How Many Courses Do You Have in a Restaurant?

Just the main course for me. If I have a starter I wouldn’t be able to finish the main meal. Haven’t ordered a sweet in a restaurant for many years, I don’t have a sweet tooth.

Quite often I have two starters then, maybe a pudding. Three courses absolutely floor me these days.

A friend of mine often has a starter and a pudding with no main. I do like a starter, but these days tend to go straight to the main and see if there's room for the pudding when I've eaten it.

We went out for a meal at the weekend, no-one in our group had a starter. The main courses were substantial, I couldn't finish mine but everyone ordered a pudding.
Then I couldn't sleep because I had terrible indigestion.

One course would definitely have been enough. Unless it was the extra glass of wine which was bought for me, I didn't want it but it would have been rude not to drink it.

I either order just a main or a starter and a pudding.
Have never really been a 3 course diner unless is a set menu and then I choose my options carefully because I have GERD. Usually end up giving the dessert to someone else.

It really does depend on the restaurant and the portion sizes tbh. If it’s a new place to us we generally swerve the starters, have mains and depending on the size might have a dessert if we’re still ‘hungry’.

Usually just starter and main.

Aveline

Quite often I have two starters then, maybe a pudding. Three courses absolutely floor me these days.

Same! I often fancy the starters more, and main courses are often just too much.

I prefer having lunch out to having an evening meal. And I like the coffee and tiny dessert some restaurants serve.
Normally I would have a main and often share a dessert if a tiny one is not offered.

I eat much less over the day than I did in my 20s and 30s. And can quite happily miss a main meal or just have a sandwich occasionally. Cave man would not have eaten 3 meals every day.

I can't eat a lot these days for health reasons, so it would often just be one course, or if it's a smaller portion, perhaps a dessert too. Like HelterSkelter1, I do like when they offer a coffee and tiny dessert too.

Depends on the restaurant.

High end - all courses on offer.

Reasonable - maybe starter and main.

Cheap and cheerful - one - maybe main or starter.

Cheap and not so cheerful - I avoid like the plague.

It seems that the less you may the bigger the portions😄😄

I do wish restaurants, not all, wouldn't withhold the pudding menu, only bringing it along almost as an afterthought after the mains. Then I feel I could make an informed choice. If there is something really delectable on that, I'd rein in what I'm having first. If we agree on a pudding and there is a smidgen of room left, then we'll ask for two spoons, that's quite a common practice I do believe, in fact some restaurants will automatically bring two if only one orders on the assumption it is to be shared........not always

Similarly at home, I often used to make a pudding when we had a Sunday roast, but again there isn't room. I just have a well stocked freezer for ice creams, Magnum style the Aldi alternatives are just as appreciated by the grandchildren these days......and £££ cheaper when accumulating quite a few.

If on my own (quite a lot these days owing to circs) then just a main.

If dining with others a first and second course. Never pudding I don’t have a sweet tooth probably because wine has all the sugars I need.

I often find those who don’t drink alcohol enjoy cake/desserts.

Mostly 3 courses, but we do either have just 2. Either starter or Pud with main.
Lot depends where we eat.

I don't like alcohol or sweets desserts very much. Generally the starters are what tempts me.
On one recent occasion I saw the pudding menu and spotted a real favourite that I hadn't had for years. So I held back. Had a tiny starter then the pudding. Well it was awful. I was so disappointed (and hungry!)

I always look up the menu on line before eating out. I can then take my time choosing.
When I last went for a family meal, at a smokehouse, to celebrate my 80th, I chose to have two starters with fries as a side, which was more than enough for my good appetite.

Main courser only. I am not a fan of desserts.

I nearly always go for two courses, a main and a dessert. I love anything lemon, so a lemon posset is my favourite. If I do have three, I prefer something light to start.

Don’t eat out very often, and hate eating late.

Last time was with DS and family for DH’s birthday.

I had a main and a pudding, it was an Italian restaurant, think I chose chicken in white wine sauce, with a garden salad. No extra veg, rosemary potatoes or chips.

Then a crème brûlée. Light and delicious.

I love a pud to finish off when eating out, that’s why I don’t have a starter or heavy main.

One course is enough these days and I always choose something I don’t eat at home.
I eat out about every six weeks with an old friend and he is always most insistent that I join him with a pudding. Sometimes I reluctantly do, but feel forced as he doesn’t want to eat that course alone.
A crème brûlée is just right.

I cannot manage a 3 course meal now. If I go to a restaurant where they have a Light Bite choice which means smaller main course dishes then I will have a fish dish from that. I always have a pudding but nothing too heavy like crumble. I now choose possets, creme brulee or ice cream.

I normally have just the main course . I don’t have a sweet teeth , so I rarely have dessert . Sometimes my DH and I share a starter . One of the reasons I love a Greek , Turkish , Middle Eastern or tapas restaurant is the small plates eating . Lots of different dishes on the table and everyone sharing . My DD says lots of restaurants in London are doing small plates eating due to people on WLI having small appetites