Crispy Rice with Crab is one of eight new Bites that sells for $10 at The Cheesecake Factory. | Photo courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory.
The Cheesecake Factory is famous for its overly generous portions, a selling point for a loyal fanbase and a differentiator in the casual-dining space.
Those huge salads, pastas and entrees—deliberately designed to provide leftovers to take home—continue to be a draw and identifier for the Calabasas, California-based chain. But in July, Cheesecake Factory launched a new menu category called Bites, petitely portioned food with a gentler price tag.
“Our chefs were inspired to create flavorful dishes that would be a perfect beginning to your meal at an attractive price point—but in true Cheesecake Factory fashion, the Bites are generously portioned and much more than a bite,” said David M. Gordon, president of The Cheesecake Factory Inc., in an email to Restaurant Business. Chicken & Biscuits sounds downright hearty, featuring house-made buttermilk biscuits with fried chicken, sausage gravy and hot honey butter, but the eight-item lineup also includes Avocado Toast with arugula, red onion and tomatoes, Ricotta Cheese Toast with orange honey, New Orleans Cajun Shrimp and Crispy Rice Cakes with Crab. All sell for under $10.
Chicken & Biscuits is one of the heartier Bites on the menu. | Photo courtesy of The Cheesecake Factory.
Some restaurants are downsizing portions to attract the growing group of Americans on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which diminish the appetite. Others are offering smaller dishes of food at a lower price point to snag value-conscious consumers or capitalize on the snacking trend. And there’s also a push to give diners more variety. Options like Cheesecake Factory’s Bites encourage mixing and matching or the opportunity to come in for a lighter meal at an off time.
“We don’t see these as value meals per se, rather, they are at an attractive price point, adding wonderful value to our menu,” said Gordon. “In 2009, we introduced our Small Plates and Snacks menu category, which, at the time, ranged from small salads to appetizers and flatbread pizzas. Our new Bites are primarily handheld dishes.”
Indeed, Cheesecake Factory still offers a large selection of small plates and snacks. Many are plated to be shared, such as the Chicken Taquitos ($12.50), Korean Cauliflower ($12.95), Cheeseburger Spring Rolls ($13.95) and Stuffed Mushrooms ($14.50). And the menu has about 25 appetizers, also shareable but in larger portions and priced closer to $20.
Introduced at the same time as the Bites are new Bowls, which run up to $16 and are targeted to lunch and dinner customers who are looking for more wallet-friendly options. They also travel well, providing more options for takeout and delivery customers, said Gordon. Both Bites and Bowls are spotlighted on a separate Specials Card.
“The Cheesecake Factory is all about choices, offering our guests more than 250 items to choose. We believe these new options will appeal to our current guests and also could potentially attract new guests,” said Gordon.
Fast casuals are also trying to change their value perception, many offering special promotions, discounts and deals. But Broomfield, Colorado-based Noodles & Company took a different approach, introducing a new menu category like Cheesecake Factory did. The fast casual’s new Delicious Duos pair a smaller portion of an entree with a side for $9.95, offering customers a lighter meal any time of day for less money.
In a survey conducted by Pollfish on behalf of Noodles & Company, nearly half of respondents said they prefer a small entree paired with a side, while more than 75% say price and value are top priorities when dining out.
A Delicious Duo of Rigatoni Rosa with Parmesan Chicken and Lemon Parmesan Broccoli. | Photo courtesy of Noodles & Company.
The Duos start with downsized servings of Noodles’ best sellers, such as Pulled Pork BBQ Mac & Cheese, Rigatoni Rosa with Parmesan Chicken and Pad Thai, which guests can partner with a small Caesar salad or garden salad, cup of chicken noodle soup or a veggie like Lemon Parmesan Broccoli. Duos with protein run slightly more, going for $10.85, but the meals are lower in calories and offer more variety.
“Typically, most chains don’t offer smaller portions, but there’s a subset of our audience that is looking for a half portion of a noodle bowl rounded out with a salad or side,” said Scott Davis, chief concept cfficer of Noodles & Company. “This new menu category works for lunch or dinner, but particularly meets that afternoon need state.”
The fast casual brought back its side salad to create the Delicious Duos, but everything else was already on the menu. And the bowls sized for smaller entrees for were on hand, too.
To celebrate the new menu launch, Noodles & Company sponsored a Dress as a Duo Day on Aug.16, inviting guests to come with a friend or family member dressed as a favorite iconic pair—like peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper or Batman and Robin. Participants scored 50% off a Delicious Duos meal.
Back on the full-service side, Houston-based Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille debuted Petite Bar Plates at three Chicago-area locations, also in August. The curated menu offers 16 options of the restaurant’s signature soups, entrees and desserts served in lighter, tasting-size portions.
Entrees include a 3-ounce Petite Filet Perry Stack, a pork chop sampler, grilled lamb lollipop or Spaghetti Squash Primavera. Created expressly for this menu are a Petite Salmon Fillet Perry and Little Gem Salad.
An array of Perry’s Petite Bar Plates. | Photo courtesy of Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille.
A dinner entree at upscale Perry’s is usually in the range of $40-$60, but these petite portions run from $13-$39. The mini soups and salads are $5-$7 and mini desserts a flat $5. The new menu is available only in Perry’s Bar 79 and Patio, but it allows guests more flexibility and variety than a multi-course dinner in the dining room.
“The menu can be completely customized based on guest preference and budget, allowing selections from either the soup/salad sampling, entree tasting portion or dessert minis in your preferred combination — with a specific price per item,” said Lesa Sorrentino, chief strategy officer of Perry’s. “We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from guests during its first weeks, and our hope is that the success of this offering will keep it available long term.”
While the idea of downsizing portions in the form of smaller plates, snacks and bar food is not especially novel, these new menus are targeting value in a more direct way than before. And they give the diner greater spending flexibility and more creative options.
