Meals out

It seems that some meals in restaurants are getting bigger and bigger. It isn't the meat that is larger it is all the carbs that seem to be taking up more and more of the plate.

When it comes to eating out it would be really nice to have more choices when it comes to a meal in a restaurant. It would be really nice to see choices that include and exclude the carbs and maybe offer the double vegetable or a second vegetable instead of the carbs. I am not one of those that likes a lot of the carbs with my meals out other than when I have a steak and really do enjoy a baked potatoe. Of course, a lot of people do enjoy the potatoes or fries that come with their meal but those aren't things that I normally eat a lot of. I would rather have a choice of a vegetable or a little lower cost if I did without the carb.

An idea would be more of the “I design meals” and you pay per item but it would need to be cheaper than the a-la-carte costs. I am not saying that I want a buffet as that isn't really a good option for me with the food allergies. It would be so nice to see a menu with the main item at a set price and then you add the vegetables or carbs that you want and the price goes up based on the number of sides that you choose.

The other benefit of having the choices is it means that you aren't going to be charged for substituting an item because you want a healthier choice. I have had to pay for a substitution due to my allergies because I can't have the french fries that come with some meals. It isn't my choice to do without the fries but due to my shellfish allergy I cannot have the french fries if either shrimp or calamari are fried in the same oil.

Restaurants need to start thinking about the other options to the large carbs that are being added to the meals. Sure the plate looks really full when you get your meal but considering I don't eat many, if any, why do I want it on my plate. Just give me a little smaller plate and put my vegetables on it and I will be happy.

Meals out need to meet the needs of the customer more than they did before. If I can't find the meals that I want while I am out I will eat more and more meals at home. Restaurants need to figure out how to meet the needs of the customers.