Comments on: Can restaurants do healthier food?

By: Rose L

Rose L — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:50:26 +0000

I spend more time out of the US than in, particularly in Europe. When I return to the US, I am SHOCKED at the portion sizes. Many of us grew up with the idea that it is a sin to throw food away and therefore we make an effort to clean our plates. There is absolutely no need for the outrageous portions served by American restaurants. It also does not benefit them. If you are so full by the time you finish your appetizer, you will not finish your entree and will not order desert.

I suggest that smaller portions benefit everyone, including the restaurant’s bottom line. Perhaps instead of offering smaller portions at a reduced rate, restaurants should offer larger portions at a higher price. That way only those who absolutely want larger portions get them.

By: Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Soup — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:48:13 +0000

I want to know where the food comes from. That’s all. Where was the food grown?

OK, nevermind. I want to know how the food was grown, also. As in, organically?

By: Telios

Telios — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:13:01 +0000

@Meredith – 2 cones covers the kid’s minimum wage, then what about the shop’s nut: payroll taxes, payroll services, the 15 tons of AC on the roof, refrigeration systems, information technology expenses, rent, insurance, trash removal, marketing, advertising… As your experience must lead you to understand, there are a great many and complex costs associated with simply bringing the consumer through the door – what it takes to keep them there and bring them back is another story all together. I apologize if I implied that you were cheap for ordering from the kid’s menu. My intent was more to demonstrate that it is inappropriate and shows a certain lack of understanding for how restaurants function.

My sarcasm seems to have obscured my broader point: ultimately it is you who are responsible for what you eat and that restaurants enjoy the same freedoms that individuals enjoy – chief among them, the freedom of expression – to express where they stand in relation to food, wine, dining, culture, etc… Demanding change from these restaurants – particularly when it comes to telling them what to serve, how to serve it, and what to charge for it – would be like asking Hemingway to write science fiction novels because, if he did, you might read them.

@Cathy Richards – I have read several of Brian’s studies, and find them very informative. However, I feel as though there are several common conclusions drawn as a result of those studies, which are based on only a snapshot of one facet of dining culture. His studies tend to focus on environment in relation to the nutritional value derived from what is being consumed. Nutrition is only one of many reasons people choose to dine out – and there’s a vigorous argument to be made for whether or not this should be a universal consideration. Secondly, these studies, if misappropriated, can lead people to believe that it is not a psychological deficiency that needs to be corrected, but rather a sociological/ethical deficiency. People make the decision to dine at a particular restaurant for many reasons. From my perspective, the most important considerations are the social experience I associate with dining with people, and the gastronomic pleasure I receive from experiencing different foods. I also love to witness culture through food and wine. While nutrition is an important consideration for me in terms of my overall conception of my diet, it has almost no bearing on my restaurant choices. I fulfill my nutritional mission at home. That being said, I also don’t frequent many restaurants that pile on the french-fries and double up the patties. But when I do, I derive a great deal of enjoyment from my glimpse of Americana. Preserving choice is one of the keys to preserving freedom and individual liberty.

That might seem out of place in a conversation about restaurants and nutrition, but in a business climate that is about to undergo radical change – particularly in terms of pending legislation – it is certainly worth considering.

By: Cathy Richards

Cathy Richards — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:18:57 +0000

A lot of the comments are about practising individual responsibility in where we choose to eat, what we order, and how much of it we consume. However Brian Wansink has done a lot of research to show — over and over again — that our environment has a great deal of responsibility in where, what, and how much we eat. Even when he tests dietitians, portion sizes and plate sizes influence how much they eat, overriding their nutrition knowledge. A healthier environment — including fewer unhealthy choices in restaurants and having better affordability and accessibility of healthier ones — makes it easier for everyone to eat well. Wansink says “create an environment that supports personal responsibility, rather than undermining it”. http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/

By: RawlinD

RawlinD — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:15:39 +0000

Restaurants: “serve small portions”, charge less, limit fat and butter, serve more veggies (which people never eat). limit salt.

Formula for going bust in about six months, before your lease is up.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:48:28 +0000

Telios I don’t appreciate the personal attack. And I find it funny that you say I have very little understanding of what it takes to make a restaurant run. My father owns a bakery which I have helped run for 5 years. Growing up I worked in the food industry at Subway, Starbucks and several restaurants including the Olive Garden, as a waitress and hostess. I do know what is involved in the business and I do understand how difficult it can be to succeed. So please, don’t judge me when you don’t know the first thing about me. My issue with the restaurant industry is not that many restaurants do not offer normal portions or healthy choices. And yes, for these reasons I often choose to cook at home and avoid restaurants who do not provide me with the food I am looking for. But I resent you implying that I am being “cheap” or that I have unrefined tastes by occasionally desiring to eat off the children’s menu. I only choose to do so for portion control reasons – not because I’m a tightwad. I’m happy to pay as much as necessary at a restaurant, so long as you are giving me what I want (delicious, healthy food that is in a normal portion). And I’m going to disagree with you when you say that ice cream shops don’t turn a profit on a one scoop cone. Most places charge at least $4 or $5 for a one scoop cone. Considering you can buy a retail carton of ice cream for half that price and that the ice cream shops don’t have to prepare the ice cream unlike other establishments who have to pay chefs, they do make a profit. They hire some kid at minimum wage and if he serves 2 cones he’s already covered his wage for the hour. Regardless, I’ll continue to eat at home and be picky about where I eat out if it means I can stay a size zero and be fit and healthy.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:55:27 +0000

If you don’t like what you get at restaurants, don’t eat there. Simple as that.

By: MikeP

MikeP — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:46:03 +0000

I would add to your list for restaurant advice a suggestion to always include a green vegetable with any entree. At some restaurants, the only vegetable is a salad which could be ordered in addition to the entree, but the main course often comes out alone on the plate without a side vegetable. (And I am not counting french fries as a vegetable.)

By: Iris Daniela Fanatean

Iris Daniela Fanatean — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:44:07 +0000

I agree with ‘misterworms’, I dont like paying for starch. Ive never understood why most restaurants never can make a decent salad- and they still charge as much as a seperate meal.
Marion- I like your suggestions,and I have two more:
1. I want fresh (not overcooked) vegetables, at least 1/3 of the plate
2. the option to decide whether I want my food and especially vegetables saturated in oil or cream
3. Real salads- and not something only my rabbit would find apetizing

By: misterworms

misterworms — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:29:01 +0000

It would be nice if substitutions were more freely available. When I order a $12 dish and 3/4 of it is a heap of white rice, white pasta or white potatoes, with white bread on the side, you are not fooling me into thinking that I am getting a great deal. The proportion of vegetables and meat in many typical restaurant dishes is teeny tiny.

This is why I stopped eating out. I can easily cook empty starchy calories at home for just pennies instead of wasting my money. Restaurants could at least offer those starches in whole grain varieties or some more varied grains.