Do you dare to ask to 'split' a meal?
 

Some of the folks we have travelled with routinely ask if they can 'divide' a meal? They are small people and don't eat much. Now I know that this is done in the states, but sometimes we have received pretty dark looks when they ask to do this. (I normally order something on the simple side, and leave what I don't want to eat)

This practice takes up two places, two chairs, same amount of servants, dishes, cutlery, etc., but they only can get one price.
I wonder, is this done much...I personally think it is kinda tacky.

Clara, there have been several long threads on this topic, one just recently.

We have never had a problem splitting an entree anywhere in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

We have never received ugly comments or weird stares. Most of the time, the waitstaff will even split the meal in the kitchen before they serve us.

We don't usually do separate plates but order with sharing in mind. For example in France, where there are alot of fixed price, multiple course menus, sometimes one of us gets the whole fixed price dinner (entree, plat, and dessert I think) and then the other of us gets a single course. This works well in Italy too where we may get an appetizer, a pasta and then one entree. Only very rarely have I sensed any waiter unhappiness - also I don't think portions tend to be so large in many EU countries.

We do this routinely, both at home and abroad, and have never, ever received any "dark looks" anywhere. We usually have two beverages and two salads, and are careful to order as a main dish something that can be split easily, like a casserole or a sandwich. We also usually share dessert, though we rarely order dessert and prefer grabbing something sweet on the way back to the hotel. I don't think this is "tacky" at all (obviously) -- I think wasting food (or conversely, stuffing oneself) is far tackier! Restaurant food portions, particularly in the U.S., are just too huge.

Clara
Food portions are usually quite large in the states so we usually order a normal entree and a lighter meal and then choose what we want when the plates are served at the table. This works out fine as the wife loves broccoli,asparagus,beets and other such vegetables served as a part of the meal and I hate them and would normally waste those foods.
We had dinner at the Wawona hotel in Yosemite this week and the staff will permit you to split a plate for an additional charge of $6.50.

The portions, served on separate plates, are generous and more than enough for two seniors.

To avoid any "dark looks" ask if you may split a plate at additional cost.
I assume this will work in Europe as well as the US.

If a light eater order two appetizers but to split at a an upscale restaurant is a no-no.

Do you tell you friends that you think it's "tacky?"

MAny restaurants in the netherlands offer certain main courses in a smaller portion for those with a small appetite.
When my mother-in-law used to stay she couldn't eat big meals (She was in her 90's then) and would often have just a starter, or occasionally a satarter and a different starter as her main.
That was never a problem.
To split a meal you will be charged for the extra plates, cutlery etc plus some usually if the restaurant is prepared to do it.
Personally I'd rather negotiate a smaller portion in the first place, or, more likely, miss out on other courses than ask to split a meal.

We may share an appetizer or entree, but we usually just share at the table, rather than ask or expect the kitchen to divide it up. Different people have different ideas of what's tacky, but to me ordering more food than one can eat and then having it thrown away is a worse action.

I think the acceptability of it depends on the class of restaurant you are dining at. It's OK imo in casual cafes, family-style restaurants. Would I do it in the fanciest place in Paris? Nah. Would I tip extra so the waiter is not taking a loss? Yes.

Well, we were in Britain, and they usually eat later than we do, have one sitting a night, and then is when I felt some resentment. At one large restarurant, we said we only wanted 'something light' and they told us they only served a 'full' meal, to include drinks, etc. Of course, rooms are smaller, tables more condensed and close totether and then lose money, I am sure, by letting folks eat (and pay for) half a meal.
I actually ask a waitress in Denmark once to put the remainder of my meal in a bag and she looked horrified...said "we don't do that."

Guess it's different wherever you go. Of course the other option is for on person to order soup, salad and 'starters', the other, a main, and then to share it between you. Still, I don't see this done in Europe. Maybe this topic should be under the "eating patterns."

Like we said, this has been discussed a lot recently; there is a massive thread in the Lounge on this very topic from last month.

I'm not surprised you got dark looks in the UK. While it is usually ok (at casual places but not proper restaurants) to share a starter or a desert, we NEVER split main courses. It's just really not the done thing.

If you aren't that hungry you are expected to not have a starter or desert, and just have the main course.

If you still want 3 courses, then you have to order it and just eat what you want.

Adults definitely do not get to share main courses here. Not just tacky but it'll make you very unpopular. I would expect a lot of places to refuse.

Again, in a casual place, you could a starter to be served as your main course if you are really not very hungry.

But if you are not hungry - why are you in a restaurant?

"But if you are not hungry - why are you in a restaurant?"

Because I feel terribly hungry but I feel fed up easily after the first course if the portions are big ;)

In Köln, there was a restaurant which lost its third Michelin star, because they refused to split a dish.

Unfortunately the two gentlemen who asked for splitting the dish were testers of Guide Michelin.

So much for "upscale" restaurants.

absolutely no different than where you come from...some will gladly do it and others will do it with a frown and others will refuse.

No - you can;t go in and ask to split one meal - esp if it's the special menu of the day.

Everyone doesn't need to order every course - and if you want to split an appetizer or dessert - or even main course - that's fine - but to just say we want one dinner for 2 people - you're likely to find there is a minimum charge per person at prime meal times. (Here in NYC many places have am minimum charge per person at meal times - even if you order only water - even neighborhood places may have a $20 minimum per person for dinner.)

And, in many places in europe the portions are way smaller than in the US - and 2 people trying to survive on one meal would find themselves pretty hungry.

i've lived in NY for many years and no neighborhood restaurant has $20 cover charge. While really upscale (think Nobu) places my have a minimum charge, I've never come across it. And I've been many times to a restaurant where I only have a glass of wine while my companion eats (either because i ate earlier or going to two dinner meetings) and never had a problem.
Regarding meal-splitting - i've never asked an entree to be split in the kitchen. If i'm not very hungry, i'd order salad and then take some food from my companion's plate.
cover charge is common in europe, but it's usually $2-5.

>>>>>
i've lived in NY for many years and no neighborhood restaurant has $20 cover charge.
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you'll never see one in a real european restaurant either. not sure why this poster thinks you'd 'likely' see minimum charges in europe. that post is completely irrelevant to everything. and i have no idea what 'special menu of the day' has to do with anything! odd.

lerasp--

I think nytraveler is referring to a minimum charge per person, not a cover.

Most restaurants in Italy levy a cover charge if you sit down at a table to eat; I've read that a few Italian places in New York's Little Italy do this, but as far as I know it's not something US restaurants do otherwise.

But it's not unheard-of for US restaurants to insist on a minimum per-patron charge, often at dinnertime. Such places don't want someone coming in during the busy dinner shift and ordering just a dessert and coffee.

Also, most establishments have a minimum amount if you want to pay via credit card, usually $5 or $10.

I would be very embarrassed doing that, however some people do it.
.. chacun a son gout..

I've done it a few times in the USA, where portions are very, very often way more than I could ever eat.

But I would be embarrassed to do that anywhere else. I'd find a way around not ordering much - having an appetizer and a salad or just ordering a primo or segondo in Italy, or whatever, but ask a restaurant to split up an entrée for me? No, I wouldn't do that.