Via iStockphoto / @authenticti TikTok
What started as one simple hack for adults trying to eat less or spend less has unfortunately reached the ears of the companies.
Now a beloved hack is apparently gone. While the internet says that people posting online are to blame, others point out that the true culprits are the decision makers in the C-Suite who are making things worse for everyone.
LongHorn Steakhouse Kid’s Meal Portion Shift
In a trending video with more than 141,000 views, content creator Trinity (@authenticti) documented what appears to be a quiet policy change that has been underway. Ready for this? LongHorn Steakhouse stays accused of shrinking her children’s tenderloins from 6 ounces to 4 ounces.
In the video, Trinity cuts into a small piece of steak on a plate next to a scoop of mashed potatoes.
“Everybody they changed the 6 oz Longhorn steak to a 4 oz steak and talked about people cheating them and taking them to walk,” the text overlay on the video reads.
“I’m amazed they caught us,” she added in the caption.
Trinity appears to be one of the adults who had ordered from the children’s menu as a money-saving move, a hack that had been doing the rounds on social media.
People found that the children’s tenderloin was the same tenderloin from the adult menu at a fraction of the price. LongHorn’s apparent response was to cut the portion almost in half. But whether this is an official change is unclear, as LongHorn doesn’t list the kid’s steak size on the online menu.
Why adults ordered the kids meal in the first place
The hack had been floating around social media for a while. According to Chowhoundthe kids’ tenderloin was historically a 6-ounce steak priced around $10, while the grown-up version with a stuffed baked potato ran close to $20.
The steak itself was identical in size and quality. The only real differences: the kids’ meal came with a drink instead of soup or salad, and adults weren’t technically supposed to order it while eating. Most places enforced a 12-and-under rule for orders in the restaurant.
The solution, which Takeaway points out, was the takeaway. Order online or through a delivery app and no one can confirm if there is a child in your home. The takeaway children’s menu shows the tenderloin with a choice of skill, seasoned in the same way as the adult version, with side dish and drink included. The Takeout notes that LongHorn has raised prices on its kids’ menus in recent years, yet the savings over the adult option were significant enough to keep people coming back.
A couple on Instagram told The Takeout they ate LongHorn steak dinners for a total of $17. One Facebook commenter called it “the best $10 I’ve spent in a long time.”
How LongHorn stacks up against the competition
To get a context of how good the kids meal hack was before the portion was cut, All recipes recently compared kids’ meals across five casual dining chains — Applebee’s, Chili’s, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse — to find the best value. LongHorn placed second overall, specifically because of children’s tenderloinwhich the writer said was still cheaper than a steak burrito at Chipotle.
Texas Roadhouse took the top spot mainly because its kids’ meals start at $5.99 and include unlimited fresh-baked rolls with cinnamon butter, plus a Ranger Meal option (which is larger) with a 6-ounce sirloin for $8.99.
Commentators react
“No, they changed the 6oz kids meal tenderloin to 4oz because adults kept ordering kids meals,” read one top comment.
“I don’t understand. Even if adults order from the kids menu, they still get kid-sized portions. Not everyone wants a big meal every time they eat. Kids meals are for smaller portions, not specifically for kids,” one person said.
“Yeah, that’s why we can’t post everything,” wrote another.
“I knew I wasn’t tripping,” one commenter added.
BroBible reached out to Trinity for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to LongHorn via email. We’ll make sure to update this if Sither responds.
Leave a Reply