# Eating out without the maths

In a restaurant you know neither the recipe nor the amount. A rough estimate is enough.

## How often we eat out

According to the German nutrition report 2025, 71% of respondents go to a restaurant at least once a month and 14% every week. 38% order in monthly, and 15% eat in a canteen weekly.[^4] So eating out is everyday life, not an exception you have to plan for.

## What measurements show

In three US cities, frequently ordered meals from smaller restaurants had 1,205 kcal on average, with a wide spread of plus or minus 465 kcal.[^1] The measurements come from the US and cannot simply be applied to other countries.

Printed values are only a guide too. Across 269 foods from 42 restaurants they were accurate on average, but 19% had at least 100 kcal more than stated.[^2]

## What the menu tells you

There are no comparable measurements for Germany. The closest data come from the UK: main meals in 27 large chains averaged 977 kcal, and 47% had 1,000 kcal or more. Sit-down chains were on average 268 kcal above fast food.[^5]

Then there is what comes with it: starters averaged 488 kcal there, sides 398 kcal and desserts 431 kcal.[^6] Drinks are on top, a 0.3 l beer has about 126 kcal, a spirit mix about 200 kcal.[^7] More under [Alcohol and weight loss](https://kostenlos-abnehmen.de/en/wissen/alkohol).

## The portion counts too

In a trial with 51 people, participants ate 30% more energy from the largest portion than from the smallest.[^3] This was true no matter who filled the plate.

## Does eating out make you gain weight?

Research says: perhaps a little, but it is not certain. Of 8 long-term studies, 7 found a link between frequent eating out and more weight, yet the authors still call the evidence inconclusive.[^8] A wider review of 153 papers found only small or inconsistent effects.[^9]

So one restaurant meal ruins nothing. What matters is how often it happens and what you eat otherwise.

## Do calories on the menu help?

Hardly. A Cochrane review estimates about 47 kcal less per meal, with weak evidence.[^10] In England, mandatory labels from 2022 did not change how much was bought and eaten.[^11] In the EU, calorie information is not required for loose food such as restaurant meals.[^12] You will often have to estimate, and that is fine.

## What helps in everyday life

- Enter a range instead of looking for an exact number. That is what ranges in the app are for.
- Share a large portion or take the rest with you if you are already full.
- See the evening as one day among many. Single days say little.

Why ranges are more honest here is explained in [Why the app shows ranges](https://kostenlos-abnehmen.de/en/wissen/spannen).

## Sources

[^1]: [Urban LE et al.: Energy Contents of Frequently Ordered Restaurant Meals. J Acad Nutr Diet, 2016](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26803805/)
[^2]: [Urban LE et al.: Accuracy of stated energy contents of restaurant foods. JAMA, 2011](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21771989/)
[^3]: [Rolls BJ et al.: Portion size of food affects energy intake in normal-weight and overweight men and women. Am J Clin Nutr, 2002](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12450884/)
[^4]: [German Federal Ministry of Agriculture: Nutrition report 2025](https://www.publikationen-bundesregierung.de/pp-en/search-for-publications/ernaehrungsreport-2025-2396206)
[^5]: [Robinson E et al.: (Over)eating out at major UK restaurant chains. BMJ, 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30541906/)
[^6]: [Muc M et al.: A bit or a lot on the side? BMJ Open, 2019](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31594875/)
[^7]: [BIÖG (German Federal Institute of Public Health): Alkohol macht dick, February 2026](https://shop.bioeg.de/pdf/DL-20250617-1600.pdf)
[^8]: [Bezerra IN et al.: Association between eating out of home and body weight. Nutr Rev, 2012](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22300594/)
[^9]: [Mesas AE et al.: Selected eating behaviours and excess body weight. Obes Rev, 2012](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21955734/)
[^10]: [Crockett RA et al.: Nutritional labelling for healthier food or non-alcoholic drink purchasing and consumption. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29482264/)
[^11]: [Polden M et al.: Evaluating the association between the introduction of mandatory calorie labelling and energy consumed. Nat Hum Behav, 2025](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39587333/)
[^12]: [Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32011R1169)

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Last updated: November 2026. This is general information and not medical advice.

Original article: https://kostenlos-abnehmen.de/en/wissen/auswaerts-essen