Olive Garden - Portions Have Been Downsized!!

Posted by littleshorty on 2012-08-19:

Huge portions are why so many people are obese. What they are giving you are actually normal size portions

Posted by spiderman2 on 2012-08-19:

I'm betting you that it wasn't hand made and did come from a freezer.

Posted by Mrs. V on 2012-08-19:

I don't mind the smaller portions so much, but they need to drop the price if they drop the portion size, I think.

Posted by melissa253 on 2012-08-19:

I agree with you 'littleshorty'

Posted by trmn8r on 2012-08-19:

Yes, this has been publicized (through comments like yours) for many months now. It is likely an effort to not raise prices and scare people away. It does irritate a percentage of customers, but probably not as many as if prices went up 10% or more.

Posted by clutzycook on 2012-08-19:

Perhaps, LS. But the OP didn't feel they got their money's worth.

Posted by Wally86 on 2012-08-19:

If they are going to downgrade the portion then they need to reduce the prices. But honestly after i'm done scarfing down the bread-sticks and salad I don't have much room left for my entree anyway but that's besides the point.

Posted by Bill on 2012-08-19:

I ate at Olive Garden two weekends ago and had the Shrimp/pasta special. The portion size was adequate but unfortunately the shrimp was frozen.
I guess for $15.00 you can't expect too much.

Posted by ok4now on 2012-08-20:

I never found the portions huge but ample and I got my money's worth. Now the prices have gone up and the portions are cut in half. This is not a good value. The salad is now mostly lettuce and onions. While the soup is still good they frown upon ordering seconds.

On my most recent visit I ordered the stuffed chicken breast with a cheese topping for $16.00 When served it was the size of an appetizer. Five bites and it would have been gone. I sent it back. Olive Garden is going to loose a lot of customers if they don't change their portion sizes.

Posted by yoke on 2012-08-20:

Went to OG a few months ago and noticed the same thing. I did not mind the smaller portion, but was suprised how much the prices had gone up. The waitress was very stingy on bringing another salad and breadsticks. Had to ask her several times for refills before she finally got them. It was not just our server as we saw other customers having the same issue when wanting refills on salad.

Posted by CrazyRedHead on 2012-08-20:

I agree with littleshorty on this. They are probably what normal sized portions should look like. The food industry has spoiled this country in the past.

Posted by Prince Caesar on 2012-08-20:

The way I look at it, is what others said....if they want to dwindle the sizes and keep customers, they better dwindle the bill too....For 16 dollars for an entree, you should be full.

Whether its a "normal" size, if people are still leaving hungry then there is a problem. Especially since its an italian place....most italian meals are big in portion......

The last time I went to OG I had the unlimited soup and salad for a late lunch early dinner....I go before lunch is lunch is over and dinner is switched over.

Posted by Moly on 2012-11-30:

Waycross, Ga. Olive Garden. Talked husband into going. Shocked when they sat our plates down! I ate tiny bites and sat fork down. 1/2 cup serving. 2 people 32.00. Last time and telling all my friends. I do W.W. and serving size is larger. Lesson learned!!!!!

Posted by totallyforgiven on 2012-12-09:

The last time we ate at Olive Garden, they had downsized the portions so much, that you felt like you were kidding a kids meal, they were not a normal serving size. Granted, some restaurants do give extra large portions, but Olive Garden seems to go the other way. I think a lot of restaurants try to make bigger profits, so rather than slightly raise their prices, they reduce the portion sizes.

Our food was so lousy, along with the service that we don't ever want to go back, we use to love to eat their. HMMMM, they better learn from the restaurant chain ChiChi's, lol, they were doing the same thing, and they went under. Wonder when the restaurants are going to realize that without us, the customers, they will go under?