Toby Carvery Chef Filmed Weighing Meat Sparks Diner Outrage

A video of a Toby Carvery chef carefully weighing a slice of meat before serving it has ignited controversy among diners, who accused the restaurant chain of reducing portion sizes. The footage, shared on Facebook by user Tee Gee, shows a chef placing a plate on a set of scales prior to carving the meat.

Tee Gee captioned the video, "Tiny Yorkshire puddings and they're weighing the meat now. Good job I went king size. They'll be counting the peas next." He questioned the chef about the practice, who confirmed it had been in place for approximately three weeks and had been implemented at other branches.

The chef also stated the weight targets for meat portions: "It's 216g for a king–size plate. It's about 160g on a normal plate."

Following the online backlash, Toby Carvery issued a statement clarifying its position. A spokesperson for the restaurant chain stated that the scales are not indicative of a change in portioning policy but are used as a tool for staff training. "Don't worry, Toby fans, nothing has changed with our portion sizes," the statement read. "Our chefs are highly trained and generally carve portions using their experience. Sometimes, we use scales to help train new team members or to reassure existing chefs that their portion servings are on point."