Uptown restaurateurs chime in about the merits of mini morsels on menus

By Brook Larios

The world watched in horror as Morgan Spurlock super sized himself over a span of several months via a solely fast food diet. That was eight years ago and America’s fast food fervor continues.

Last week, Matt Brownell, a writer for thestreet.com, cited a recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal “Health Affairs.” Visitors at a Panda Express were given the option of downsizing (the antithesis of super-sizing) one of three starchy side dishes and, according to the study, only 14-33 percent of customers accepted, regardless of monetary incentive. The study was conducted in Durham, North Carolina; I wondered what our very own uptown restaurateurs thought about the concept.

First, I had to speak with someone in fast food. Since Jack in the Box is a San Diego company, surely a warm body at the Robinson Street location had something to say. The manager wisely ushered me to corporate, where spokesperson Brian Luscomb took a gander.

“We offer a lot of choices on our menu and a lot of value and that’s an everyday expectation that our guests have,” he said, “I would say our guests would not be looking for diminished value when it comes to spending their hard-earned dollars.”

‘Okay, sure,’ I told him. ‘Look, I’m guilty of snagging your enormously tasty two-fer tacos in a pinch; they’re delicious, but I can do that because my regular diet consists predominantly of unprocessed foods. Not so for many. Whose responsibility is it to ensure Americans are eating well? And how do we accomplish it?’

Luscomb insisted that Jack in the Box offers healthy menu options: the choice between grilled or fried chicken as well as entree-sized salads with dressing and toppings served on the side. He ultimately cited the need for personal responsibility. The solution was harder to pinpoint.

“People have a lot of choices when it comes to very individual lifestyles,” he said. “When it comes to food, there are a lot of options ranging from grocery stores, homes, farmers markets and backyard gardens. There’s no universal solution.”

Again, cutting portions, he said he believes, wouldn’t appeal to his value-driven clientele. Interestingly, Susie Baggs, co-owner of Hillcrest’s Empirehouse, agreed.

“I think, from a business standpoint, it’s probably not the best marketing idea,” she said. “From a personal standpoint, absolutely. I wish that was an option, since [monitoring our portions] is not something we do as Americans. The people that frequent those places, [however] don’t necessarily want a smaller size,” she said referencing places like Jack in the Box or McDonald’s.

Barry Braden, co-owner of Hillcrest’s Local Habit, concurs. A supporter of local growers and ranchers that practice humane animal husbandry, Braden said the slim profit margins of fast food eateries make them a less than favorable option for portion experimentation. Each time a fast food restaurant decision maker changes a menu item, they must think about changes in marketing, packaging and more.

“My father said — and still says — it’s a penny business; one or two cents on every dollar [makes a difference],” he said. “Americans tend to over portion themselves and a lot of it is driven by fast food.”

Laura Sullivan, owner of Hillcrest’s The Deli Llama, loves the idea of implementing portion-controlled options in fast food restaurants, but also questions whether it would appeal to those who frequently eat fast food.

“There was a time when McDonald’s tried to do a healthy version of one of their hamburgers and it didn’t work. I think it’s a big question whether people look to fast food for that option,” she said. “If I’m going to break down and go to McDonald’s, I’m not going to opt for the healthier thing. I’m going to go someplace else [for that].

Braden insisted we shouldn’t look to fast food companies as leaders in the march toward healthy eating. It is the responsibility of parents to instill good habits in their children.

Now, the term downsizing carries an unmistakably negative connotation, so I hoped uptown’s restaurateurs could come up with a more inventive term. I asked four what they could come up with on the spot:

Suzie Baggs, Empirehouse: Appropriate-sizing
Barry Braden, Local Habit: Right-sizing
Elena Rivellino, Sea Rocket Bistro: Smart-sizing or fit-sizing
Laura Sullivan, The Deli Llama: Bite-sizing or lunch-sizing