Abstract: A towel dispenser, such as a paper towel dispenser, having a metering mechanism for preventing excessive towel dispensing. The dispenser includes a housing, a dispensing mechanism associated with the housing for dispensing towel stored within the housing, and a metering mechanism associated with the housing for metering a length of towel dispensed from the housing. The metering mechanism includes a metering bar that is slideably disposed within the housing and that is selectively engageable with the dispensing mechanism for controlling actuation of the dispensing mechanism. The metering mechanism also includes an actuation button that is accessible from outside the housing and that is connected to the metering bar for actuating the metering bar. The actuation button is moveable in a direction that is opposite the direction of movement of the metering bar.