Splitting Meals

131 thoughts on “Splitting Meals”

1. Hi, Janis – Thank you so much for joining us for WOYP.
   Yes to sharing food at restaurants!! Richard and I do this frequently for the same reasons that you have listed above….and with the same responses that you have listed.
   It just makes sense to me — and if we are still hungry, we can always share a dessert! ❤

   1. Maybe that’s why we like foods that come in “bite size”: sushi, dim sum, high tea sandwiches (and scones!), and, of course, tapas. And all built to be share!

      1. That’s a good point about sushi and dim sum… maybe Asian food in general. We’ve been watching a lot of Korean dramas and I love the little dishes of things they often eat. That way, you get to try several tastes without going overboard.

         1. I totally agree. I love having little tastes of different things!

   2. I don’t know if you find the same thing in Canada (probably not as much) but often meals in the U.S. are crazy large. Lately, though, even a normal-sized meal is too big. I just don’t like feeling stuffed. And, you are right, there is always dessert if we are still hungry 🙂

      1. We have found restaurant portions to typically be larger in the States. Like you, even normal sized meals are more than we need

2. This is spot on Janis, not because we’re ‘cheap’ but because of the meal sizes, although my husband has a different hunger level to me and food intolerances, it sometimes makes it hard to do this. It’s interesting you mention tipping, as that’s something we don’t do much of here in Australia.

   1. My husband and I can usually find something we can agree on to share. He used to be able to eat a lot more than me – in fact, he’d often finish my meals – but his appetite has gone down too. Tipping has gotten a little nuts here. I loved it when we were traveling in Europe and didn’t have to think about it.

3. Yep, we do this all the time. Not being cheap, just don’t need that much food! (Leftovers do get taken home and eaten, though.) We have not experienced any negative responses, but it may be rather common in our community. We do tip generous, as well.

   1. I think more and more people are doing this so the servers have gotten used to it. I don’t mind paying a dollar or so more if the plates are split before being served.

4. We have started sharing meals much more often than we used to. Even when we think we are hungry, we find out before we are finished that we should have shared. We end up taking so much food home. 🙂

   1. That happens too… I think I’m a lot hungrier than I really am and end up with lots left over. That’s why I liked tapa; since we ate the food slowly, it was easier to fill up on a reasonable amount.

      1. And it is super expensive now. We paid about $30 for one sandwich, two sides, two drinks and two cookies for lunch. Yeah, I really needed a cookie. 🙂 LOL

5. Interesting. I’ll have to keep this in mind. Sometimes I’ll subsist on an appetizer, because I don’t/can’t eat much, but Hubby wouldn’t survive on half an entree if we shared. Lame that people sometimes give you a hard time about this. I would totally say something about not being able to eat much if I were in your shoes too. 😛

   1. I think my husband is a bit sad that he can’t eat the volumes he used to. More and more, he is satisfied with just half. Appetizers are a good choice too… or ala cart… or a kid’s meal.

      1. A kids meal. Have you tried that for real?

6. I rarely eat out, mostly because I am cheap, although frugal sounds a bit nicer 🙂 I also eat mostly vegetarian and prefer to cook what I like at home. I do agree on portion sizes totally Janis. No one really needs all that food.

   1. Frugal is a good word. 🙂 I’m a big fan of home cooking. I think people get used to eating a lot when they go out and have come to expect their plates to be piled high.

7. My tall, skinny husband would never survive if we shared!! I will often have an appetizer as a meal. We will split dessert, though. Like you, we love to cook and eat well at home.

   1. My husband used to be the same way but (sadly for him) he just doesn’t have the same appetite. Appetizers often make great meals for those of us who can eat a whole entree.

8. Portion sizes have gotten out of control in Canada too. No wonder obesity and Type 2 diabetes rates are skyrocketing. I wonder if the effect of Ozempic and similar appetite-reducing drugs will eventually change portion sizes back to “normal” (what we grew up with). I’ve split meals with friends, but never gotten any pushback, so far. I’ve seen the extra charges on some menus for splitting orders. I also remember when restaurants had a seniors menu, with smaller portions – what ever happened to those? Great post, Janis!

   De3b

   1. There are some restaurants, like Denny’s, who offer “senior” meals, most, though do not. Sad because I hate to waste food. Wouldn’t it be nice for restaurants to serve reasonably sized meals and charge less?

      1. I make use of “doggy bags”, a lot! Harder to take advantage of when travelling but another option for these huge restaurant meals.

