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The Next Big Thing on Menus: Smaller Portions
Olive Garden and P.F. Chang's added smaller, lower-priced portions to meet demand from 74% of customers craving smaller meals, aiming to attract budget-conscious and solo diners.
- Recently, Olive Garden tested smaller portions and reduced prices at a little less than half of its locations for seven dinner entrées to attract cash-conscious customers, with early signs showing more diners returning, Darden Restaurants reported last month.
- Younger eaters have shifted toward a snack-forward eating pattern since Covid-19, and the National Restaurant Association found 64% replace traditional meals with snacks while solo eaters rise.
- Two weeks ago, P.F. Chang's launched two portion sizes: 'traditional' and smaller, lower-priced 'medium', while The Cheesecake Factory expanded a 'Bites' section with items under $10.
- The chain reported its internal affordability metric jumped 15%, and reducing portion sizes cuts down on excess waste, which has become a major industry problem.
- Third-Party data from Ignite Company showed a 3% sales dip in 2024, and Menu Matters says menu broadening counters fast-food competition while GLP-1 drugs are not yet a major factor.
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution82% Center
Bias Distribution
- 82% of the sources are Center
82% Center
C 82%
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