Pop-Up Restaurant Lets Diners Pick Portion Sizes

It can be tough to guess portion sizes when eating out. Is that pizza going to be small plate or a passable wagon wheel? Size Matters, a new pop-up restaurant concept in London's Soho is trying to tackle that problem with an experiment where customers pick their own portion sizes, which they say gives diners more control over their calorie intake and cuts down on food waste.

"The idea is to give the guest greater control over their portion size," a spokesperson said to The Daily Mail. "You hear a lot over the internet about portion sizes and how difficult it is for restaurants to get it right, so we thought it would be a good idea to put that choice into the guest's hands."

The temporary restaurant is a spin-off of Criterion Restaurant in Piccadilly Circus that will be open until June 4.

The menu, developed by Criterion chef Matthew Foxon, is made up of classic British pub food like beef burgers and fish and chips. The starters, main courses, and desserts are all available in small, medium, and large sizes.
The small burger, for example, is a bite-size mini burger for £8. The medium is a £11 double cheeseburger. The large is a £15.50, three-patty monstrosity that oozes cheese. It looks awesome.

The small sizes are bite-sized small plates intended as a light snack because they likely wouldn't satisfy as a full meal. The large sizes are gargantuan, but meant to be shared.

"The large sizes are mainly chosen when there is a large group and they share everything around – the dishes work really well for sharing," the restaurant explained.

As a bonus, the restaurant said the experiment has been cutting back on food waste because people can order just as much as they are able to finish.