9. My husband can still eat a lot more than me, so if I share I need to be sure that I’m not very hungry. We tend to have different tastes too, but will always share rice and naan in a Indian or Chinese restaurant.

   1. One of our favorite meals in Portugal was a shared cataplana we had in Faro. We tried, but couldn’t finish it all. We still talk about how yummy it was 🙂

10. Yep… to everything you’ve said here.

11. I don’t like the noise level in most restaurants, and now that I’m retired and have time to shop and cook, I prefer dining at home.
    I too love tapas for the same reasons you mentioned. Instead of sharing, we’d bring home about half of the dinner and have the leftovers for a subsequent meal.
    Dessert is what we’d share, though.

    1. I agree that many restaurants are way too loud. I enjoy having a nice conversation and it often can be impossible. We bring leftovers home too but, depending on the dish, they sometimes don’t hold well for the next day. And, yes to shared desserts. Sweets are another thing I can’t eat like I used to.

12. Alan and I don’t share because we’re typically drawn to different types of menu items and because we make good use of any leftovers. (When we’re traveling, we either use the fridge in the RV or a plug in cooler in the car and the fridge in our hotel room.) That being said, I think sharing is smart choice – whether for cost or comfort. I can understand a small fee if the staff is bringing extra plates and cleaning up for two, but I also think that management should be appreciative of the fact that you chose to spend your money at their restaurant instead of a competitor’s. Customer pushback against high prices is trending in the fast food industry with several companies reporting lower quarterly earnings. If that crosses over to regular restaurants, I’d like to think that smart business managers will counteract the pushback with adjustments to their menus. (Let’s face it, if it “ain’t broke,” they’re not going to fix it.) Adding small plates of decent food (instead of fried everything) to the appetizer menu would be one way. Another would be to support sharing to keep customers coming through the door, especially since the markup on drinks and dessert is still hefty. Offering smaller sized meals for seniors would be welcome, too. A few chain restaurants and some diners do that, but it’s not often seen at independently owned restaurants. I wonder why? We seniors may no longer need big meals to keep us going, but there are so many of us out actively enjoying our retirement years that I would think it would be a good marketing opportunity.

    1. All great points, Mary. I’m amazed how many times my husband and I are drawn to the same menu item so we can usually find something we both like. I don’t mind paying that extra fee (as long as it isn’t out of line) because it is extra work. I don’t eat fast food often, but I have found the kids meal is more my size. No toy, please 🙂

       I’m beginning to think that it may not be just seniors who want to be served smaller quantities. Stuffing ourselves doesn’t feel good and certainly isn’t good for our health. Maybe restaurants will start to take notice.

13. I haven’t been to the US in a while but what I did notice whenever I went was the huge servings of food. I could never eat all that on a regular basis. Not so where I live. Portions are smaller so no need to share. Unless, of course, if you want to try each other’s choice.

    1. Not all U.S. restaurants serve massive quantities, but enough do that some customers have come to expect it. Funny how the more expensive restaurants serve smaller portions. We like to share tastes too if we do order different things.

14. I don’t split with my husband as we have different tastes but when I go out with my girlfriends, I do. Some meals are not as good as leftovers and I don’t like to end up with a lot of containers in the fridge. There used to be a restaurant that offered a smaller portion for a few dollars less. I loved that because I could get a dessert. Last time I went out with the girls, we were celebrating birthdays. We got one piece of cake for dessert ($12 a serving) and the 3 of us couldn’t finish it. That’s just nuts. For that I could buy a whole cake (or almost). Portions here have become insane.

    1. You are right, sometimes leftovers are great but often they just don’t hold up a day later. I also don’t like getting a bunch of plastic or Styrofoam containers. Sharing a dessert is definitely the way to go. A bite or two and I’m done.

15. We share mostly when we eat Mexican. We both love Fajitas so share that. Other times it’s difficult because He-Man is so active he still needs more calories than me so splitting isn’t an option. We always split dessert, but don’t order that very often.

    1. We love Mexican food too. I am horrible about filling up on the free chips so that I’m not hungry when my meal arrives (oops). I always order ala carte from my favorite Mexican restaurant… one chili relleno.

