When more isn’t more: Diners’ feelings of fullness after consuming restaurant portions with fewer than 700 calories

BackgroundRestaurant portions generally exceed the calories needed for most adults to maintain weight. We developed guidelines for plating standard portions (≤700 calories for lunch or dinner) and recruited restaurants willing to offer them.ObjectiveTo understand the customer impact of standard portions (vs. regular, larger portions) in restaurants on calories ordered, calories consumed and feelings of fullness.MethodsIn this cross-sectional sample, customers in restaurants that served standard portion meals were offered a $25 gift card to take pictures of their meals (before their first bite and after their last bite) and complete a brief survey. Digital images were analyzed with a modified Comstock scale to determine calories provided and consumed across meal types (standard portion vs. regular). Participants self-reported their height, weight, activity level and fullness after the meal. Two-sample t-tests and chi-squared tests tested group differences (standard portion vs. regular). Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) tested associations between group and outcomes (calories ordered, consumed, fullness), adjusting for demographics, and differences by participant characteristics.ResultsDigital images submitted from 63 participants were used. Those who ordered a standard portion meal were older and consumed 346 fewer calories than from the regular menu, which lowered to 246.2 fewer calories after adjusting for individual demographics (<i>p < </i>0.01). There were no significant differences in reported fullness between those who ordered from the regular menu versus standard portions (<i>p = </i>0.87).ConclusionsPeople who ordered and consumed meals ≤700 calories found them satiating and most would order them again, verifying that standard restaurant portions are acceptable.