Hmm, personally i think that if your eating out up to three times a week then you are being cheap if your splitting dishes. Why not eat out less and get each person their own dish and save money by eating the leftovers for a meal the next day. As far as kids go though it can be a waste to buy them a whole dinner, just let them graze off your fries then feed them a real dinner when you get home.

my wife and I have always wanted to "split" meals not because of thrift but because we are normally served double the amount we would ever eat!

yeah we can take it home, but it usually does not taste as good the next day (or whenever it is we get around to finishing it, if we don't toss it...)

We actually have avoided restaurants that my wife thinks "serves too much".

We don't chow down when we eat, we normally nosh all day and eat small portions more often.

I do this in big groups and when the portions are "family" sized. I've found the best way to do this is to have everyone agree on a few things to order and then have one person order for the table... that takes a little sting off the waiter.

My wife and I were in PF Changs a few days ago and noticed that they redesigned their menu. There are now at least two dishes that say "perfect for sharing" or something to that effect in the description.

If you're splitting it with your kid - then I can understand.

If you're at The Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant where their entrees are inordinately huge, I can also understand.

If you're at a family-style restaurant, sure - go ahead. That's the point.

In most other cases, however, I feel that it's kind of tacky, and not a little bit disrespectful to the chef and owner.

Aside from buffets, I almost always spilt a meal. Never even crossed my mind about being tacky. Ruby Tuesday, Outback, Chili's... those dinners are huge.

My gf and I will often split a burger, fries and a shake at the local burger bistroes around here. They're already serving humongous $9 burgers, and with the high margin fries and shake, we don't feel bad about it.

I agree with many of the commenters: restaurant portions have been huge for a long time, so it has always made sense to split certain dishes. If restaurants would pare pack their serving sizes (and prices accordingly), I would be more willing not to split entrees.

Some places charge for splitting.

@Aladdyn: My thoughts exactly. If you order two meals like anyone else and take leftovers from both, you still get two meals for two people for two days. There's no doubt that taking leftovers is socially acceptable, and I'd much rather do that. You can even mix it up and swap the leftovers for the next day, if you're worried about repetition.

If you want to avoid paying the splitting cost, simply ask for another plate. Don't tell the server you're splitting or anything, just say "can I have an extra plate please?" and then split it up yourselve. The extra charge you're paying for is for the extra work that goes in to splitting the dish in to two decent looking portions, sure 5 bucks is a little high for something like that, but you'll probably see that in more of the bigger cities/establishments. Not at Olive Garden.

@DevoAlmighty: I did this at Carnegie Deli in NYC and was charged $3 for the empty plate. The restaurant did none of the splitting.

I have a small appetite so I usually go into restaurants with the idea that one entree can hold me 2-3 meals. Asking for doggie bags makes me feel less weird than splitting someone else's food or sharing plates.

@microcars: Word. Portions at restaurants are out of control. Not everyone wants to eat 4 cups of pasta in one sitting.

A splitting fee? LOL. You mean a forced tip that means no additional tip will be provided.

@DevoAlmighty: If you are having them make up two plates, then a fee makes sense.

Just bring a paper plate with you or actually share the plate. Also restaurants usually provide a free small plate for bread. Use that.

At the resturant I work at splitting a meal, while sometimes annoying, is perfectly allowed and if we notice that you've ordered one starter and there are two of you we'll usually split it without asking anyway. Customers love it when they you bring it to the table already split, especially on puddings.

@ryaninc: Even though PF Changs is more Americanized in its fusion food approach to Asian cuisine, a common aspect of all Asian cuisine is that it's share-friendly. My parents and my grandparents were somewhat perplexed when they first immigrated here and found that in America, people don't typically keep large plates of food in the center of the table for everyone to share and place on their own individual plates. Everyone got their own meal, and it seemed very strange to them.

I don't necessarily see it as being cheap...it's a cultural thing too.

If you SIMPLY MUST eat out, and not cook at home, and you want to share, but the restaurant dislikes or wont alllow sharing, JUST GET IT TO GO and eat at home.

Splitting meals should be a relatively subtle practice. Don't treat it as being cheap, just look at it as a meal being too big for just one person. I also think if you walk into a restaurant, and feel awkward about something you normally do, you probably shouldn't do it there. I would feel weird going into an upscale place and trying to split a meal.

@Corporate_guy: Yeah, I'm not walking into a restaurant with my own plate. Sorry. I get that the restaurant is losing out on that second meal, but $3 for a plate is annoying.

@YardanKabolla: A lot of places don't do to go orders. Plenty of more upscale restaurants won't do this. It really doesn't bother me though. My view on this is that I picked the restaurant, I wanted to have a good experience there. If being able to afford an upscale place means I have to split a meal, I probably shouldn't be going there to begin with. So when I go to better establishments (you know, they kind of expect you to come in dressed well) I don't expect for them to want me to split a meal, or be happy about it. But most of them are really nice about it because they know you're spending a heck of a lot of money there. BUT, if they oppose to splitting, don't be the jerk who raises a ruckus because you want your way. Just deal with it, and order separate plates.

@Plates: I suggest trying chinese restaurants then, it's expected that everyone splits the food there.

I frequently just order an appetizer when we go out, simply because I'm a low-volume eater. If I do order an entree, I'll order with the understanding that I should order something that will be good reheated the next day and either DH or I can take it for lunch.

(A rant -- there's a great bistro in our town that offers a luscious, one-price Sunday brunch, but we never go because I can't eat $$$ worth of FOOD in one sitting! I wish they'd offer a mini-brunch for those of us who wouldn't pack it away in our hampster cheeks. DH would probably get his money's worth, but I would not. So they lose our business...)