       1. 😊

16. Hey Janis!

    Same here. We go out to lunch far more than dinner and usually split plates as well. We do that except when we go to breakfast. That doesn’t seem to work as well. And if we do order our own entre we usually take half home and that’s dinner. Plus, a lot of restaurants now seem to be doing “small plates” as well so we can order a couple and it’s not too much food. And while money isn’t usually the primary motivation, we’ve also noticed dinner costs (along with having a glass of wine or cocktail) has gotten much more expensive. And while it’s nice for a treat now and then or when going out with friends, it saves a LOT of money staying home where the food is consistently nice and cost much less when it comes to dinner out.

    As far as how the servers react it really hasn’t been a problem either here, in Mexico when we travel or even when we were in Europe. We happily agree to do the splitting ourselves or pay the split plate charge if they have one. And like you say, we attempt to tip as though we ordered two meals. I think servers are getting much more used to it happening thank goodness! Our bigger problem is that there are so many places here in Tucson to “try” and there doesn’t seem to be time to do it! ~Kathy

    1. I wish more restaurants here offered small plates. I love tasting a few items, not have a pile of the same thing on my plate.

       I think servers are seeing more people split entrees too. Maybe the restaurant owners will start to realize that most of us don’t want to stuff ourselves or waste food that we can’t eat.

       Have fun trying the wonderful restaurants in Tucson. They sure are getting a lot of press. Hopefully we’ll be able to join you in the not-too-distant future.

17. I was having lunch with a friend the other day and had a discussion something like this. She just ordered a starter / appetiser because that’s all she wanted. We agreed that portions in North America are far bigger and totally unrealistic for most people (though this conversation started because her brother lives in the US and was horrified at what he thought were our insubstantial portions!) We shared a cake for dessert. Yesterday, three of us shared a cake for dessert! A lot of the food we like is meant for sharing anyway (Indian, Chinese, and – yes! tapas) so that’s no problem. On the whole, I think starters and desserts are more likely to be shared. Some places have smaller portions of suitable main dishes, sometimes labelled “senior”, but that’s mostly pub food. I think you’d have less problem with the size of dishes here, but probably pay more for them!

    1. I like having the option of ordering a bit of this, a bit of that. We are very lucky to have a whole area close by that has multiple Asian restaurants all on the same street. Although we don’t go there very often, I think they have more reasonable portions… mostly because they have so many Asian customers who are used to smaller plates.

       Funny that your friend’s brother wanted larger portions like he was used to in the U.S. Was he born in the U.S. or had he just been here long enough to assimilate?

       1. They come from Guyana originally, so he must have acclimatised.

18. Mark and I would never ever (at least for now) split an entree at a restaurant. We both love food and are pigs when it comes to eating. Yes, we eat a lot. Especially compared to friends and family. And, we are okay with that. Well, in Mark’s case, he can eat whatever he wants and never gains a pound. I have to be more careful, but not when eating out. Then, anything goes. (Except expensive plates, usually.)

    Since we are living and traveling in cheaper countries now, eating out is fun, because we don’t have to worry about the cost too much. Back in the US, we wouldn’t be able to afford dinners out anymore, so would just keep cooking at home. And, eating massive plates of plant-based meals! 🙂

    1. We pretty much ate what we wanted when we were traveling in Europe last spring. Except for in France, we couldn’t get over how inexpensive meals were (not as inexpensive as in Mexico, but nowhere near the prices in the U.S.). But, even there, we just couldn’t eat as much as we could have when we were younger and it was frustrating. I guess our hardy appetites are a thing of the past.

       1. I think that’s a good thing, when your bodies tell you to slow down or to stop eating. Easier to keep your weight in check! 🙂

19. We have not gone the sharing route, although I have many friends we dine with that do. I often take home food (lunch the next day!). I have also ordered an appetizer for my main meal, if it sounds intriguing. We have a few places locally that do tapas. I love going with a few people so we can order a number of things to try.

    1. Although I love having leftovers from a home cooked meal, leftovers from a restaurant don’t seem to hold up as well. Tapas or dim sum with friends is a great way to share without going overboard.

20. I personally don’t think it’s all about ‘aging tummies’. Portion sizes have gone way over the roof IMHO. But, yes, we split and/or do the appetizer plates upon occasion. Doggie bag leftovers don’t always come out well in the translation!
    It really depends upon the restaurant, ya know?

    1. Yes, it depends on the restaurant for sure. Some serve what I think is a reasonable amount of food… but a lot of people seem to want a lot on their plate. Appetizers are a great option as long as they aren’t grease bombs.

