We have to talk about what happened when one customer opened up his takeout from Longhorn Steakhouse recently, as found by Bro Bible. TikTok user Mathiah (@mathiah_) posted a video showing off the small portion that he got in terms of chicken, and honestly, the amount of meat served is just pathetic.
This order looked rough. Mathiah had ordered a chicken salad for takeout, and he was quick to point out that the non-meat components looked delicious, featuring fresh lettuce, feta cheese, and grapes, with the dressing served neatly on the side. Then you get to the protein compartment. It contained maybe seven small pieces of grilled chicken breast, filling less than half the designated space.
That is just unacceptable for a main dish. When he saw the sad little portion, all he could say was, “Come on.” I feel that, buddy. That meager serving makes even Olive Garden’s allegedly shrinking portions look generous. This whole incident is a perfect illustration of shrinkflation, which is something we’ve been seeing everywhere lately.
Food portions are getting far too small at restaurants
Shrinkflation happens when companies reduce the size of a product, or in this case, a restaurant portion, but keep the price exactly the same, or sometimes they even bump it up a little. Since food prices are already soaring and consumers are dealing with higher costs everywhere, people are really noticing when they feel they are getting ripped off on portion size.
After Mathiah posted the video, the comments section immediately lit up with mixed reactions. One viewer joked about the minuscule amount of meat, saying, “A chicken sneezed near that salad,” which is honestly a top-tier roast. Others wondered if the delivery person might have sampled the meal before it arrived at Mathiah’s home in Los Angeles.
Things like this and tips are why it is so hard to go to restaurants lately. While Longhorn is getting heat right now, they certainly aren’t the only ones accused of this money-saving practice. This is a huge issue across the entire restaurant landscape. We know that customers are tracking this stuff seriously, too. One economic report from Q2 2022 noted that people were using the term “shrinkflation” way more often in their online reviews.
Other viral complaints have targeted chains like Cheesecake Factory for allegedly serving smaller slices, and some folks have claimed that Olive Garden’s pasta portions now look like they belong on a kids’ menu. Ouch. People are actively posting photos and tracking these changes in online communities dedicated entirely to documenting shrinkflation.
