Caperucita Roja wrote:
When I was 15 I went to a Denny's in Florida, (probably shit for you, but a real treat for me as a tourist to go to an American diner).

Me and my pa ordered a $3 burger, and when it arrived we were super shocked to see it was practically the size of our heads!

So I'm sat  here watching Man V Food and I'm wondering if you guys just have scarily big portions of everything compared to here in Europe 8/ I mean, how do you eat all that stuff?

yes.



The first time I went to a mcdonalds in canada, I ordered a large drink, because I intended for it to last me like...the whole day.

When my order came up they handed me a medium sized cup. I checked my receipt and told the guy I was sorry, but I ordered a large and tried to hand the cup back to him.

He stared at me for a moment like I grew another head, and then smiles and goes "Youre an american, arent you?"

"uh..yes?" Whats that got to do with why you wont give me the large drink I paid for?

He laughed and pulled out two more, smaller, cups. I was holding a large. I asked if there was an extra large, he said no.



KFC side dishes are a fraction of what america serves, and theyre healthy (potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw) or you get fries. And you only get one with a meal. In america you can get mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, baked potatoes, potatoe wedges baked beans, green beans, corn on the cob, fries, rolls...and you get two or three with a meal.


Portions are definitely larger in america, especially for fast food and chain diners like dennys and Ihop, and you get an option for more of them, all of which are unhealthy.  Most places in canada you get the option of one side with your meal, but in america you pick two.

But americans cant figure out why theres an obesity problem

immateria wrote:
In the twenty years that my parents lived in the United States, they would go to restaurants and order an appetizer and an entree for two people. Problem solved.

So that's a normal sized meal there! Wow!!

I mean it's a fun novelty for a visitor and you're not all eating footlong burritos every day. It just scared me that I paid so little for so much- and most of it got wasted anyway!

Laura UnBound wrote:

yes.



The first time I went to a mcdonalds in canada, I ordered a large drink, because I intended for it to last me like...the whole day.

When my order came up they handed me a medium sized cup. I checked my receipt and told the guy I was sorry, but I ordered a large and tried to hand the cup back to him.

He stared at me for a moment like I grew another head, and then smiles and goes "Youre an american, arent you?"

"uh..yes?" Whats that got to do with why you wont give me the large drink I paid for?

He laughed and pulled out two more, smaller, cups. I was holding a large. I asked if there was an extra large, he said no.



KFC side dishes are a fraction of what america serves, and theyre healthy (potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw) or you get fries. And you only get one with a meal. In america you can get mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, baked potatoes, potatoe wedges baked beans, green beans, corn on the cob, fries, rolls...and you get two or three with a meal.


Portions are definitely larger in america, especially for fast food and chain diners like dennys and Ihop, and you get an option for more of them, all of which are unhealthy. But americans cant figure out why theres an obesity problem

Crikey... so there's no awareness in individuals that the amount being consumed is large, until they go elsewhere

Caperucita Roja wrote:

Crikey... so there's no awareness in individuals that the amount being consumed is large, until they go elsewhere

Basically. I mean I knew that the idea of "super sizing" was just fucking ridiculous. And I knew that things like pizza hut, mcdonalds, burger king, KFC, etc existed outside the united states and when I asked someone whod been to one if they were the same the answer was "yes" (though I meant if the menu was the same, which besides KFC is mostly is)

But no, I had no idea that their idea of a "serving size " was very different.

Caperucita Roja wrote:
Well... it tasted awesome anyway! I just wonder if you're born or brought up with the ability to eat those portions.

Oh oh and the same with your cars! I had never seen such massive cars in my life! I felt like I'd shrunk and was living in a giant's land or something

We have longer roads.   

I remember a story about execs from Kawasaki coming over to California to experience what it was like to ride their motorcycles here.  They took a trip from CA to AZ on their biggest touring cruisers.  Then they understood the point of those big bikes.  They were astounded by the sheer size of the land.  Riding in Japan is absolutely nothing like the American Southwest.

Caperucita Roja wrote:
I mean, how do you eat all that stuff?

practice.

Caperucita Roja wrote:

So that's a normal sized meal there! Wow!!

I mean it's a fun novelty for a visitor and you're not all eating footlong burritos every day. It just scared me that I paid so little for so much- and most of it got wasted anyway!