21. My husband and I will usually get an appetizer and entree and share. If we both want a different entree, we order what we want and then we only eat half and bring the rest home. So we’re getting two meals for the price of one!

    1. Exactly! If the entree can keep well until the next day, I have no problem eating the same thing again.

22. My husband actually eats smaller portions, but I eat half of what I used to eat. I don’t need as much food anymore. We often go out to dinner at a restaurant of course, we share food and get two plates, but we have never had to pay extra for an additional plate for one ordered dish. I was surprised by the restaurant’s behavior.

    1. Different restaurants handle the request differently. I find most don’t have a problem with us sharing, but actually splitting the meal on to two plates is rare (and appreciated). I miss the days when I could eat anything and everything. 🙂

23. There is nothing wrong with splitting a meal but we don’t do it other than an appetizer plate. I will ask for a bag to go if I can’t finish an order. Eating out is a treat for us. A quiet atmosphere is important too!

    1. We sometimes go to a Greek restaurant for lunch and I know I can only eat half. I need to remember to bring my own take home container so I don’t end up with a bunch of styrofoam. Yes to quiet!

24. Hi Janis, We almost always share when we go out. We go out regularly, but we also like to cook so don’t want restaurant leftovers hanging around in the fridge (its never the same.) I haven’t noticed any eye rolling, thankfully. We usually leave a bigger tip because the server is still taking care of two people even if only one dish/entree is being served. Speaking of Tapas, we had some very good ones in Kauai last month. We had to make reservations a month in advance, but it was work the wait.

    1. Oh, wow, tapas in Kauai… not a bad combo of wonderfulness. We have never seen eye rolling but I wonder if some servers might be thinking, “great, I got the cheap-o older people in my section.” We try to make up for it by leaving a nice tip.

25. Going to try commenting again here (WP said I wasn’t a subscriber of yours (?). Anyway, we share most of the time too and haven’t had any negative reactions. We leave a bigger tip since two people are being served, even if just one entree is ordered. Tapas and most Asian foods are perfect solutions too.

    1. WordPress has been wonky lately. I’m glad you were able to comment and didn’t appear as anonymous like some do.

       I wish more restaurants offered tapas sized meals.

26. My husband and I sometimes share meals too, especially if we’re not able to take the leftovers home with us. (The other thing we do is each order our own meal, and then have the rest of it the next day for lunch at home.) Like you, I really appreciate restaurants that serve small plates, because then we can have more variety without the huge portions!

    1. If we are going to lunch in the middle of errands, leftovers could be problematic. We do like leftovers, though, and appreciate not having to come up with a meal the next day.

27. Janis, I can relate to all of these scenarios when asking to split a plate. I think you hit the nail on the head that the server is likely considering the size of their tip. Likewise, we consider that she served two people, not just one, regardless of the price of the meal. Florida is known for its Early Bird Specials, but in recent years, most restaurants around town have dropped that concept and now offer a ‘Happy Hour’ menu that we love to take advantage of. It is akin to small plate sharing, which suits us perfectly and is typically offered between 3:00 – 6:00. Also perfect for us as we like to make late lunch or early dinner our main meal of the day.

    1. I love the idea of a Happy Hour menu! I don’t like eating late anyway. My husband and I were just talking about adjusting our dining habit to have one large-ish meal for a late lunch, then skip dinner or maybe just graze on something small. Maybe we’ll try it and see if it works for us.

28. Splitting meals these days is a great idea for many folks regardless of age, Janis. My brother and his wife started doing this years ago to save dollars with the growing family of adopted girls. Hans and I have occasionally split a meal. We both don’t eat as much either. Have you seen the huge platters of food they call a single serving? Though food prices have risen, the cost of paying employees is much higher so restaurants appear to provide a huge plate of food to justify the higher cost. Lately, our breakfasts out were costing $15-20 per plate! Those same meals 10 years ago were $10 and you got less food. Then you go to a “fancy” restaurant and they bring you a piece of broccoli on a stick and decorate the plate with sauce in a fancy pattern and charge you $40 per plate 😉 At the end of the day, we must be smart and decide to split or buy two plates and take home leftovers, which seems to be what we do more often.

    1. Haha! So true about fancy restaurants. Our lunches out tend to be pretty simple so no broccoli on a sick 🙂. Prices have gotten crazy, though. Another reason – besides health and portion size – to make more meals at home.

29. Like you we rarely go out to eat in restaurants. When we do we usually order separately then take our leftovers home. Granted my doggy bag often becomes his lunch, so maybe we share, just in a different way?

