It is no secret that many people in our society are overweight. It is also no secret that eating out is one of the favorite pastimes. As the owner of a restaurant, one issue you will need to address is the size of the portions of the food you offer. If you are part of a chain restaurant then this will already be decided for you. As an independent though you will need to come up with something reasonable.
You don't want anyone out there complaining that they don't get enough to eat with your entrees. Of course the standard size of meal is different for everyone but you should be able to get a ball park idea of the norm. Those with a larger appetite can often fill up on salad, bread, and other appetizers if they need more. They can even get something delicious from your dessert menu.
The price that you charge for the meals needs to be comparative to the size of the portions as well. Each customer should leave there feeling like they got enough food for what it cost them. I know I have left some restaurants astonished by the total bill and I won't be going back. A tip to understand is that you are better off giving smaller portions and lower prices then too much food and a high price for it.
It is important to be consistent with portion sizes as well. Some Mexican food places serve small burritos so you need to order two of them to get enough to eat. Others have huge burritos so one is often more than enough to eat. In fact, some of it will be left behind on the plate untouched.
Make sure you offer portions for children too as adults don't want to pay for a full meal their child will barely touch. Some restaurants have strict rules about people sharing meals. You need to be open to this as some people; especially the elderly find one meal is enough for both of them. You don't want them to feel obligated to have to buy more than that.
Pay attention to the plates of food of others sitting around you. This will give you a very good indication of what you can expect on your own plate. You can also verify it with the wait staff. They should be able to explain to you just how much food a particular menu on the item will have.
Determining how much food should go on a plate at your restaurant is important. You want to give customers a good value for the money they spend. You want them to leave happy and full of great tasting food. You also want to keep your overhead costs low so seeing piles of wasted food isn't good.
There are many customers who dine out but that watch calories and portion sizes. They want to be able to enjoy a decent sized meal as well. They don't want to be paying for heaps of food they will never touch. Do your best to balance things out so you can keep your customers coming back for more.
About the Author:
Amazingly Patricia Farnham actually knows what whe is talking about when it comes to the restaurant industry. Read her insight on starting a restaurant.
