I recently lauded T.G.I. Friday’s “Right Portion, Right Price” menu. The New York Times addressed the same topic in Sunday’s business section examination of restaurant portions and prices.
I’m most interested in portion size because serving customers 2,000-calorie dinners often means that as much food finds its way to the dumpster as diners’ stomachs. This “plate waste” is a real factor in making food 17 percent of what’s discarded nationwide.
I’ve found it is difficult to get a candid answer on how restaurants view plate waste. The Times article provides one, indirectly, in asking how patrons’ preferences influence restaurants view of serving sizes: “Even if they don’t eat everything on the plate,” said Richard Johnson, Ruby Tuesday’s senior vice president, “they like that it’s a generous portion.”
The article, which includes a neat visual representation of portions, is an interesting read. Its main question is whether T.G.I. Friday’s portions gamble will pay off. Will smaller, cheaper entrees lure more customers? And will they afford diners more room to order dessert or an appetizer?
If Friday’s “Right Portion” gambit works, and hopefully it will, we’ll see more of less.
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