203596 Tue Sep 09 13:41:22 -0700 2003 10 18 Manhattan 0 1085561 Is this just my limited experience or do others with more experience agree. Every meal that I have ever had in New York City, which is quite a few over 20 years of travel, has been with abnormally large portions compared to resturants in other cities. Chicago and Kansas City, St. Louis and Omaha are close, but nothing seems to top the size of portions that is served in New York. Just curious, is this noticed by others? Tue Sep 09 13:41:22 -0700 2003 0 Murray 1 1085563 Not everywhere, but yes, in a vast majority of restaurants, I agree with you. Tue Sep 09 13:53:44 -0700 2003 1085561 0 Nina W. 1 1085564 It definitely depends on the place....Italian restaurants in NY often give ridiculously large portions, as do many of the low and mid-tier places. On the upper-end, however, most places tend to serve small dishes. In fact, my girlfriend and I are so used to small portions at some of our favorite places in NY (March and Tasting Room, for example) as well as many of the new hot places (ex: Crudo), that when we finally made it out to The French Laundry in Napa, we were actually shocked at how LARGE their portions were. I think we are the only people ever to tell to a waiter there that they served too much :-) Tue Sep 09 14:03:56 -0700 2003 1085561 0 Lee K 2 1085601 Thanks everyone. I should have mentioned, I was referring to the average to low end places. Pasta,Chineese, Deli sandwiches, Stew, potatoes . things like that. Tue Sep 09 16:28:37 -0700 2003 1085564 0 Murry 1 1085566 If you do not want the large portion, as your waiter for an appetizer size. Most restaurants will do that for you. I usually do that when ordering pasta. Tue Sep 09 14:28:18 -0700 2003 1085561 0 middlesister 1 1085571 In general, I agree. That's why Americans are so fat -- restaurants and fast-food places think that we want quantity over quality, hence the super-sized phenomenon that we've been experiencing as of late. This is one area where we can learn from the French -- eat what you want, just eat less of it. Simple law of equilibrium, if the calories taken in exceed the calories burned off, you tip the scale. Tue Sep 09 14:48:54 -0700 2003 1085561 0 westsider 1 1085599 Personally, I'm a complete and total HOG. Please, tell me where you've eaten lately! Tue Sep 09 16:25:26 -0700 2003 1085561 0 newsjoke 1 1085627 abnormally large portions, usually the sign of poor quality imho Tue Sep 09 18:26:38 -0700 2003 1085561 0 doc 1 1085631 It's a $$ thing in my opinion. My take is that once they have you in the door (any door - restaurant, deli) they need to command the proper cost per cover (diner) in order to make the accounting work. To justify the high prices you get a larger portion, so you don't feel too ripped off. They still make the same split (roughly, assuming the price rises in preportion with portion size) related to the food cost regardless of the price charged. With a higher price, a larger chunk of gross profit is available to offset the other non-food costs of running a restaurant. Would be interested in others thoughts on this topic. Tue Sep 09 18:50:22 -0700 2003 1085561 0 EV Andrew 2 1085632 Interesting...never thought of it that way You might want to post something on the Not About Food Board to continue this thread since it is getting away from Manhattan... Tue Sep 09 18:52:10 -0700 2003 1085631 0 Lee K 3 1085638 You may think it is getting away from Manhattan, but you see this phenomonen in Manhattan and the boroughs because non-food costs are so high in these places. I think EV's theory is right on, look at the high prices charged for basically a mound of pasta with some sauce or sun dried tomatoes and grilled chicken etc. It doesn't cost them that much more to pile on the pasta or rice and then it justifies the price and the customer can take some home for the next day and the restaurant is achieving higher gross sales. Tue Sep 09 20:27:29 -0700 2003 1085632 0 Halbert