When I go out with friends, we usually order a few appetizers to share and pass them around. We DO leave a great tip!

We've done it for a long time. Not to be frugal but to be healthy. Like other comments shown, portions are huge and wasteful. Often, it is impractical to bring leftovers home with you (i.e. vacationing).

Welcome to my entire life. When I was little, I didn't even go to McDonald's without having to split a meal between my mom, myself, and my 4 brothers. Imagine what it was like going to a sit-down restaurant and splitting just an appetizer with the entire family (usually going out to a sit-down restaurant was thanks to winning a prize on the radio or something crazy). Even now when I'm out with my mom, we'll very happily split and even have enough to take home and eat for another meal.

@Aladdyn: It's cheap to split something, but it's frugal to let kids "graze off your fries"? =)

My wife and I will split entrees sometimes, though it's less financial, and more the fact that they serve about three times as much food as one person needs to eat in a single sitting...

@Kishi: I guess a better alternative would be to order your meal and instead of ordering another meal for your kid, or even ordering a child's size (cause kids are fickle and will most likely not even eat what you order them) just use an appetizer plate or something and separate part of your meal for them and give them more as they want it.

Most restaurants aren't going to charge for that anyway. They make very little off the scraps they pass as the children's menu.

@Andi Lee: How do you split one meal between six people?

@pecan 3.14159265: Very carefully, I would imagine.

@microcars: This is exactly what we do too. We usually order a number of appetizer plates and share them 'tapas' style.

Sharing plates being considered 'tacky' is an American phenomena. In Europe and Asia, it's common to share plates. Ever heard of tapas? In the US it's because restaurants serve you portion sizes 2-3 times the size they should be. They sell more, they make more.

@OminousG:

Not to mention that those sorts of restaurants are not exactly fine dining, and I don't think they really have the right to be offended that you want to split a pound of quesadilla. (Not being pretentious, these are the restaurants I eat at too. But I don't think chain restaurants should have the same stigma of offending the chef/owner.)

@Aladdyn: i'd rather not eat leftovers though. if i can split a meal with someone a couple times a week rather than eat out each having an entree one night and having to reheat leftovers for another night, i'd GLADLY split two meals. reheating sucks yo.

I just wish more restaurants would have a few entrees that are not super sized. I frequently end up ordering appetizers because there is no way I can finish any of the entrees.

I never knew typical (aka, not buffet style places) cared or surcharged you if you split a dish. That seems super assy.

@miss_roxxan: @Aladdyn: What if you enjoy the experience of eating out? I enjoy going to a restaurant, having a drink... enjoying the company and not having to clean up. I don't see why I can't save a few bucks by sharing a meal with my husband at the same time.

I would do it 3X a week if I could.

Eating out 2-3 times per week?

How about eating at home - you can put it on as many plates as you'd like. She's a "stay at home mom," but doesn't have time to cook? I thought that's why people stayed home.

I know my self-esteem and sense of worth trumps whatever the serving or kitchen staff thinks of me. Whether I am sharing a plate or taking it home, it's my food. I bought it. And I always tip well (and not always based on the dollar amount, but also factoring in the time spent at the table and attention paid).

If someone wants to think I am tacky, then so be it. Not my issue - though if I perceive such an inference, I will cheerfully not patronize that eating place again, and make my opinion known. :)

@Corporate_guy: Your server keeps none of the splitting fee.

You're cheating them, not the restaurant that imposed the fee.

I could care less what people think when I split a dish. It's my money and I do with it what I see fit. One restaurant gave me a hard time about it once - it was against their 'policy' to allow it. I asked the server to check with the manager. They did and wouldn't do it so I told them I wouldn't be back, walked out and have never been back.

Strangely they are out of business now. I like to think I had a part in that.

I was a server in a past life and never had any problems with people doing it myself.

@formatc:

I don't get why so many people are worried about being socially acceptable about something as minor as this? Is this highschool or something?

@Kishi:

That's just what I was thinking. The average portions have doubled from what they used to be. I can almost always get two meals out of whatever I order in a restaurant anymore.

I draw the line, however, at dumpster-diving the restaurant, taking the food back in, then asking them to re-plate it for me. Unless I order an appetizer.

@YardanKabolla: If you do get a meal to go, PLEASE remember to tip!! Even if it's only a dollar or two... I can't even recall all the times I've run around like crazy packaging up to-go meals, grabbing the appropriate utensils, bagging and carrying the packages to the front, *all while attending to my regular duties*, only to be rewarded with a quick wave as the customer dashes out the door. It's truly crushing. Also, my current restaurant doesn't generally charge the splitting fee (only $1) if you get dessert or some soup as well.

@Gene Gemperline: The chef and owner just have to deal with it or I can take my business elsewhere.

How about that?

@Aladdyn: Some foods are not very good reheated. There's also the added inconvenience of bringing the food back home, giving your car that leftover food smell, reheating the leftovers, sending the take-home styrofoam container to a landfill, and doing dishes.

@Gene Gemperline: In this economy, most restaurants would be glad for *any* customer.

Anyway, less food might mean more money for alcohol, which is what restaurants really make their money off of.

been doing this for years.

longhorn's chicken fingers are a good bet. most times we cant finish the meal between the wife and i.

@MichaelLC: It does call into question why she thinks she's qualified to write a frugality blog if the family has a stay-at-home parent and they still go out to dinner 2-3 times a week?