I've always split food at restaurants, not only because of cost concerns, but because of room-in-stomach considerations: a person my size does not need her own entree, appetizer and dessert. Or, given the portion sizes at many American restaurants, even her own entree. Now, an article in Raleigh's The News & Observer discusses how, because of the recession, splitting food is becoming ubiquitous even in the kind of upscale restaurants where hamburgers go for $18. David Pogrebin, general manager of the French restaurant Brasserie in New York, says he's even seen three people splitting an ice tea with free refills. The owner of a Raleigh barbecue restaurant says he'll often have two people come in to split a $3 dollar, four wing appetizers. And drink water. Some restaurateurs will assess a small splitting fee, to recoup some of their losses.
I sometimes do feel a little guilty if I come in to a restaurant during dinner and just want an appetizer or to split a single entree with my companion, but I usually assuage my guilt by leaving a decent tip.
Do you split dishes more often these days? Do you ever get static from wait staff?
2-28-2009 @3:46PM sbrodbeck said... We've done this for years, for the same reasons you mention: portions are too hughe for our stomach size. However sometimes we don't split and bring home leftovers for lunches. Once I brought home leftover stew from the local pub/restaurant and got 4 more servings out of it. That meal averaged quite low per dollar once we both got all of our lunches out of it. I had 5 total meals and hubby had 4 total meals out of that dinner out from 2 entrees.
Even when we do our own entrees we always split one dessert between us.
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2-28-2009 @4:17PM Kat said... I often split all 3, appy, entree & dessert. Portions are far too large in most restaurants. No waitstaff has ever even blinked at the request, it seems pretty common these days.
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2-28-2009 @4:39PM KF said... I've split entrees with my mom, or my sister or date, for years. Portions are just too large. Given the type of restaurant, if it's casual, I try to assure the wait staff by saying "We're going to split the soup, but please don't go to any trouble, just bring an extra spoon. We'll push the bowl back and forth." They usually appreciate it and once, when I ordered a huge bowl of albondigas soup, I said "I can't finish it myself so we're going so split it -- but don't go to any trouble, just another spoon will be fine." He said "Yes Maam" but when he brought it, he had divided it into TWO bowls, had divided the sides (rice, beans and tortillas) into TWO portions, and treated us both like royalty. I left him a 50% tip because he'd gone to so much trouble, and we really got extra sides and more, off one bowl of soup at lunch. Now, in a fancier restaurant I may not announce it, but sometimes the way to go is to just split it without involving the staff. My date will order the entree, and I'll just have a small salad or bowl of soup, and we just share the plate. It doesn't always have to be a big production, but we tip well to make sure our table wasn't a waste of space for the wait staff that night. As for the beverages --- no. Just no. You don't split beverages. Three people on a glass of iced tea is just low-class.
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2-28-2009 @6:56PM Rt said... Since we eat at restaurants infrequently we are not opposed to the huge portions. In fact, we love them.
The best advice was from my sister-in-law who said, order the take-out box when you order the meal, place half the serving in the box, eat only what is on your plate and enjoy the rest the next day (or so) and figure you are paying for two meals in one.
Some people do not care for leftovers and I understand that (not me tho, many dishes 'marry') - and some dishes are not suited for this technique, not so good for fried food, great for Chinese/Italian/steak&potato), however, this works in many situations and you get a 'restaurant' meal at home.
I thot she was quite clever. Oftentimes the salad is a belly-full and I can make another salad at home.
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3-01-2009 @1:28AM kilaani said... I split all the time. I don't tell the server that is what we are doing because I don't think it's fair to charge extra... this way we just usually eat off one plate. We might split an appetizer too. Always drinking water not buying drinks, too, to save money. We do tip well on it, of course.
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3-01-2009 @10:51PM AdamInOTT said... I tihnk that appetizers and deserts are almost made for splitting. Surely the bar down the street isnt expecting me to finish the zuchini sticks (about 2 whole zuchini), my entree, and a massive piece of chocolate cake.
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3-02-2009 @12:05AM Tiffany said... I've done this for years, starting when I was in college and eating out was a treat since I was the ubiquitous poor college student. Now that I'm working and have more money than I did back then, I still tend to split food or eat half and pack the other half to eat later-- thus getting 2 meals for the price of one. My boyfriend and I split more often now that we're both trying to watch our money.
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3-02-2009 @4:04AM Uncontrol said... "David Pogrebin, general manager of the French restaurant Brasserie in New York, says he's even seen three people splitting an ice tea with free refills. The owner of a Raleigh barbecue restaurant says he'll often have two people come in to split a $3 dollar, four wing appetizers. And drink water."
This is crossing the line between being thrifty and being cheap and pretty rude.
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3-02-2009 @12:55PM Sarah said... My husband and I have started doing this to watch our intake of food.
It works pretty well - we both order a drink and split the meal. If for some reason we each want something different, then we box up half of each and take him to our son, who can eat anything and never gain an ounce! He likes doggy bags and is always happy to see them ;-)
Never had issues with doing it - smile and be nice to the wait staff is my motto.
On a side note, we do spend a lot less now!
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