    1. It sounds like your husband makes out pretty well… he gets to eat his meal and yours!

30. I’ve been single for many years and rarely eat out. My son and his family take me out sometimes and I order whatever I want and if it’s too much, I get a doggy bag. We’ll share appetizers and pass around bites of new things. We always tip generously, knowing that wait staff is rarely paid full salary and rely on tips. And they can make or break the whole experience.

    1. I really like going out with a small group and sharing bites. I wonder if the restaurants notice that people aren’t eating everything on their plate when the portions are huge. Food waste is a big issue in this country.

31. It seems to me that many restaurants serve larger portions than they used to! I like the ones that have a seniors menu.
    We are eating smaller portions at home too because it is the best way we have found to lose weight and then keep it off!

    1. We eat less at home too. I always try to plan for leftovers so we just take what we want and leave the rest for another meal. No need to stuff ourselves and feel miserable later.

32. My parents came back from their first American holiday in the late 70s and couldn’t believe how big their breakfasts were, they raved about it for ages. We love to head out for lunch more so than dinner. Now, we rarely go out due to Les’s health and luckily for him I enjoy putting together nutritious meals with the occasionally nod towards a decadent dessert. Tipping is done here though not a legal requirement usually a recognition of good service and an enjoyable evening. I received tips when waitressing way back in the 80s.

    1. While tipping isn’t a legal requirement here, most do and, frankly, it’s gotten a bit out of control. While we used to just tip for a sit down restaurant meal, now since everyone is using tablets to ring up the order, even counter service seems to expect one.

       It’s so much easier to put together a healthy meal at home than to find one on a menu. Unfortunately, it’s much cheaper for a restaurant to use filler ingredients that add volume but aren’t very nutritious.

       1. Agreed.

33. I have read that foreign visitors to the U.S. are appalled at the size of our meals and say this apparently accounts for a lot of the obesity problem in the U.S. (especially in some regions). In Europe, they often eat their big meal at mid-day which makes sense where here we eat later, then relax or go to bed, with no chance to work off those calories. It has been a while since I split a meal Janis, so I can’t speak to that. I live alone, so while I would feel comfortable going to eat alone, I haven’t done that in a while. And I can definitely see your server sizing up your order and his/her eventual tip. I see nothing wrong with doing this. I admit I’d be like you and feeling the need for a disclaimer about not eating large meals as you age. Bringing home leftovers and heating them up is just not the same. I would think Californians in general would be more fit and conscious of weight gain, eating healthier because of year-round fun in the sun so more people split meals. Here in the Midwest, it is easy to pack on the pounds in Winter.

    1. I am grateful that we can remain active year-round here. If I had to bundle up for the snow, I’d probably want to bulk up a bit to help keep me warm too 🙂.

       We saw a lot of the early dining in Europe. That made a lot of sense hunger-wise, and we didn’t see much obesity (except in tourists) so I think it helped them regulate their eating better. I think we westerners could take a lesson from that.

       1. I agree and look at the French and all the sauces and bread that are eaten, not to mention wine that is consumd. Westerners, take note.

34. Thank you for sharing this post! I have seen many people splitting their meals and even I sometimes offer to help my own friends – understanding that appetite levels are different for different people and not everyone can complete a full portion/ one plate. There is nothing wrong with this- however charging for splitting a portion /plate, well that’s wrong. It means certain restaurants just want to compel the customer to pay the full price for what they order, per plate- which just hinders our satisfaction of eating out in a relaxed manner.

    1. I don’t mind a split plate charge if it’s small. I do wonder, though, if it’s done because there is extra work (washing two dishes, etc.) or if it’s to discourage customers from making that choice. I hope not, but I guess I wouldn’t be surprised.

       1. Yeah true- especially the washing part. It looks like they want to discourage the split plate option.

35. We rarely eat out – preferring to eat at home. That’s as much because Himself’s ears are overly sensitive, so crowded places range from physically uncomfortable to painful for him. Fortunately, portion size in the UK isn’t as much of a problem as across the pond, although there are some places that subscribe to the pile ’em high method, but they’re easily avoided. If we eat out, we are not adverse to requesting a doggy bag to consume for the next day’s main meal, and that way servers have no need to fear for their tips.

    1. I wonder if those “pile ‘em high” restaurants are trying to appeal to U.S. tourists? Doggy bags are great but often if we go out at lunch, we plan to do errands afterwards. By splitting a meal, we don’t need to worry about the food going bad.

