I don't eat out much (not counting grabbing a sandwich at the cafeteria when they have a particularly yummy special), but the few times I have, I've been somewhat startled at the amount of food on the plate given to me. It could feed three people at least! I just don't know why restaurants feel they have to give people so much food. To give people their money's worth? If they can't eat it all, it just goes to waste (because you are right, Weet, restaurant leftovers are never the same the next day) and isn't that a waste of money, too? And if they do eat it all, they pay for it with the physical pain of having eaten too much and maybe the psychological pain caused by the guilt of eating too much. Embarrassment might fit in there, too, if the person who decides to eat their entire meal and get their money's worth (or, perhaps they just really enjoy it)is overweight and other people stare. I don't know if there is a universal solution. I do wish restaurants would provide smaller portions, or at least give you the option of halving your desired meal at a discounted price, but then there's the whole they'll make less money and go out of business thing. My mom and I have started sharing meals on those rare occasions when we eat out. Sometimes we get charged more for it (can't remember what that's called), but it's worth it to us to have at least some control over what we eat.

You raise really interesting questions about entitlement. and, just the idea of value. I've had a friend literally say "I judge the success of a resteraunt based on biomass I consume." I've always thought the portions I get eating out are crazy. I like lisa-marie's idea of having a choice. because, I really do tend to eat most of what's put in front of me, at least when I'm hanging out and talking. So, quite frankly, while I agree with you that it isn't the chef's fault how much I eat, I'd like some other ways to make the choice than just being told that clearly I should just put down the fork halfway through the meal. to answer the question about why, at least the answer I've heard is that by serving more food, they can justify higher prices and get more profit(it doesn't cost most places with a good bulk deal anywhere near twice as much to make twice as much food)

I have a very hard time putting down the fork when things taste soo soo good, even though I often experience a "law of diminishing returns" effect -- that 34th bite, when my stomach already hurts, tastes not nearly as good as, say, the second bite, when my tastebuds are primed for deliciousness but my waistband is not cutting me in half. This is why I like tag-team dining, whether with my partner, my sister, or a friend. We pick an appetizer or two, and one entree, with the unspoken rule that if we are still hungry, we will order something else. We almost never do. The lag time between "oh, man, no more potstickers!" and rechecking the menu, flagging down a server, etc. allows our blood sugar to catch up with our mouths, and more often than not, we decide, eh, I guess we aren't still hungry after all.

Oh, and me? I think leftover seafood cannelloni, or really any pasta dish, sounds delicious. I love that I get to relive the decadence of the night before.

I sometimes think that part of what you're paying for in those super-fancy restaurants with the teeny-tiny portions is ... the teeny-tiny portions. It's usually delicious and, once you've had appetizers and an entree, plenty of food. It is sort of perverse, though, to pay MORE in order not to leave the place feeling all over-stuffed.

My husband and I have discovered that we're frequently happier at restaurants splitting a meal consisting of an appetizer or salad, a single entree, and then if we're not feeling full, we discuss dessert.

And I've stopped feeling self-conscious about taking food home, or if I know that's won't work, abandoning it.

I also tend to overeat when I go out unless I watch myself. One method I've found that works reasonably well is to mentally halve what's on your plate when it's first brought to you. Eat half of the food, then pause, talk a little, sip some wine/water, and reflect on whether or not you are actually truly hungry anymore. If you are, eat half of what remains (i.e., another quarter). You'll probably be full long before you come close to finishing everything on the plate. The rest I "doggie bag" for another meal the next day. Fyi, I have a hard time resisting dessert. I try to share with a friend, family member, boyfriend, etc. Or sometimes I'm bad and eat less "real" food so I can indulge in the entire dessert portion. Eh, you only live once, right?

This is why I like Japanese restaraunts. Assuming you don't go for a giant teriyaki platter or bento box, your entire meal consists of getting little tiny portions of a variety of things. You get to pick your portion size (quantity) in advance and it works out nicely in that regard.