Who decides your portion

Ever since I started being more mindful about what I eat and tracking my calorie intake, I realized the typical portions served by most restaurants aren't ideal for me.

In Malaysia, typical meals tend to be higher in carbohydrates and lower in fiber, unless you’re having a salad. If you’re on a high-protein diet like Keto or Paleo, most meals won’t have enough protein unless you order something like a steak.

This led me to some rather creative (for me) yet puzzling (for the restaurant) customizations to get the right balance of macros. I've ordered meals without rice or noodles, shared an extra portion of meat with a friend or even pieced together different dishes.

All this, however, comes at a cost. My meals are more expensive, and if the restaurant doesn't allow any tweaks, I may end up wasting food. It got me thinking —who decides the portions of these meals in the first place?

The Restaurant Decides

The obvious answer is the restaurant serving the meal. Based on their menu design, cuisine style, chef expertise and customer feedback, they determine portions that satisfy both their customers’ taste buds and their bottom line.

If I wanted the perfect ratio of protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrates on my plate, all I’d need to do is dine at restaurants that cater to my diet. But as a Malaysian, limiting myself to a single restaurant, cuisine, or style just feels wrong.

That said, the puzzle of portion sizes extends beyond restaurants. After all, they are businesses trying to turn a profit and are not immune to the hidden hand of the market.

The Market Decides

How much you pay for a meal is ultimately driven by the unit economics of the restaurant. The cost of ingredients, rent, and staff salaries all influence both the portion size and the price of each dish.

When the restaurant across the street decides to offer more for less, it creates pressure for others to follow suit. Everyone is trying to strike the right balance between price and portion to attract the ‘average consumer’—a consumer who, in reality, doesn’t really exist.

On top of that, government policies can influence portion sizes too. Subsidies that favor certain ingredients distort the economic logic behind what ends up on your plate. So, is it really the government and the market that decide your portion?

You Decide

By now, you’ve probably realized this isn’t really about how much carbs or protein you get in a meal. It’s about how we often assume the portion served to us is the right one—without question. We’ve effectively outsourced that decision to others, trusting that they have our best interests in mind.

The reason most meals are heavy on carbohydrates is simple: carbs are more economical than meat. Assuming meals should be carb-heavy just because that’s what’s typically offered is doing yourself a disservice. At the very least, you should understand why things are the way they are.

And this mindset applies far beyond food. The salary you’re offered for a new job. The quote you receive for a paint job. Even the rate you set for your own services. It’s worth pausing to examine the assumptions behind these numbers. Who decided what’s “right”? And is it right for you?

So the next time you sit down for a meal, ask yourself what you actually want from it. Don’t take it for granted. Don’t blindly accept what’s offered.

Control your portion, control your life.