Going to a restaurant to order food then hardly eat any of it - why?

[doorss]

I just don't get this. People come into a restaurant and order food. Its one of those restaurants you pay in advance. Food arrives, they just eat about a quarter of the dish - maximum. Then all leave with everyone in the group leaving loads of food left.

Why do people do this? If not hungry, don't eat. If pushing for time, don't eat. It's disgusting that people leave that amount of food. A bloody waste

Being full makes me feel really uncomfortable and nauseous, but that shouldn’t mean I miss out on going out my DH/family for a meal.
if there is something I fancy to eat I’ll order it even if I know I’ll never finish it, I don’t always even finish a starter if it’s something filling like mushrooms on toast which is my favourite.
My old local used to do half portions of a lot of their meals which was great - but very few places give that option.

isn't it all weightloss jabs?
Ozempic menus: how weight-loss jabs are changing restaurants | The Week UK

Usually if I leave food it's because it doesn't taste nice.

Then I may want a dessert to get the taste of the unpleasant food out of my mouth and at least have one enjoyable thing out of the meal.

I've pretty much stopped eating out now as it's so rare to actually get something I enjoy eating in a restaurant, but that is because I'm very fussy and the list of things that I hate the taste of is very long.

I can’t eat much in a sitting. I’ll eat what I want and leave the rest. Stuffing it down and making myself feel sick isn’t going to help the starving.

No. I’m not on then and I can’t eat much in a sitting. Never have been able to. I feel sick then my blood pressure drops and I feel awful.

because I don’t like food and don’t eat much! I eat because I have to so as soon as I’m full, which is usually within 5/6 mouthfuls, I leave the rest. I can’t force myself to eat because of what people might think of me and why should I? I’ve paid you’ve got a tip we’re all happy!!

No of course it's not all weight loss jabs.

I usually leave some portion of food behind because I’m very short and don’t need as many calories. The portions served up are often too big and would exceed half my daily calorie requirements. I also gain weight very easily. It’s not rocket science but no wonder so many people are obese if clearing all the food is seen as virtuous!

This has been happening a lot with people on the Monjaro jab. Some restaurants even have tiny Monjaro size portions. They would have a starter but when they brought the main were no longer hungry.

I've never eaten in Nandos. I've never come across anywhere that you pay in advance. I eat out a lot.

You don't need to be hungry to have a dessert? Doesn't everyone have a pudding belly? 🤣🤣🤣I find it so much more satisfying if I'm not hungry.

If they all left it then the food probably wasn't very nice.

I often don’t eat all of my meal when I’m out. I’m petite with a smallish appetite. Restaurants only serve one portion size whether you’re a person with a small appetite or a larger appetite. I can’t force myself to eat food once I’m full.

I don’t like food waste either but there’s not always much I can do. If my husband is with me he will often eat my leftovers but if I’m out with friends they aren’t likely to. Sometimes I take a doggy bag but that’s not always possible.

To be honest, I think it’s a shame that there are people out there judging others for not eating all their food in a restaurant.

It drives me mad! You see this a lot at carverys, people have eyes bigger than their bellies, load their plates up and leave most of it.
I'm with you it's such a waste of food. And it doesn't matter that you're not paying for it, (as someone said) it's the principle of it, when people can't afford to put food in the cupboards and people are using food banks.
I also see it at a curry cafe we go to in Bradford, lots of different dishes ordered and platefuls left. Surely most people know their own appetites!

I see this alot and really don’t get it, it’s wasteful of food and money. It usually seems to be groups of people and they all leave loads. Not sure why people feel the need to do this when people are starving in the world. Also on holiday people pile their plates up and leave loads. Just seems like ungrateful greed. I can’t stand food waste especially if it’s meat and something has died to be on the plate.

I am not a child. I don't have to clear my plate

…I always have Tupperware in my bag.

UK restaurant's should start bringing ''To Go' boxes to the table. We often just eat half of what we orderd and take the rest home.

Some people havs smaller apeitites, or watching their weight with portion control or another reason cocaine

We've asked for doggy bags (as long as the meal is pooch friendly) and always have found restaurants to be very accommodating. If you can't finish your meal, I think it's acceptable for Fido to benefit.

(Some people have even been known to order an extra steak specifically for the dog but I wouldn't go that far!)

Why do people keep virtue signalling about all the starving people in the world?

Someone not finishing their plate of Nandos isn't going to change that, is it?

And for those who are truly concerned, I take it you NEVER eat at restaurants because you'd never want to support such a wasteful industry, would you?

@MrsPinkSky it’s ok, we can see you.

I’d agree that people should try to avoid food waste in general.

But I’ve certainly been in situations where I’ve gone to a restaurant for the first time and the portion size has been much bigger than I’ve expected. Or where the food tastes much worse than I’ve expected for whatever reason.

And in those sorts of scenarios, how is it any less wasteful to force food down my throat if I’m already full or the food is horrible? That’s hardly going to help people who can’t afford enough food for themselves, is it?

I don’t see how the pay in advance thing is relevant either. It’s not like whether or not a customer clears their plate typically has an impact on the bill in restaurants where you pay after finishing your meal.

I hate food waste and sometimes ask for a "doggy bag" depending on the etiquette of the place and how much is left! The portions tend to be so much larger than what I would normally have.

Not everyone with a small appetite is climbing Mount Jaro 😁