Dining out? Split portions gain acceptance

NEW YORK - Can we split that?

The question -- once considered a bit gauche in some circles -- is now being asked by diners of all kinds at restaurants in every price range. With the economy still souring, splitting an appetizer, dessert or even an entree is becoming, for many, an easy way to save a few dollars without sacrificing the indulgence of a dinner out.

"My husband and I try to either split dishes or use a 'buy 1, get 1' coupon every time we go out nowadays," said Jessica Secord of Grand Rapids, Mich., adding that they usually split an entree and other items. "We don't always order dessert or appetizers, but when we do you can guarantee that it's shared."

Restaurants say they are seeing more and more customers like Secord who are using the tactic to slice their eating-out budget.

"People are splitting things like they never have before," said David Pogrebin, general manager of French restaurant Brasserie in New York, where a hamburger costs $18 and an entree can rise above $30.

Pogrebin said he recently noticed three people sharing an iced tea, which comes with unlimited refills. The restaurant didn't stop them.

"Now all bets are off," he said. "People are not ashamed of being frugal."

But in these days of high unemployment and shrinking paychecks, many consumers just don't view being frugal as such a crime.

"I do worry sometimes about people thinking we are being cheap, but I tend to feel that I am still spending money there over eating at home, and I try not to worry about it," said Marcy Robison, a stay-at-home mom from Columbus, Ohio. "In the end, we are trying to be wise stewards of our finances and if someone finds fault with that, so be it."

Robison, who also writes a blog called "Stretching a Buck," said she and her husband typically eat out two or three times a week and frequently split an entree or order two entrees and split them with their 3-year-old daughter.

She said that by sharing dishes, the family saves between $5 and $12 each time, depending on where they go.

Of course, the savings can dwindle at restaurants that charge a splitting fee, which can go as high as $5 for an entree.

But the hassle may be worth it if it brings more diners to the table. Restaurants have been hard hit by the recession as more consumers eat at home.

According to industry data service Knapp-Track, which collects monthly sales numbers from more than 10,000 sit-down restaurants, sales at eateries open at least a year dropped an estimated 4.1 percent in January from the same month a year earlier.

For those restaurants and servers willing to accommodate diners asking for halfsies on an entree, some customers may offer at least a small reward -- a bigger tip.