Starbucks 'Trenta': How The New Size Compares To Your Stomach
Famous Death Row Last Meals
In an effort to meet growing consumer demands for smaller portions at casual dining restaurants, T.G.I. Friday's has announced the inception of their new 'Right Portion, Right Price' menu. The items will be sold at a reduced price all day, every day, rather than just at select times or for select people, like how Seniors menus currently are. On the new menu they have introduced six new entrees which will fall between $6.99 and $8.99, including such dishes as Asian-Glazed Chicken with Field Greens, Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs, and Bistro Sirloin Salad. Two of their menu items - Dragonfire Chicken and Shrimp Key West, also fall into their 'Better For You' category, which contains items that total 500 calories or less and have less than 10 grams of fat per serving.
After hearing about the extreme eating debate recently, I'm hoping more restaurants adopt this plan, especially for those of us who find it hard to finish a large plate of food and don't want to simply order a salad every time we go out.
Jane Seymour's Modest And Modern Style
Broke Stars: 11 Celebrities Who Went Bankrupt
LOOK: Amazing Underwater Photos Of Dogs
Adele Five-Year Break? Singer Plans to Focus on Relationship, Write 'Happy Record'
Social Security Is Failing Even Faster Than We Thought
PHOTOS: How You Can Get The 'Miracle' Dress
Man Says Starbucks Discriminated Against Him Because He Has Half An Arm
Chris Brown, Grammys 2012: Embattled Singer Slams Critics
Janice Dickinson's Outrageous Style
Ford's clever Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ad features phantom model
Trace Adkins Reunites With College Crush, 30 Years Later
Photos Of Dead Lacrosse Player's Injured Body Shown To Jury
3 Economic Misconceptions That Need to Die
Van Gogh's Starry Night modded into beautiful interactive light and sound show (video)
PHOTOS: Model Falls At Dennis Basso Show
'Hooker Teacher' Forced To Resign, Now Can't Find Work
Lauren Scruggs Goes On Ski Vacation
WATCH AND LAUGH: Cops In 2-Hour Standoff With Empty Car
Woman's Dead Fiance Is Behind Her Disappearance: Cops
Stephen Wiltshire Draws Cities From Memory
We Meant There WERE Nukes In The Fire
3-24-2008 @8:07PM Bridget Falbo said... I was amazed when my husband and I went to dinner two nights ago and I ordered the new to the "right portion right price menu" crusted chicken, grape tomatoes and mozerella salad, and alfredo ravioli. Every item was simply divine...something I would expect at a fine dining restaurant. My husband was eating off my plate because it was still so much food. I would kill for the recipe because my family would love it. All for only 7.99, who can beat it.
Also had a mojito along with my dinner and it was refeshing and clean. What a lovely dining experience.
Reply
1-19-2009 @9:46PM Sarah said... The Brownies Obsession has 1500 calories in the entire dessert. It's on the menu in NYC and they now have to release calories and nutrition information. It might have previously had more calories, though. We ordered one tonight, and I noticed it had about 1/2 the ice cream and the actual brownie was smaller too.
Reply
1-22-2010 @12:25AM EQuinn said... So, does anyone know the actual calorie content in the Parmesan Crusted Chicken? I mean the whole meal, not just the chicken. I have looked it up on several calorie site and they all say it's 366 calories, but I can't believe that. You have the cheese on the chicken, cheese tortellini, alfredo sauce, and tomato-mozzarella salad (cheese again) - how that all that cheese be less than 400 calories? Don't get me wrong, it was wonderful, but I'd still like to know the calories.
Reply
5-05-2010 @9:37PM Tiffany said... found on one website where the whole meal totaled 732 calories. Where they get you is it is 366 calories for 1 servicing and the meal is 2 servings according to the site I found! Happy eating!!!
3-08-2007 @4:01PM Tran said... I have to say, that I recently ate at Fridays and my date purchased one of these "Right Portion, Right Price" meals. And, although it was the right price, it was definitely not the right portion.
Reply
3-08-2007 @5:33PM Frank said...
Well, let's see if it works.
People have said people in restaurants overeat because they are served more. Let's see what happens when people are given the option.
I have to think the lack of "value" in these reduced portion meals will lead to them being quickly discontinued.
I gotta think that the typical Friday's customer is just as (if not more) concerned about the size of his wallet as the size of his waist.
Then again, I was dead wrong about those mini-can Cokes, and definitely didn't see the success of those 100 calorie packs...
Reply
3-08-2007 @4:14PM Liz Newcomb said... Tran, was the portion still too large or was there not enough food?
Reply
3-08-2007 @4:44PM Charlotte said... Can I be a little concerned that even with a reduced portion size that only 2 of the items have less than 500 calories? How many calories are in the original!?!?
