How much has that portion grown?
Almost every standard portion has doubled since the 1980s while the plates around them grew too.
Almost exactly a soft drink, 1950s
200 g is more than 5 of the 8 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| bagel, 1980s | 85 g | 2.35× | |
| cinema popcorn, 1950s | 85 g | 2.35× | |
| burger, 1980s | 93 g | 2.15× | |
| bagel, today | 170 g | 1.18× | |
| soft drink, 1950s | 198 g | 1.01× | 7 fl oz |
| burger, today | 340 g | 0.588× | |
| cinema popcorn, today | 400 g | 0.5× | |
| soft drink, today | 591 g | 0.338× | 20 fl oz |
Worth knowing
- A cinema soft drink has grown from 7 fluid ounces in the 1950s to 20 or more today — nearly a threefold increase.
- Dinner plates have grown from about 25 cm across in 1960 to 28–30 cm now, which raises how much people serve themselves by roughly 20%.
Frequently asked
Why have portions grown?
Because the ingredients are the cheapest part of a meal out, so a larger portion at a slightly higher price improves margin. Once one chain does it, the rest follow.
Does plate size really matter?
Yes — the effect is consistent across studies, though smaller than the most-quoted figures. A smaller plate reduces served portions by roughly 10–20%.