America and food portion sizes

[Saslou]

I've just been watching an awesome episode on TV about some American who visited Chicago and ate what seems like a family meal for himself.

He went to Gino's East which is a pizza place in Chicago and ate a deep pan pizza which was 3 inches deep .. The bread dough weighed 2lbs alone .. Fucking hell.

Then went to Al's #1 Italian Beef and munched his way through a sandwich

And at Luckys sandwich place ate 3 of these to get his picture on the wall

So being in the UK and having a stomach the size of a baby gerbil .. Are all the portion sizes large in the USA?

I don't want to say that all Americans are fat but whilst the chap was dining in the above places, almost all of the customers were on the large side. Not bloody surprising when you see the portion sizes but what is America doing to reduce the amount of obese people?

I went out on Tuesday with some friends and for the first time i'd noticed that in the restaurant they had put the calorie content on the menus which was a good idea (i had starter and dessert only), is this common in America?

I am not trying to offend anyone but am genuinely curious.

I look forward to your responses.

*I am now hungry*

 

[ThatGirl]

*Sticks large pizza under the chair*


No...

 

[Randomnity]

those pictures are not typical, they're meant to be ridiculous.

But, I did learn the hard way when visiting the states (Portland, OR) that by no means can you order an appetizer with the main course, at least at the places I went. I have a very large appetite and was starving at the time, and I doubt I finished half of my meal. The appetizers were full-meal-sized!!

I find that American chains like Boston Pizza (not a big fan) also have huge portions even in canada.

 

[Cimarron]

Sit-down restaurants usually make their portions very big, yes. True what [MENTION=206]Randomnity[/MENTION] said about appetizers. I never order appetizers unless everyone at the table splits that one appetizer. And then they offer dessert--never have room for that, either.

Fast-food, on the other hand, tends to make them rather small these days, in order to save money on "production," I suppose...

I've only seen calorie-labels on menus in one or two places I can think of, it certainly does not seem common.

 

[ThatGirl]

What I think is ridiculous is that you don't get the option to order LESS. Like, not letting adults order off the children's menu when really, the children's menu is actually the normal portion.

 

[Totenkindly]

I've actually considered ordering off the kid's menu lately. I'll do that with fast food sometimes. Portions are typically too large, so people eat past the point where they're actually hungry.

We do have calorie and fat counts on just about everything nowadays in the stores, so that's not really an issue at least with grocery shopping. Restaurants are a little different, but typically all fast food places have charts on the walls near the checkout, where you can look at what you're buying; restaurants sometimes carry calorie counts in the menus (I think Ruby Tuesdays does this, among others); and we have smartphones and internet access to look things up. It will become easier and easier to check counts, if you want to.

The problem is simply that we make really crappy food far too convenient and accessible and cheaper, and one has to work to cook and eat food that is better for one. Sometimes it's not easy.

 

[ThatGirl]

I've actually considered ordering off the kid's menu lately. I'll do that with fast food sometimes. Portions are typically too large, so people eat past the point where they're actually hungry.

We do have calorie and fat counts on just about everything nowadays in the stores, so that's not really an issue at least with grocery shopping. Restaurants are a little different, but typically all fast food places have charts on the walls near the checkout, where you can look at what you're buying; restaurants sometimes carry calorie counts in the menus (I think Ruby Tuesdays does this, among others); and we have smartphones and internet access to look things up. It will become easier and easier to check counts, if you want to.

The problem is simply that we make really crappy food far too convenient and accessible and cheaper, and one has to work to cook and eat food that is better for one. Sometimes it's not easy.

I agree with this. For five dollars, I feed TK and I on a Hot and Ready, and he has some left over for breakfast. Far too easy to default into.

I would prefer to actually cook healthy meals, but I don't have the time, and it actually seems like a waste of money. Since I am kind of cheap.

 

[93JC]

I find that American chains like Boston Pizza (not a big fan) also have huge portions even in canada.

Despite the name Boston Pizza is a Canadian chain.

 

[Randomnity]

Despite the name Boston Pizza is a Canadian chain.

you just exploded my world view. wtf is the excuse for the large portions, then?

 

[Patches]

I agree that portions at American restaurants are huge. When my mom and I go out to eat (usually at Olive Garden) we just order one entree and split it. We usually have extra to take home, too. If I get something by myself, I usually can get like 2 more meals out of it after taking it home and eating it as leftovers.


