WASHINGTON, D.C.: Smaller portions are emerging as one of the biggest trends in the restaurant industry as diners look to spend less and eat more mindfully.

Across the United States, restaurants are introducing special menus featuring smaller portions and lower prices. The trend spans large chains such as Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory as well as smaller independent restaurants and farm-to-table eateries.

Operators say offering smaller servings, beyond traditional children's menus, helps meet a range of customer needs. Some diners want to control spending when eating out, while others are seeking healthier choices or trying to lose weight. Younger consumers also tend to snack more during the day and eat smaller meals, said Maeve Webster, president of the culinary consulting firm Menu Matters.

"These are really driven by, I think, changes in the way people are thinking about their relationship with food, the way they spend money on food, what is a good value and what's not," Webster said.

Smaller Meals, Lower Prices

Beth Tipton, co-owner of Daniel Girls Farmhouse Restaurant in Connersville, Indiana, added an eight-item "Mini Meals" menu last fall after customers began asking for smaller portions.

The menu includes daily specials, such as a half portion of meatloaf served with green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy for US$8. Tipton said the smaller dishes now account for about 20 percent of the restaurant's orders.

Older adults make up roughly half of the restaurant's clientele, and some customers said the regular menu stretched their budgets. Tipton, who previously underwent weight-loss surgery, also understood that some diners need smaller portions but cannot order from children's menus.

"We wanted it to be available to all without the word ‘kids meals' attached," Tipton said. "With the rising costs all around us, we wanted to help in any way we can, and this is a great option."

Catering to GLP-1 Users

Another factor behind the shift is the growing popularity of GLP-1 weight-loss and diabetes drugs such as Zepbound, Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro.

Last fall, restaurateur Barry Gutin learned from two friends taking GLP-1 medications that they struggled to find meals that matched their smaller appetites and dietary needs.

Gutin, co-owner of Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar in Philadelphia, Washington, Atlantic City, and Orlando, consulted a weight-loss specialist and worked with the restaurant's culinary director, Angel Roque, to design a special menu.

The resulting GLP-Wonderful menu includes five Cuban dishes tailored for GLP-1 users. Roque said the regular pollo asado dish at Cuba Libre has nearly 1,000 calories, but the GLP-1 version reduces that to about 400 calories while emphasizing protein and fiber.

"Many times when people are on those kinds of regimes, they feel that they can't do the same as everybody else. So we wanted to show them, yes, at Cuba Libre, you can," Roque said.

Gutin said the menu has boosted business, estimating that 10 to 20 groups at each location every week include at least one diner who orders from the GLP-Wonderful menu.

"People say, ‘Thank you for serving us," Gutin said.

Big Chains Join the Trend

Major restaurant chains are also experimenting with smaller servings.

Olive Garden introduced a nationwide "Lighter Portions" menu in January. Rick Cardenas, president and CEO of parent company Darden Restaurants, said the company wanted to appeal to diners seeking healthier or more affordable meals.

"There is a consumer group out there that believes in abundance, but abundance is different for everybody," Cardenas said during a September investor call. "So consumers can choose. We're not changing our entire menu to make it a smaller portion."

Other chains are following suit. P.F. Chang's recently began offering medium-sized portions, while The Cheesecake Factory added lower-priced Bites and Bowls last summer. TGI Fridays is also testing an "Eat Like A Kid" menu with smaller servings.

A Lasting Shift

Small plates are not entirely new to restaurants — tapas concepts gained popularity years ago. But Webster believes the current movement could represent a more lasting change in how restaurants serve food.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about food waste, she said, and oversized restaurant portions often result in uneaten leftovers.

"I think it is a core need that consumers have, and a demand that has been lingering under the surface for a long time because restaurant meals, particularly at chains, have become so large," Webster said. "Sure, it sounds great to take leftovers home, but they never taste as good."