Reply
3-08-2007 @4:58PM naugahyde said... "find it hard to finish a large plate of food"
You don't have to eat the whole thing! practice your own portion control, and throw the rest away.
Reply
3-08-2007 @6:32PM K said... I think this is terrific for "Dual Couples." One big eater, one small eater. One reason I'd opt out of going to TGI Fridays (other than it's an unspired chain restaurant) is that I couldn't find ANY healthy options. But if a group meets here or I'm with a big eater companion, I can safely rely on a few options for myself, and I like that idea. I'll try and I'll order, just so they know some of us appreciate it. I hope it's good.
Reply
3-12-2007 @2:25AM Tinker said... Gee, Did you ever hear of a 'doggie' bag ?
Reply
3-08-2007 @10:15PM dave said... @ naugahyde - although you're right that people should practice self-control, the issue is that there aren't any options that aren't gigantic. Do you really think that throwing away food is a good idea? Until world hunger is officially solved, I think that we need to reduce all of our waste. Smaller portions are great because they give smaller people and overweight people better options where they don't need to waste food.
And yes I know what leftovers are, but what the hell are you going to do with that last 1/3 of your sandwich? Wrap it up and snack on it later...c'mon
Reply
3-08-2007 @11:43PM naugahyde said... "there are starving kids in china"
I don't even know where to start. To suggest that the portion sizes at TGI McFunsters have anything to do with the fact that people are hungry is obscene. I'll think of you everytime I leave my plate full of uneaten food. In fact next time I go out to eat, I'll order an entire extra meal, and just leave it.
I do agree that leftovers suck.
Reply
3-09-2007 @1:13AM Aaron said... @ naugahyde
You aren't really that stupid are you?
Whether or not you care about hungry people in other countries, I can't imagine that you would actually think it is a better idea to purchase a larger quantity of food than you will eat and let the rest go to waste. Especially when their is an option that is not only less wasteful, but also cheaper.
Of course you have every right to order as much food as you want and do whatever you want with it. But, that doesn't make you any smarter for doing so. I hope wasting food makes you feel like the big tough guy I'm sure you are.
I think suggesting you will order an extra plate of food to prove an ignorant point of view to someone you will never meet is, in your words, obscene.
Reply
3-09-2007 @9:03AM Gobo said... Naugahyde: You're sick.
Reply
3-12-2007 @6:30AM uh-oh said... It's our right as americans to waste,right? I'm sure it's in the constitution! We can spend our money anyway we see fit, and have an obligation to do so to keep the economy humming.
Reply
3-09-2007 @11:55AM calamari said... In principle, I think this is great. I cannot finish a restaurant-sized portion of anything, and if I'm not going right back to somewhere with a refrigerator, then I've just paid to put food in the trash.
In reality, there's no way I'd pass up an Indian buffet or even a decent sandwich shop in favor of Friday's grease-and-salt extravaganza. If I'm going to guzzle grease and salt, I want it to be an integral part of the event (e.g., fish-and-chips), rather than a nutritional landmine in something harmless-looking like pasta.
Reply
3-09-2007 @12:10PM Ima Wurdibitsch said... I'm not usually a fan of the chain restaurant. If given the option, I'll go somewhere else. However, a few weeks ago, MrWurdibitsch and I found ourselves at a TGIFridays and I ordered the Dragonfire Chicken. It was surprisingly good and the portion size was perfect.
Portion sizes are out of control. I'm a leader for a national weight loss program and I'm constantly counseling my members to pay attention to portion sizes and be aware that most restaurant portions contain 3-4 servings of food.
Good options for not overeating are to share an entree or order an appetizer or two instead of an entree. If it's something that will survive reheating or you'll be able to refrigerate soon, get a to go box as soon as your food arrives at the table and box half of it immediately. Out of sight / out of mind works especially when you're socializing and might absent-mindedly keep eating without being aware of your hunger/satisfaction level.
I'm glad to see some restaurants are offering options for more healthy dining. They will get my business.
Reply
3-09-2007 @1:54PM Kelly said... To me I'd rather see them experiment with healthier preparation (which I know is possible as an avid healthy home cook and reader of Cooking Light and spa cookbooks) rather than slim down what is still a nutritionally unsound meal. Portion sizes are an issue not just in restaurants but also because they tend to carry over into how much food we serve ourselves at home. However, the onus is ultimately on us as consumers. If we want to see healthier items on the menu, we have to actually order them vs. say that we want them and continue to order our same old unhealthy meals. I don't believe that restaurants want us to be overweight, they just tend to make what sells and eliminate what doesn't.
Reply
3-09-2007 @11:08PM Mike said... I like this idea a lot. TGI Fridays isn't a bad option when going to the mall, and I always had a problem with the sizes because of the prices. It just didn't make sense.
However, the restaurant that needs to investigate portion control is Cheesecake Factory. That place is insane.
Reply