Also, I've totally had pizza at Gino's in Chicago before. Delicious. But I could only eat one slice. It's really massive slices, really heavy, and super filling.

 

[giegs]

It's easier for restaurants to give you more food than you should want to eat than to have to potentially deal with you being unhappy for not being served enough. Whether or not you actually finish your meal is another issue. I usually eat 1/2 or more and get the rest packed up. If it's unreasonable to carry around or drop off at a car there's usually an appreciative homeless nearby.

 

[ceecee]

I can't even eat *a* slice of Chicago deep dish. Portion sizes are mammoth for me and you won't catch me at a buffet either. The very few times I eat fast food, I get a kids meal. Most days I eat several grazing type meals, very rarely do I eat 3 meals so I'm always taking stuff home from restaurants.

 

[Tallulah]

I love that the portion sizes are huge, because my favorite thing about eating out is having leftovers the next day! giegs has it right--I think most Americans would be upset to pay $15 for an entree at a chain restaurant and have it not fill a plate.

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

The example cited in the OP is exaggerated - those shows are just food porn. That said, I think that the distortion of proper portion sizes is probably the biggest reason for the obesity epidemic in America, even more than the relative cost of healthy and unhealthy food. I don't even think it started as gluttony. It's more about value. Aside from "the food was good", the compliment I hear most often for a restaurant is "the portion was huge". People want to feel like they're getting a deal, and restaurants NEVER want anyone to leave hungry.

 

[giegs]

Having thought about this a bit more, I'm certain that the rate of material cost increase in serving larger portions is negligible compared to the relatively static costs of facilities, staffing, etc. If increasing portion size results in more customer satisfaction and return business, it's just good business to serve your patrons more than they should need or desire. As mentioned, those photos are from what might be called novelty restaurants and are not indicative of the US restaurant business as a whole. We do have big portions though.

Also, the idea of the obesity epidemic being an exclusively American phenomenon is becoming less accurate and is certainly tired.

 

[FDG]

Here in Northern Italy portions are generally undersized (whenever the restaurant is above "rustic and homely" level), so idk, I think it's better to have bigger portions, at least if you're full you can leave stuff on the plate rather than waking up hungry and penniless

 

[Southern Kross]

Just to clarify: the entree is the main meal in the US, correct?

It's a bit confusing as it is the word for starters/appetisers here (and in many other countries I believe).

 

[Lark]

It was an episode of Man Vs. Food, the whole competitive eating thing, so the meals are either ridiculously large or ridiculously hot, interestingly they have stuck to western food more or less and its all appetising. Maybe unsurprising given that its the travel network or channel which first came up with the idea and a lot of the show feels like its a big ad for the restaurants which are featured.

I thought the over filled sandwiches were interesting because the "fries" where more like UK or European "chips" than US burger chain "fries" and the idea of putting chips in a sandwich which already has its filling, like a burger or hot dog, has been around here for a while, at least I've seen a lot people doing that in restaurants. I never thought someone would specialise in it or make it into a chain.

 

[JocktheMotie]

...I get appetizers all the time and I eat everything :<

The worst is when I get a bit too much, but not enough for two helpings. Then I have to consciously abstain from eating more than half lest I not have enough for sizable leftovers, but then I'm a bit unfulfilled.

/firstworldproblem

 

[Saslou]

Why don't the restaurants give food on smaller plates so one is under the impression they are getting a large portion however in correlation to the size of the plate the food is infact more than ample? Just a random thought.

It was an episode of Man Vs. Food, the whole competitive eating thing, so the meals are either ridiculously large or ridiculously hot, interestingly they have stuck to western food more or less and its all appetising. Maybe unsurprising given that its the travel network or channel which first came up with the idea and a lot of the show feels like its a big ad for the restaurants which are featured.

I thought the over filled sandwiches were interesting because the "fries" where more like UK or European "chips" than US burger chain "fries" and the idea of putting chips in a sandwich which already has its filling, like a burger or hot dog, has been around here for a while, at least I've seen a lot people doing that in restaurants. I never thought someone would specialise in it or make it into a chain.

Correct .. I've never seen this show before and was glued to it because of the portion sizes.

The idea of fries in a sandwich is nothing like i've ever seen before.

[MENTION=14489]giegs[/MENTION] .. Thats a good idea, giving your leftovers to an appreciative homeless person. I like that