Offer a Variety of Portion Sizes
When it comes to dining, one size rarely fits all. Big eaters can always order more, but customers with small appetites resent having to pay for large portions they don't want. The truth is, most Americans eat too much when they dine out because it's hard to push away from food you've paid for.
Foodservice operators can help diners cut back painlessly without compromising the bottom line.
Here's how:
- Engineer presentations for visual size. Slicing and fanning a chicken breast or a steak gives the impression of plenty.
- Investigate the small-plate concept. You don't have to call it tapas or meze, but consider creating a category of small plates that diners can mix freely to create a shared meal. Most people love having the option to taste small portions of a lot of things.
- Make half or reduced portions an option, and not just on pasta. If you normally serve two lamb chops, offer diners the option to have one chop with extra vegetables at the same price.
- Make sure your "value proposition" isn't based on the volume of food you serve. Encourage customers to focus on the quality of what you offer, not the quantity.
Review your portion sizes. Can you reduce portions while maintaining or increasing value? If you drop an ounce or two of meat from the ham sandwich, can you add value back with a side of pickled vegetables, baked root-vegetable chips, or a vegetable relish?