necessary.

If restaurants offered sensible portions at sensible prices then those who just want a small portion can order accordingly. If you want to eat more, fine order extras.

Such a simple solution that caters for different preferences and keeps everyone happy, no?

So many aggressive responses on this thread by those who want big portions directed at those saying they want smaller portions.... makes me wonder why that could be?

aSofaNearYou · 20/04/2022 09:29

*But perhaps read my previous post where I clearly explained that I like to have the option of eating three different courses. That's the joy of eating out for me, getting to do/try things that I wouldn't at home.

I don't want just one huge portion of the same thing thanks nor do I want to order 3 portions and leave some of them; it's wasteful and un-necessary.

If restaurants offered sensible portions at sensible prices then those who just want a small portion can order accordingly. If you want to eat more, fine order extras.

Such a simple solution that caters for different preferences and keeps everyone happy, no?*

And others DON'T like to order three courses, because that's expensive and time consuming. I never like any of the starters available.

And no, small portions with extras wouldn't keep everyone happy, because for example I do not want a tiny pizza with lots of side orders of other things, I want a decent sized pizza.

You're only looking at this from your perspective.

yellowsuninthesky · 20/04/2022 09:43

I was in a pub in the weekend which had standard and small portions. The standard was fine for me. I do have a big appetite but I wouldn't want something that was really huge. My mum and an elderly friend of hers had the small portions and were happy with those.

I think anyone should be able to have a childrens' portion size, it shouldn't only be for the under 8s or under 12s or whatever.

And no, small portions with extras wouldn't keep everyone happy, because for example I do not want a tiny pizza with lots of side orders of other things, I want a decent sized pizza

but it wouldn't be difficult for a pub or restaurant to offer both options!

yellowsuninthesky · 20/04/2022 09:45

Though you can always say "please make mine a smaller portion" I suppose. It won't stop food waste but it might help you feel full of smug

why wouldn't it stop food waste? If you give me a smaller portion and I eat it all, there's no waste. If you give me a large portion and I leave half of it, there is. There may be waste at kitchen level, but that's for the establishment to manage and will happen irrespective of the portion sizes given out eg if they expect to sell 20 pies, so defrost 20, but only sell 15.

aSofaNearYou · 20/04/2022 09:46

but it wouldn't be difficult for a pub or restaurant to offer both options!

Yes but that's a different argument to "just serve smaller portions and everyone that wants more can get extras"