How Many Courses Do You Have in a Restaurant?

Depends entirely on the restaurant and the company, if lots of people and interesting conversation then the meal takes much longer and may well eat more.
In a top tier place I would have however many courses on offer as they would be smaller and better balanced not overly large and heavy.
In a middle of the road place i would have either just a main or else a starter and dessert.

Usually two. I look at the starters first and if I like something I will have a starter and a mains. Or I might look at dessert and if there is something I really fancy or that I like I will sometimes opt for mains and dessert. I rarely have three courses, sometimes I do at Christmas but usually mains and Christmas Pudding.

Terribull, why not just ask to see the pudding menu before you order any starter/main?

I like a starter and a dessert- I feel you get a wider choice and don’t feel too stuffed!

Depends on the menu. Sometimes a starter and main. Don't eat desserts.

Some restaurants here do smaller plates for older custoners too.
DH usually has 3 courses, so I have starter & main, as I don't like sitting there hungry while he has his starter, but don't mind having a coffee or even just waiting, while he eats his pudding.

Many restaurants here in Germany have a "Seniorenmenu" - smaller portions for older customers, as well as a "Kindermenu" for children. Even if I order one of those dishes, it is invariably too much and I end up taking half of it home. I certainly ask for it to be wrapped up if I have to order a normal sized portion. I just can't eat a great amount any more.

I suppose I should order just a starter but I haven't had the nerve to do that so far.

I would like to see more restaurants offering smaller portions for those without big appetites. It is so wasteful when food is returned uneaten, and many won't allow over 12s to order from the children's menu.

I do understand that smaller portions still have to be prepared and cooked, so the discount can't necessarily be proportionate to the portion size, but even a small discount would be good.

They might find that more people ordered starters and puddings if the portions were smaller, particularly at lunchtime.

Astitchintime

It really does depend on the restaurant and the portion sizes tbh. If it’s a new place to us we generally swerve the starters, have mains and depending on the size might have a dessert if we’re still ‘hungry’.

I visited a posh restaurant ( it was a gift to me) and had three courses and a coffee, got home still hungry and made cheese on toast, so yes it hugely depends on the restaurant.
Normally I have a main and then a coffee only.

I read recently that some restaurants are introducing a minimum charge for food, They are saying people are not spending enough and also more people are not drinking alcohol so less profit on that.
I personally can only manage a main course, like puddings but tend to avoid.

I can’t manage a main course, a big plate of food puts me off eating altogether, so I have a starter and sometimes a pudding ( or share one with DH).

Two - main and afters

Just a main meal

A lot of my friends ask for the starter as their mains. Then they may or may not have a dessert.

Usually just one. But sometimes starter and main OR main and pudding. Never all three .

It depends where I eat. There are two restaurants where I can’t resist a particular starters so will have two courses, but usually it’s just a main because I rarely eat dessert. I don’t tend to eat much generally these days.

We now eat out mainly at lunch time or quite early in the evening, between 6.00-6.30, so we have time to digest our meal before we go to bed.

I do not have a sweet tooth and rarely have a dessert, even when everyone else is having one. I usually have a starter and main course. However there are one or two restaurants we have stopped going to because their portions are just too big.

I normally have just the main course . I don’t have a sweet teeth , so I rarely have dessert . Sometimes my DH and I share a starter . One of the reasons I love a Greek , Turkish , Middle Eastern or tapas restaurant is the small plates eating . Lots of different dishes on the table and everyone sharing . My DD says lots of restaurants in London are doing small plates eating due to people on WLI having small appetites

I cannot manage a 3 course meal now. If I go to a restaurant where they have a Light Bite choice which means smaller main course dishes then I will have a fish dish from that. I always have a pudding but nothing too heavy like crumble. I now choose possets, creme brulee or ice cream.

One course is enough these days and I always choose something I don’t eat at home.
I eat out about every six weeks with an old friend and he is always most insistent that I join him with a pudding. Sometimes I reluctantly do, but feel forced as he doesn’t want to eat that course alone.
A crème brûlée is just right.

Don’t eat out very often, and hate eating late.

Last time was with DS and family for DH’s birthday.

I had a main and a pudding, it was an Italian restaurant, think I chose chicken in white wine sauce, with a garden salad. No extra veg, rosemary potatoes or chips.

Then a crème brûlée. Light and delicious.

I love a pud to finish off when eating out, that’s why I don’t have a starter or heavy main.

I nearly always go for two courses, a main and a dessert. I love anything lemon, so a lemon posset is my favourite. If I do have three, I prefer something light to start.

Main courser only. I am not a fan of desserts.

I always look up the menu on line before eating out. I can then take my time choosing.
When I last went for a family meal, at a smokehouse, to celebrate my 80th, I chose to have two starters with fries as a side, which was more than enough for my good appetite.

I don't like alcohol or sweets desserts very much. Generally the starters are what tempts me.
On one recent occasion I saw the pudding menu and spotted a real favourite that I hadn't had for years. So I held back. Had a tiny starter then the pudding. Well it was awful. I was so disappointed (and hungry!)