Small appetite in restaurants

They probably feel they overeat when you manage with just one course. And maybe they feel uncomfortable eating when you haven’t got anything in front of you.

Assuming cost isn’t an issue, i.e. splitting the bill when you don’t have much, to me it’s quite reasonable for you to only order what you are happy to eat.

Very wasteful to leave half a plate, and also to be paying for uneaten food.

Politely but firmly stick to your guns.

I can hardly eat a main meal and rarely go out for food these days.
Have you thought about catching up over coffee and cake?

I am going to be rather blunt here and say.......your friend sounds a bit of a glutton and they know they eat far too much but give you the guilt trip to make themselves feel better!

It is your choice how little you wish to eat, simply don't let them spoil your meal.

I also find meals too large.. My friend and I usually split a main and a dessert between us. As it's usually at art galleries people don't seem to mind..

I have a few friends who I have given up on eating out with because they don't eat. Over the years I have learned that some people prefer not to eat much and I find it frustrating, especially when they buy me a drink before I've even looked at the menu.

I cannot drink on an empty stomach but some of my friends don't seem to understand and I have to buy snacks like crisps and nuts because they don't want to order any food and look at me as if I'm greedy for wanting to eat even a small amount.

Now I have learned to eat before I meet, as I do want to see my friends but not go home feeling ill.

I really don't understand why people ask you out for lunch and then don't want to order any food. Maybe it seems it might just be me?

I also think it is also because people resent spending money on food too.

So, from the opposite side of the fence, being a big fat glutton of a human I would rather just go for a drink rather than pretend people want to be seen to be eating when they don't really.

A lot of restrictions are happy for diners to have one or two starters as a main, then perhaps you could have a light desert.

Or even a dessert!

Restaurants! What’s wrong with predictive text today!

I don't mind about how many courses someone I'm meeting for lunch has. I did have a friend who would order 3 courses & only nibble at each. I hate wasting food & the time she ordered a lovely chocolate dessert & didn't even taste it because she didn't like the look of it was torture! I so badly wanted to say "if you don't want it, can I have it?" but that would have been totally non-U but it distracted me terribly until the waiter took it away.

I rarely eat out because I find portions so enormous, I certainly can’t manage more than one course and I would probably just have a starter.

If someone said to me i feel so uncomfortable I’d say well stop eating then
Odd sort of friend if your anxious before you’ve even gone to the next meal.

I only ever have a starter course (sometimes, but rarely, two) but I so enjoy the social occasion that that doesn't matter a jot. If anyone started to have a go at me rather than being polite. I simply wouldn't be lunching with them. Job done.

valdavi

I don't mind about how many courses someone I'm meeting for lunch has. I did have a friend who would order 3 courses & only nibble at each. I hate wasting food & the time she ordered a lovely chocolate dessert & didn't even taste it because she didn't like the look of it was torture! I so badly wanted to say "if you don't want it, can I have it?" but that would have been totally non-U but it distracted me terribly until the waiter took it away.

I suppose we all have different ideas of what a friend is but I wouldn't even consider calling someone a friend if I couldn't ask for an uneaten dessert..

When I go out for a meal with our family, I always have a starter but they don't so I ask for my starter to be brought with their main meal so we can eat together and I then have a dessert while they have coffee.

I am not a big eater and always prefer a starter and a dessert rather than one large meal.

One of my ‘lunching’ friends, has a poor appetite. I like a nice mains, but she annoys me when she says ‘shall we share the main course’ and I always say No. It isn’t fair to her really, because I enjoy my meal. So what she does is order a ‘kid’s’ meal, although one restaurant refused to do that, because there was no ‘kid’ in our group

You may have known each other for years Stoker but she doesn’t sound pleasant company, tea and cake is a good plan.

crazyH

One of my ‘lunching’ friends, has a poor appetite. I like a nice mains, but she annoys me when she says ‘shall we share the main course’ and I always say No. It isn’t fair to her really, because I enjoy my meal. So what she does is order a ‘kid’s’ meal, although one restaurant refused to do that, because there was no ‘kid’ in our group

She could also ask for a main course okay and eat what she is hungry for of it - but then ask for a "doggie bag" to put the rest in. Restaurants/cafes etc don't seem to notify clients they do that - but any time I've asked for one they've done so with no problem.

pascal30

valdavi

I don't mind about how many courses someone I'm meeting for lunch has. I did have a friend who would order 3 courses & only nibble at each. I hate wasting food & the time she ordered a lovely chocolate dessert & didn't even taste it because she didn't like the look of it was torture! I so badly wanted to say "if you don't want it, can I have it?" but that would have been totally non-U but it distracted me terribly until the waiter took it away.

I suppose we all have different ideas of what a friend is but I wouldn't even consider calling someone a friend if I couldn't ask for an uneaten dessert..

She was an unusual friend, more a patron, older & richer but someone who immeasurably increased my self-esteem.Posh restaurant too. I wasn't scared to ask but knew there'd be a scathing response if I did.

LadyInBlue

When I go out for a meal with our family, I always have a starter but they don't so I ask for my starter to be brought with their main meal so we can eat together and I then have a dessert while they have coffee.

I am not a big eater and always prefer a starter and a dessert rather than one large meal.

👍🏻 good idea

Thank you, everyone.
So interesting to get rounded views, just what I wanted.
13 years ago I was ill and lost two stone. Weight plummeted to 6 and a bit stone.
I’ve put a stone back on again but still only 7 stone 5 ish.
Rarely feel hungry and have little sense of taste.
I’m not a foodie but happy to go out for a meal. It’s a social event too but not if the other person gets wound up!

I can't eat large meals either, particularly at lunchtime as husband and I are so used to eating in the evening at home. I have never understood why restaurants can be difficult about an adult asking for a child's meal; it takes the same effort to plate up a smaller portion and they are getting paid for a smaller quantity. Better surely than refusing the customer who would probably just have a drink to be sociable and the restaurant earn less.

Doggie bag ot take away box then you can nibble on it for the next few days

If I know the portions are large I ask for a child size portion. Because lack of strength in my hands I always ask for my food to be cut up for me in the kitchen . Never been refused and the food item is put together so it looks whole.
If it's a pizza I take home what's left same with afternoon tea.

If it's set menu have soup no bread and dessert usually ice cream .
Lost 7 st don't want to put it on and still trying to lose the last stone been trying for 3 years to lose it😂

I love going out for meals. OH does too. We often share a pudding. I’ll order the pudding and OH will ask for a spoon!If a course is enormous we ask for a doggie bag and this has never been be a problem. I don’t find anything wrong with eating someone’s left overs! When my daughter was with her partner they would order different food, eat half and then swop plates.