Shrinkflation is an unfortunate evil. It’s hit everything from grocery stores to fast food and now apparently the kids’ menu at sit-down restaurants.
While some people are coming after the consumer, others say it’s really greedy corporations that are to blame. What’s your take?
Is This Even Enough For A Kid?
In a trending TikTok with more than 138,700 views, content creator Lewis (@tv.lewis_) shared a photo of what LongHorn Steakhouse served as a kids’ meal steak.
“Idk if I want to be mad or laugh. This is the alleged size of long horns kids meal steak these days,” the text overlay read.
In the image, there’s a piece of meat so small it barely occupies a corner of the takeout container. The container also shows a lobster tail (which wasn’t even supposed to be there) and a small serving of mac and cheese.
“Disregard the lobster tail being on the wrong plate. Let’s talk about this steak. LongHorn served this as a kids’ steak and then told me all kids’ steaks are now 4 oz. If that’s the case, the menu should reflect it because this portion is wild,” she explained in the caption.
BroBible verified that LongHorn Steakhouse does not list the steak size for a kid’s meal on the online menu.
A 4-Ounce Steak
According to WebstaurantStore, a standard serving size for sirloin steak (the cut LongHorn uses for its kids’ meal) is 8 to 10 ounces per adult. Four ounces is closer to a breakfast or corporate lunch portion.
What Is Shrinkflation?
Shrinkflation is what happens when restaurants or corporations keep prices the same (or raise them) while quietly making portions smaller, Taste of Home explains.
Yelp data shows the trend is widespread, with 47 states seeing an increase in inflation-related complaints between 2021 and 2022, and 35 states reporting more than a 25% increase in that period.
The drivers are familiar: rising food costs, ingredient shortages, higher wages, and supply chain issues. The result is that customers often don’t find out anything changed until they’re already sitting in front of a smaller plate and with an emptier stomach.
Why Adults Have Been Ordering The LongHorn Kids’ Meal
LongHorn kids’ steak has been circulating on social media as a money-saving hack for adults. According to Chowhound, a food media publication, the kids’ sirloin has historically been listed as a 6-ounce steak—the same Renegade sirloin from the adult menu—at roughly $10, while the same steak and a loaded baked potato on the adult menu runs close to $20.
Adults have been quietly ordering it to save money, particularly as a takeout order since many LongHorn locations don’t allow adults to order off the kids’ menu when dining in. If the portion has since dropped to 4 ounces without any menu disclosure, that changes the math on the hack considerably.
Commenters React
Viewers are divided on who to blame for the alleged change.
“Yep, the cheap grown people trying to cheat the system ruined it for the kids,” a top comment read.
“Blaming the adults that order a kids meal instead of the greedy corporations that make MILLIONS a year in revenue is crazy,” a person said.
“It’s crazy people think ordering a smaller meal is a ‘scam,’” another wrote.
“Oh….we are back in the era of defending corporations with our lives? Y’all are assuming it’s adults instead of just saying a corporation is still shrinking KIDS meals,” a commenter added.
BroBible reached out to Lewis for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to LongHorn Steakhouse via email. We’ll be sure to update this if either responds.