CMK10

So I'm out with my Dad tonight at dinner at a nice restaurant in Washington D.C. I order a side of truffle mac and cheese that's pretty big and when he mentions we won't finish, I say I'll take it home. He says "that's if they let you". So I mentioned of course they would and he says "hundreds of restaurants in New York" won't because they think it's "lower class". Now, my Dad is a great guy and all, but he does have some weird half baked theories about things. Long story short, they offered to box up the side for me and I have it. But, is this something that I should either be careful about doing at nice places or should expect to not be allowed to do? I guess I figured that if I paid for it, I could do with it what I wish and eat it where I want but hey, I'm a poor student so what do I know, hence why I'm coming to the real experts.

gooselee

I've eaten at some pretty fancy places and, at least in the US (including NYC and DC) have never had anyone blink about me taking stuff home. Even if they were fussy about it, my thought is if I'm paying that type of money for a meal, I'll take part of it with me if I please.

Caveat is that about half the time we're eating at places like this, we are on vacation and cannot take food back to our hotel, so we don't try. But even in those cases the server usually checks that we don't want to take our leftovers, and we have to explain that we'll have no place to keep them...

norenewa

My Dad is old school so we grew up not being allowed to take food home. We never even asked if we could take food home. We too were told it was "low class." My father is 83 now and he doesn't feel like taking food home is low class. I think times have changed and he has adjusted to this new world. By the way, he has an iPhone and iPad.

BallardFlyer

Taking home leftovers is not allowed in melbourne and possibly all of Australia. Several places in MEL told us it was the law, but not if it was local, state, or national.

Cloudship

My father is the opposite. he will take home anything left. He was brought up in the days where you got the most out of what you spent. If you are paying big bucks for a meal, then you want to get all you can out of it.

Perhaps that's the difference between the US and Europe, where that is pretty uncommon as well. In the US it is all about the value for the dollar, where as in Europe it is all about the overall experience, regardless of the price.

KevinDTW

I've taken leftovers from every kind of restaurant from greasy spoon to Michelin-starred. Never been a problem. If I don't take it they are just going to throw it away, and I absolutely cannot countenance wasting perfectly good food.

CMK10

Good, that's how I felt. And I might add that my leftovers made for a wonderful lunch today.

BamaVol

Grandma BamaVol, my mother, is 89 and really old school. She grew up during the great depression and takes anything home that isn't nailed down. I have seen this among others of her generation. I don't have to watch the sugar bowl or anything, but whatever's left in a bread basket is certainly fair game. She would never condone leaving food. If I don't ask for a box for my leftovers, she'll ask for one and take mine home. Doesn't matter where we are. Wasting food isn't classy.

gfunkdave

Never been a problem for me. I think it's a cultural thing too - outside the US it generally isn't done.

I never once was told taking home leftovers was low class - and my mom and grandma were/are the supreme arbiters of all that is Emily Post.

YVR Cockroach

We've had some leftovers taken home in France these past few months (stayed in gîtes so had a place to store and reheat it). Servers didn't bat an eye but the restaurants there don't have the plethora of containers like N. American ones have so everything is wrapped in aluminium foil (a lot of takeout places do this too).

gj83

I've had the opposite happen. I would sometimes have a big lunch while traveling and I wouldn't be as hungry for dinner as my coworkers. I would only eat about 1/2 the entree or less and since I was out of town I would tell them I didn't need it boxed up if they asked. That usually led to a "was everything OK? Would you like something else instead?" Some restaurants are offended if you didn't eat much and don't want a to go box.

I haven't been to a lot of super fancy restaurants, but in my experience unless it's an all-you-can-eat restaurant a doggie bag is fine.

manneca

At CUT in Singapore last year, we were comped two desserts. After dinner there, we couldn't eat them and they offered to wrap them up for us. I think we left them, but maybe not.

Sweet Willie

Same experience here. My Grandma even brought a purse lined with a plastic bag to our wedding reception, so she could take 1/2 her prime rib home with her. We had told her in advance there will be plenty leftovers and we will be happy to give plenty to her to take home.

Didn't matter, we still noticed her sliding 1/2 her prime rib into her purse.

Those habits die hard if ever.

Oh, she also resoled her own shoes until the day she died.ageed!

Glad you took the mac home CMK10 !

cbn42

Unless it's a buffet, there is nothing wrong with taking leftovers home at any restaurant in the US, regardless of how fancy it is. Other countries may vary.

I personally always take my leftovers. If I am staying in a hotel with no place to store them, I may give them to a homeless person, or eventually throw them away myself, which is what the restaurant would have done anyway.

ou81two

No restaurant staff is going to risk a tip by pissing you off at that point. You're in a fancy restaurant, the staff will not care a bit about this. Its not a typical request but they really wont care.

Go somewhere where you cant tip and it might be an issue.