Should Lubbock Restaurants Offer Smaller Portion Plates To Everyone?

I still wince when I think about the time I was very inebriated at IHOP, but then I remember: who hasn't been?

In my stupor, I kept trying to order off the senior menu, because that's what my heart really wanted. I also found reading difficult at the time. Eventually, the waitress relented and let me order my half-serving of pot roast.

I understand that kids' and senior menus exist to accommodate their typically smaller appetites and give parents and seniors a bit of a price break. However, shouldn't I be able to order a smaller portion if that's what I want or need?

A member of LBK Foodies brought up this question, and folks had opinions about it. Some said (in now deleted comments) that we should grow up and get a doggy bag.

That's what I usually do, but what if I'm not going home after my meal? I hate to waste food, so I find myself overeating and making myself uncomfortable in these situations.

Splitting a meal isn't always a great option, either. What if I'm not with someone I love/ trust that much, or what if we want different things?

Other folks suggested just trying to order off the seniors'/ kids' menu. I think that's an unfair situation to put your server in, especially if the restaurant is strict about it. Also, kids' menus tend to be pretty bland and boring.

Some places in Lubbock allow for "half orders" which are usually just a couple of dollars cheaper than the full-size, and it's rarely printed on the menu- you have to know about it and ask for it.

Plenty of people have had bariatric surgery, are on Ozempic, are trying (desperately, in my case) to exercise some self-control, or simply have a smaller appetite. Perhaps it would be to the mutual benefit of Lubbock restaurants and their patrons to offer petite plate options, actually printed on the menu.