       1. No, I don’t believe that’s the intention Janis. There are certain areas which, historically if not currently, cater for communities doing physical work, like farmers, so a lot of calories required.

          If stopping to eat as part of other activities away from home, I agree that I’d not want to be carrying a doggy bag, so splitting is certainly the only option.

36. My wife and I have began splitting meals the last year or so if we find something we both like. Yesterday we split a two enchilada platter at our favorite Mexican restaurant. This place has a statement on their menu that if you share a plate a $7.99 set up charge will be given for the chips, salsa, queso and tortillas that are served complimentary. I asked our waiter if he would allow us to share and he agree. I made sure to tip extra as the total bill was only $16.00. We both get plenty to eat.
    https://retirementcoffeeshop.blogspot.com/

    1. Oh my gosh, that’s horrible! I guess I can understand the management’s reasoning but what a terrible message that is giving to their customers. I’m glad your server was able to accommodate you… that deserves a good tip!

37. I had to laugh because I have some of the same feelings when we’ve done this–wanting to let the server know “why” as though it really matters. Ha! I get self-conscious, which is kind of ridiculous. The only thing that prevents my husband and I from sharing more often is that frequently we really do want different meal options. But it makes so much sense to just share when possible. It’s fun to read about your experiences, Janis. It’s true we don’t need as much food to be satisfied. It’s the getting out that is fun!

    1. I think it’s easier for us to agree on an entree at lunch than it would be at dinner. I love getting out and spending some time away from home mid-day(and chores). Eating is just a bonus.

38. We often share a salad, but order two entrees. I can rarely finish mine so Eric finishes it for me. LOL. Since he’s not overweight it’s fine. And if we order dessert, we split it. Like you, we tend to go out for lunch much more often than dinner.

    1. Sometimes one of us will order a salad and the other an entree, then we share both. My husband also doesn’t have a weight issue either… but he is sad that he can’t eat as much as he used to. The things we took for granted in our youth…

39. Hi Janis, Chuck and I are with you on lunch. We will also wrap errands around a lunch date. Yesterday it was shopping, finance meeting, Imax show at the museum (we have a year pass) and dim sum. A quiet atmosphere is always important. We will share/split meals and I am also a fan of bringing half of it home for tomorrow’s lunch. We may each order an appy and have a taste of both. Re your question: always a decent tipper since we are grateful to be able to go out for a lunch. Your food photos…yum!💕 Erica

    1. Hi Erica! I still love our lunch dates after more than ten years into retirement. It still feels like a treat to get out when we want and avoid the crowds. Apps are another great way to eat less while enjoying a variety of tastes. You also reminded me that there is a great Imax show at the theater near here… maybe that would make a good lunch date next week. 🙂

       1. It was “Shackleton” for us…fascinating! Enjoy your week, Janis! 💕Erica

40. Nice

41. Yes, we split meals as well. If it is just the particular meal we are interested in some times I just get it to go and we enjoy it at home. Recently I’ve found that I’ve been surcharged some places if I use a credit card or if I’m with a friend and we ask to split the check. Since the pandemic, the prices at restaurants have changed as well as the tipping process. It seems everyone involved in any remote way to the food industry now wants a tip. Service always requires a tip, but some of it I don’t get.

    1. Tipping has really gotten out of control. It used to be only for table service… now it’s for just about everything.

       Have those surcharges occurred without you being told? I think I would have pushed back at that, or at least not returned.

       1. They just showed up on the receipt, and to be perfectly honest I didn’t notice until after we were walking toward the car. A few years back, certain places wouldn’t take our Discover card because of the fee so I’d use our second card. Now, they don’t say anything, they just add it on. Interesting for sure.

42. We don’t usually split unless we’re on a road trip with the Bobbie (our camper). In that case it’s usually a matter of it not being convenient to have leftovers. Otherwise, I’m more than happy to have leftovers. I’ve experienced all the different ways restaurants plate shared meals. I’m happy to report I’ve never been given a ‘tude about it from a server. Traveling internationally, however, I’m not sure it would be the done thing. In England, for instance, taking home leftovers is seen as strange and I wonder if asking to split would be viewed the same way… I’ve never tried it abroad.