If I can't eat the whole meal at a restaurant they put it in a plastic box and I take it home to eat the next day.

Jim Ball wrote:
Don't forget all-you-can-eat buffets!  Out here in the middle of the country, nearly every Asian restaurant has a "Super Buffet."  The popular franchise steak houses here (Ryans, Golden Corral, etc) have all went to buffets instead of menus.  Breakfast buffet, lunch buffet, dinner buffet...

We have buffet restaurants here too.

Jerry Nemeth wrote:

We have buffet restaurants here too.

I an sure there are buffets everywhere, but I can only speak with authority for my own part of the country.

Laura UnBound wrote:

Basically. I mean I knew that the idea of "super sizing" was just fucking ridiculous. And I knew that things like pizza hut, mcdonalds, burger king, KFC, etc existed outside the united states and when I asked someone whod been to one if they were the same the answer was "yes" (though I meant if the menu was the same, which besides KFC is mostly is)

But no, I had no idea that their idea of a "serving size " was very different.

People here in France went to jail and became folk heroes for burning down McDonalds joints.

I can't say I blame them. The Fast Food industry is no different than the tobacco industry or drug cartels - why pay someone to poison you?

It makes no sense at all.

Jim Ball wrote:

I an sure there are buffets everywhere, but I can only speak with authority for my own part of the country.

My company has employees that live and work in China.  We had them out here about 6 months ago for training and a company treat.  Their first time in the US.

The first restaurant we took them to is a Brazilian Steak House.  It isn't quite a buffet, but they basically bring meat to your table until you tell them to stop.  Our guests were flabbergasted at how much food there was!  They also didn't quite get it, as they filled their plate up with salad and shit before the actual food came.

Laura UnBound wrote:

Basically. I mean I knew that the idea of "super sizing" was just fucking ridiculous. And I knew that things like pizza hut, mcdonalds, burger king, KFC, etc existed outside the united states and when I asked someone whod been to one if they were the same the answer was "yes" (though I meant if the menu was the same, which besides KFC is mostly is)

But no, I had no idea that their idea of a "serving size " was very different.

It's slowly starting to change.

I ordered a medium Tim Horton's tea recently and received what I thought was a large.  I asked what was up.  The cashier said that they upped their sizes so that the old medium was the new small, large became medium, xlarge became large and a toilet bowl became xlarge.

Apparently it was pressure from starbucks' sizes or something.

Personally I think it's a bit ridiculous.  So now I order a small.

Damon Banner wrote:

My company has employees that live and work in China.  We had them out here about 6 months ago for training and a company treat.  Their first time in the US.

The first restaurant we took them to is a Brazilian Steak House.  It isn't quite a buffet, but they basically bring meat to your table until you tell them to stop.  Our guests were flabbergasted at how much food there was!  They also didn't quite get it, as they filled their plate up with salad and shit before the actual food came.

I love those Brazilian restaurants!   

Peter Claver wrote:

It's slowly starting to change.

I ordered a medium Tim Horton's tea recently and received what I thought was a large.  I asked what was up.  The cashier said that they upped their sizes so that the old medium was the new small, large became medium, xlarge became large and a toilet bowl became xlarge.

Apparently it was pressure from starbucks' sizes or something.

Personally I think it's a bit ridiculous.  So now I order a small.

Which is why ordinary people look like this now:

Caperucita Roja wrote:
I mean, how do you eat all that stuff?

well, if it is denny's then it comes right back out about 10 min after you eat.

Damon Banner wrote:
The first restaurant we took them to is a Brazilian Steak House.

churrascaria!!!

kickfight wrote:

churrascaria!!!

Yes!
The first time that I ate at one was in Brazil.

kickfight wrote:
churrascaria!!!

Jerry Nemeth wrote:
Yes!
The first time that I ate at one was in Brazil.

Same here, in some outskirt of Rio.

O.M.G. that was some good eats.

Sha-Lynne wrote:
Yup and for a lot of things one bite is like 500 calories.  Not to mention the disgusting crap that's put into it.  Food abroad is much better quality than here, the FDA is a joke.  They wonder why this is true: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati … s/1759299/

It's a lot more difficult to eat healthy here than it should be.

The FDA is run by the food, agricultural and pharma conglomerates - I think that's fairly well known by now.

