Taking leftovers home from fancy restaurants
#46
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I think the way our grandmothers act is typical of the society they lived in, and is still typical of society in many parts of the world. The wasteful American consumer culture of today is an anomaly, not the norm.
I reuse Ziploc bags as well, and I am in my 20s. Why throw them away just to buy more?
I reuse Ziploc bags as well, and I am in my 20s. Why throw them away just to buy more?
#48
Join Date: Jul 2001
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I've been pleased to see the wine doggy bag laws that are being adopted by many states. Basically, the idea is that you have a right to take home the remainder of a bottle of wine from a restaurant meal, with the establishmnet providing a special sealed bag for it that can be taken in a car without violating open container laws.
#49
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What on earth are open container laws? What's wrong with just putting a cork in it?
I do remember ski trips in Switzerland as a child when we stayed demi-pension. My parents would never finish the bottle so they'd simply write the room number on it to reappear the following night.
I do remember ski trips in Switzerland as a child when we stayed demi-pension. My parents would never finish the bottle so they'd simply write the room number on it to reappear the following night.
#50
Join Date: Apr 2014
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Here's my take on it. If it's something that can't be reasonably consumed later (ie pasta, rice, noodles) I don't take it with me. If it's something I'd enjoy later in my hotel room or home, I'll take it. That's steak, chicken, etc.
I can't fathom trying to eat pasta that's six hours old. On the other hand, I've eaten Thai that is still edible after six hours.
As for my grandmother, she's the same way I am. She's been pretty well fed her whole life, and I don't think she's taken food home just because it's uneaten. She'll take home food if it's good to eat, for breakfast or lunch. My grandfather, didn't even go to restaurants where bread came with the meal until he moved in with my family and I'd take him to fancy restaurants. He was a good man, but he preferred buffets, because he would take what he wanted, not what people said he should eat. And none of my family would condone taking food home from a buffet.
As for taking the jelly or condiments off the table, well, that's borderline thievery. You are taking something provided for your use, not provided as your property.
CK.
I can't fathom trying to eat pasta that's six hours old. On the other hand, I've eaten Thai that is still edible after six hours.
As for my grandmother, she's the same way I am. She's been pretty well fed her whole life, and I don't think she's taken food home just because it's uneaten. She'll take home food if it's good to eat, for breakfast or lunch. My grandfather, didn't even go to restaurants where bread came with the meal until he moved in with my family and I'd take him to fancy restaurants. He was a good man, but he preferred buffets, because he would take what he wanted, not what people said he should eat. And none of my family would condone taking food home from a buffet.
As for taking the jelly or condiments off the table, well, that's borderline thievery. You are taking something provided for your use, not provided as your property.
CK.
#51
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Wikipedia offers a decent overview at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_container_law
#52
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Open container laws prohibit carrying an unsealed container of alcohol. In the US it's illegal in public spaces like sidewalks and parks in many jurisdictions (hence the depictions you see in US media of street people drinking cheap booze from a bottle concealed in a brown paper bag) and illegal in a motor vehicle in almost all jurisdictions.
Wikipedia offers a decent overview at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_container_law
Wikipedia offers a decent overview at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_container_law
#53
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Half the time, when we takeout from a restaurant, we forget about it and leave the takeout overnight in the vehicle. Next day, its got to be thrown out.
#54
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One (higher priced, unique dishes, owner as chef) Indian restaurant stopped allowing patrons to take leftovers home on the grounds that improperly stored/reheated food could cause food poisoning. I guess he'd had legal advice. Numerous other restaurants in the same street still allow it, so it certainly isn't a local regulation. One place charges 50 cents for the container.
We haven't asked at some (steak places, for example) where we usually finish our own meals. We don't often eat at the really top end 5 star places, but IME the portion sizes are more appropriate and so the issue hasn't come up.
When I'm not sure of the restaurant's policy and can't finish the meal, I'll say something to the waiter like "that was really delicious, but unfortunately I just can't finish it all" and wait for them to offer to let me take it home.
#55
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In the Us, I think there is also an element of not wanting to offend the staff. Sometimes you order something and it turns out you really don't like it, or aren't that thrilled with it. Rather than just say you didn't like it, you say "Oh, I am just stuffed, Wrap it up and I will finish it later for lunch".
#56
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In the context of the question, open container laws prohibit carrying alcohol in the passenger area of a car, on the ridiculous assumption that if the bottle is open, the driver must be drinking it. I have never heard of these "wine doggy bag" laws, although they seem to be a good idea.
#57
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The first post mentioning open container laws did reference them relative to driving, but the same types of laws in the US do very much apply to people on foot in public spaces such as sidewalks. Try walking back to your home or hotel with a half-finished bottle of wine in your hand, and in many jurisdictions the police can cite you for an infraction. It's not always their highest enforcement priority, of course, but if you are doing something else that attracts police attention in a negative way they can and will use the violation as a way to stop, question, search, cite, and possibly arrest you.
#58
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In Europe it's generally not accepted to bring your food home from restaurants, but if you ask nicely they'd might let you. I've only done so one time but that was because the restaurant was closing and they were eager to kick me out, rather than give me a few extra minutes to finish my meal. The waiter gave me a paper bag and told me to stuff it with the remaining food on my plate.
#59
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The law school did an etiquette dinner last night and one of the points made by the speaker was it was considered rude to go on a business dinner and NOT ask for food you didn't eat to take home.
#60
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There should be container laws as consumers assume that containers are safe to carry food. But, I would opinion that the Styrofoam containers are unsafe, as microwaves zaps off the Styrofoam onto the food in microwaves. I can see the Styrofoam containers deteriorate when cooked in the microwave. This is not the effect intended.