    1. Interesting about leftovers not being a thing in England. Maybe they serve more reasonably-sized meals? I think leftovers (if they keep well) are great. I don’t like to stuff myself, but I also don’t like wasting food. I think we shared a few meals in Spain, Portugal, and France. They are probably still talking about us crazy Americans. 🙂

43. Plate sharing is common among my paired friends. Being a solo operator, my only recourse is to plan on asking for (and sometimes bringing a container) for a doggie bag. The portions of restaurant food have gotten plumb nutty. It is no wonder Americans are the fattest people on earth. And the waste that is engendered by so much food on the plate is heartbreaking.

    Your post brought to mind something I used to see on menus but haven’t seen much of lately: senior meals, offered in smaller quantities and at a slightly reduced price. I find that the only restaurants that don’t stuff their patrons like turkeys for Thanksgiving are the really high end ones that cost a fortune and present tiny amounts of carefully crafted food on large, fancy plates.

    1. Maybe a few restaurants that cater to an older crowd, like Denny’s, still offer senior dishes, but not many. I have no problem ordering off the kid’s menu if there is something there that appeals (not often).

       You are right about the portion sizes at the more expensive restaurants being smaller. No leftovers from those places! 🙂

44. I wish my husband’s appetite would slow down enough to share a meal. I’m with you guys in that it’s too much food. I also enjoy sushi for the same reason you enjoyed tapas. Just order as few as you really want and call it done!

    1. It’s a fairly recent change in my husband’s habits. He used to happily finish off whatever I couldn’t eat but now he is bummed that he gets full almost as easily as I do.

45. The best part of our weekend road trips is finding a little hole-in-the-wall to stop in for lunch and a couple of drinks. We have shared plates before, and I can’t say I’ve ever noticed an eye roll. More likely, if we’re not as hungry, we’ll just order appetizers and call it good.

    1. You and Tara have found some very yummy-sounding places to eat as you explore your new state. I never understand why they are called appetizers… more like appetite-killers. But, as you say, they are a good size for a whole meal.

46. We haven’t started sharing meals, but due to the portion sizes we usually bring home leftovers.

    1. We like leftovers too. Sometimes we have errands to run after lunch so it isn’t an option.

47. If it weren’t for the tipping, I would have said that justifying is not necessary. When I’m in the US I almost always ask for the meal sizes and mention that I don’t want to deal with doggy bag and often the servers will suggest meals big enough to share with no extra cost.

    1. You are smart to ask about meal size before you order. I think many (most?) travelers to the U.S. are taken aback by how large some of the entrees are. I’d much rather pay less and get less.

48. I’d be happy to share a plate, Janis, but my husband isn’t there yet, so I usually just order an appetizer and am happy with that. We have a few tapas restaurants in Portland (OR) and I love the freedom to sample! Regardless, we are generous tippers and always consider the waitperson’s time and kindness in serving us. We love the idea that we’re giving them a little boost in their day. Bon Appetit!

    1. My husband is very sad that he is “there.” He’d much rather have his old appetite. He was always able to eat whatever he wanted and not gain an ounce. Now, even though he is still slim, it takes much less to fill him up. Oh well, there are certainly other worse “problems” to have.

       1. That’s true. My husband needs to get “there” or he’s going to have to start exercising more. 😀 That’s a bigger problem.

49. No, it’s not something I do, Janis. If I want a smaller portion of something, I usually go for a starter rather than a main dish. And all the restaurants I’ve used don’t mind you having just a starter. My partner prefers a starter and then a main dish, but I prefer a starter and dessert.

    However, some restaurants serve small portions of all the main dishes, so I might go for 3 courses, provided all the portions are small.

    1. I agree. I’d rather have smaller portions of different tastes than one big portion of the same taste. That’s why I like tapas. Unfortunately, here appetizers are often greasy food… not that great for a meal.

50. It’s wonderful to know how food culture deffers from place to place. Here in India, meals are always served for at least 2 to 3 and there are never any split portion charges. In fact, some of the restaurants will suggest that the portion might be more or less for the group. So mostly in India you will see people always sharing their meals be it from restaurants or a box of meal carried from home to work . Just that the culture of our country is like that.
    May you have more happier cosy comforting meals with your family and friends.

    1. Very interesting! Thank you for sharing the customs from somewhere I’ve (sadly) never visited. I really like the idea of a communal meal. I had lunch with friends at a local Middle Eastern restaurant yesterday and I noticed a lot of sharing going on there too. Much nicer to taste a little bit of this and that rather than eat a whole entree myself.

       1. ❣️❣️❣️

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