If not, I recommend watching the excellent documentary Food Inc.:



http://vimeo.com/41266696


It's not like this is fundamentally different in Europe or Canada, but government hasn't been bought out by these conglomerates as much as in the US yet. Plus environmentalism has a political representation here, unlike in America with its two party system.

Damon Banner wrote:

My company has employees that live and work in China.  We had them out here about 6 months ago for training and a company treat.  Their first time in the US.

The first restaurant we took them to is a Brazilian Steak House.  It isn't quite a buffet, but they basically bring meat to your table until you tell them to stop.  Our guests were flabbergasted at how much food there was!  They also didn't quite get it, as they filled their plate up with salad and shit before the actual food came.

I REALLY love several brazilian steak houses, but I can never eat enough to make me feel like I justified the price. They come by the table twice and then im full

Russian Katarina wrote:
People here in France went to jail and became folk heroes for burning down McDonalds joints.

I can't say I blame them. The Fast Food industry is no different than the tobacco industry or drug cartels - why pay someone to poison you?

It makes no sense at all.

Well, everything in context. 

Americans work longer hours with less time off than most other nations.  Additionally, in order to get ahead, most families require dual incomes further reducing the available amount of time.  Add to that our ass end up transportation system that can make for long commutes even over relatively short distances and you create a recipe fast food companies exploit all too well. 

When your first opportunity to get home is 9 o'clock at night and you need to be in bed by 11 to get up at 6 a drive thru window sometimes looks mighty attractive. Especially with rising grocery prices.  The mass manufactured crap FF restaurants serve are on a per meal basis more affordable than home cooked meals. 

I'm not being an apologist here btw.  Or saying these aren't issues that don't need to be addressed.  I'm simply saying there are interdependent dynamics at work here that all need to be addressed to make a lasting change. 

As for portions, the op's observation is right.  They are too large.  But I don't go to restaurants expecting to eat the whole meal now.  When I do eat out - which is rare - I order it expecting it to be two meals.

Peter Claver wrote:

It's slowly starting to change.

I ordered a medium Tim Horton's tea recently and received what I thought was a large.  I asked what was up.  The cashier said that they upped their sizes so that the old medium was the new small, large became medium, xlarge became large and a toilet bowl became xlarge.

Apparently it was pressure from starbucks' sizes or something.

Personally I think it's a bit ridiculous.  So now I order a small.

I hadnt noticed that, but yes, starbucks sizes are consistent across the border. and people almost never get small anythings there. Giant cups of basically only whipped cream and quadruple shots of things.

Russian Katarina wrote:

People here in France went to jail and became folk heroes for burning down McDonalds joints.

I can't say I blame them. The Fast Food industry is no different than the tobacco industry or drug cartels - why pay someone to poison you?

It makes no sense at all.

because its delicious


And it can be consumed in a healthy moderation...if you feel like it.

Most americans just dont feel like it. Or, as pointed out, financially and time-wise, CANT.

nobody resorts to smoking cigarets or doing drugs because they cant afford or dont have time for ____ though, so I cant agree with that comparison.

Caperucita Roja wrote:

Crikey... so there's no awareness in individuals that the amount being consumed is large, until they go elsewhere

BS.  We're perfectly aware how big they are.

Compass Rose Studios wrote:
Well, everything in context. 

Americans work longer hours with less time off than most other nations.  Additionally, in order to get ahead, most families require dual incomes further reducing the available amount of time.  Add to that our ass end up transportation system that can make for long commutes even over relatively short distances and you create a recipe fast food companies exploit all too well. 

When your first opportunity to get home in 9 o'clock at night and you need to be in bed by 11 to get up at 6 a drive thru window sometimes looks might attractive. Especially with rising grocery prices.  The mass manufactured crap FF restaurants serve are on a per meal basis more affordable than home cooked meals. 

I'm not being an apologist here btw.  Or saying these aren't issues that don't need to be addressed.  I'm simply saying there are interdependent dynamics at work here that all need to be addressed to make a lasting change. 

As for portions, the op's observation is right.  They are too large.  But I don't go to restaurants expecting to eat the whole meal now.  When I do eat out - which is rare - I order it expecting it to be two meals.

I found this to be very true a few years ago.

