Pressure of overeating at restaurants

I have, for the longest time, always ordered a appetizer and a main course when dinning outside. What I realized lately after so many years is that I almost invariably overeat as if my stomach will explode or have a doggy bag when I leave the restaurant. And without fail the food in the doggy bag ends up in trash can (for dogs) after being in refrigator for few days. I am not sure why it took me so long to understand that portion sizes and the courses (appetizer, main course and the dessert) is too much for most of the people in a meal.

So I started trying to be a smart customer at the restaurants. I sit down with a companion and we order one appetizer and one main course to share and the waitress keeps looking at us as if we are forgetting something. At some restaurants we have been even told that they have a minimum order per person even if you don't eat it all. The look on the waitress's face can be interpreted as either you are so cheap that you won't eat enough, or why am I wasting my time on you, you won't even tip me well. Experience tells me that the food we have ordered is more than enough and sometimes more than enough for both of us. What I have realized the best strategy to deal with this situation is to tip the waitress really well (>20%) which probably will cost you dollar extra but you will be sparred from dirty looks, heavy stomach or rotten doggy bag in your fridge.

Next time you go to a restaurant, try ordering one appetizer and main course and share it with a companion and let me know what reaction you get. I can bet if the waitress goes to a restaurant she might order same or even lesser than what you do because she sees all this waste everyday with almost every customer.

Pressure of overeating at restaurants

I have, for the longest time, always ordered a appetizer and a main course when dinning outside. What I realized lately after so many years is that I almost invariably overeat as if my stomach will explode or have a doggy bag when I leave the restaurant. And without fail the food in the doggy bag ends up in trash can (for dogs) after being in refrigator for few days. I am not sure why it took me so long to understand that portion sizes and the courses (appetizer, main course and the dessert) is too much for most of the people in a meal.

So I started trying to be a smart customer at the restaurants. I sit down with a companion and we order one appetizer and one main course to share and the waitress keeps looking at us as if we are forgetting something. At some restaurants we have been even told that they have a minimum order per person even if you don't eat it all. The look on the waitress's face can be interpreted as either you are so cheap that you won't eat enough, or why am I wasting my time on you, you won't even tip me well. Experience tells me that the food we have ordered is more than enough and sometimes more than enough for both of us. What I have realized the best strategy to deal with this situation is to tip the waitress really well (>20%) which probably will cost you dollar extra but you will be sparred from dirty looks, heavy stomach or rotten doggy bag in your fridge.

Next time you go to a restaurant, try ordering one appetizer and main course and share it with a companion and let me know what reaction you get. I can bet if the waitress goes to a restaurant she might order same or even lesser than what you do because she sees all this waste everyday with almost every customer.