I ate mcdonalds at least once, if not twice a day (lunch and/or dinner) and I found that my combined food bills for a month were significantly less than my grocery bill, and thats with bargain shopping across multiple grocery stores to get the absolute lowest prices possible, which we only had the time to do once a month. With two of us trying to balance work and school schedules, even if I wanted to cook something...there wasnt time. unless we ate dinner at midnight and then went IMMEDIATELY to bed because we had to be awake at the asscrack of dawn.


My lovely place of work also didnt have a fridge or a microwave, so packing my lunch for work every day had...basically no options the only thing in my half hour lunch window was a mcdonalds, and i had to eat in the car on the way back to work.

Laura UnBound wrote:

I REALLY love several brazilian steak houses, but I can never eat enough to make me feel like I justified the price. They come by the table twice and then im full

ass whooping.

Compass Rose Studios wrote:
Americans work longer hours with less time off than most other nations.  Additionally, in order to get ahead, most families require dual incomes further reducing the available amount of time.  Add to that our ass end up transportation system that can make for long commutes even over relatively short distances and you create a recipe fast food companies exploit all too well. 

When your first opportunity to get home is 9 o'clock at night and you need to be in bed by 11 to get up at 6 a drive thru window sometimes looks might attractive. Especially with rising grocery prices.  The mass manufactured crap FF restaurants serve are on a per meal basis more affordable than home cooked meals.

All of this, plus location, location, location. Large chains can afford to position franchises strategically for maximum saturation of a given area. When ubiquity is added to all of the above, it's a no-brainer. People eventually come to depend on that no-fuss/no-muss convenient drive-thru window for their meals. It's a speedy means to satiation. Folks obtain a bunch of calories in short order and that allows for continuation of the frenetic pace. You're done with that chore, on to the next.

And, for the record, while fast food doesn't figure largely in my diet, I am nonetheless hooked on Burgerville. You bastards, why is your Half-Pound Colossal Cheeseburger so irresistibly yummy????

Laura UnBound wrote:

because its delicious


And it can be consumed in a healthy moderation...if you feel like it.

Most americans just dont feel like it. Or, as pointed out, financially and time-wise, CANT.

nobody resorts to smoking cigarets or doing drugs because they cant afford or dont have time for ____ though, so I cant agree with that comparison.

That food is chemically designed in a lab to be addictive, the same way drugs are. Which is why most people "can't help it", the same way many people can not handle drugs for purely occasional, recreational use.

That is why we ban drugs. Not so much with fast food and tobacco, although the principle is the same.

Russian Katarina wrote:
That food is chemically designed in a lab to be addictive, the same way drugs are. Which is why most people "can't help it", the same way many people can not handle drugs for purely occasional, recreational use.

I don't know if I trust that.  My family is full of addicts.  I know I have that trait in me.  Which is why I use my drugs in moderation. 

I have never had an urge to eat fast food like I might feel for a drink.  I eat fast food on occasion, but I don't feel anything that would resemble a craving.

Damon Banner wrote:

I don't know if I trust that.  My family is full of addicts.  I know I have that trait in me.  Which is why I use my drugs in moderation. 

I have never had an urge to eat fast food like I might feel for a drink.  I eat fast food on occasion, but I don't feel anything that would resemble a craving.

Others have a similar craving towards fast food. It depends on many factors, our genes, the bacteriae in our stomach, internalized eating habits from childhood and so on.

Many people do not stand a chance against this industrialy designed, deeply unhealthy food that makes them fat, ill and will kill them many years too soon.

Russian Katarina wrote:

That food is chemically designed in a lab to be addictive, the same way drugs are. Which is why most people "can't help it", the same way many people can not handle drugs for purely occasional, recreational use.

That is why we ban drugs. Not so much with fast food and tobacco, although the principle is the same.

I don't believe this!  I eat them sometime and I don't crave these foods.

Russian Katarina wrote:

The FDA is run by the food, agricultural and pharma conglomerates - I think that's fairly well known by now.

If not, I recommend watching the excellent documentary Food Inc.:



http://vimeo.com/41266696


It's not like this is fundamentally different in Europe or Canada, but government hasn't been bought out by these conglomerates as much as in the US yet. Plus environmentalism has a political representation here, unlike in America with its two party system.

I thought Europe and Canada were supposed to be much better?

And yes, for anyone who hasn't been living under a rock I think the above is well-known.