Eating food from one restaurant in another restaurant
Nov 2, 2015, 3:47 pm
#1
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Eating food from one restaurant in another restaurant
Just throwing this out there (and yes, I have done it).
And I'm only talking about places like Panera, Qdoba, 5 Guys where food is equally likely to be eaten in as it is ordered to go.
I go to Panera and get something to go.
Colleague goes to Qdoba and eats in where I join him/her.
Neither restaurant is particularly crowded. I don't get a refill from Qdoba.
How cool / uncool is this?
And I'm only talking about places like Panera, Qdoba, 5 Guys where food is equally likely to be eaten in as it is ordered to go.
I go to Panera and get something to go.
Colleague goes to Qdoba and eats in where I join him/her.
Neither restaurant is particularly crowded. I don't get a refill from Qdoba.
How cool / uncool is this?
Nov 2, 2015, 4:10 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Florida
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Just throwing this out there (and yes, I have done it).
And I'm only talking about places like Panera, Qdoba, 5 Guys where food is equally likely to be eaten in as it is ordered to go.
I go to Panera and get something to go.
Colleague goes to Qdoba and eats in where I join him/her.
Neither restaurant is particularly crowded. I don't get a refill from Qdoba.
How cool / uncool is this?
And I'm only talking about places like Panera, Qdoba, 5 Guys where food is equally likely to be eaten in as it is ordered to go.
I go to Panera and get something to go.
Colleague goes to Qdoba and eats in where I join him/her.
Neither restaurant is particularly crowded. I don't get a refill from Qdoba.
How cool / uncool is this?
We have Chipotle and McDonalds next door here in town. And my girlfriends kids like Mickey Ds. My daughter and I grab Chipotle and eat at McDs. Sometimes, I have my daughter buy her drink at McDs....
Nov 2, 2015, 4:46 pm
#3
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Eating food from one restaurant in another restaurant
Restaurants here had to put up signs prohibiting this because groups would have multiple people bringing in items from somewhere else, taking up large tables at lunch time in particular and yet only 1 or 2 people are actually buying food from there.
It is kind of obnoxious to have a bag of food from a direct competitor in someone's restaurant.
It is kind of obnoxious to have a bag of food from a direct competitor in someone's restaurant.
Nov 2, 2015, 6:26 pm
#4
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I have particular preferences and have been known to carry food from one restaurant to eat in another. Mrs BamaVol likes McDonalds and I despise their food. I'll discretely bring something I like so we can eat together. It was more pronounced when the kids were young. We were usually divided on what we wanted so pleased everyone and sat together where we ordered the most. I don't remember being hassled anywhere.
Nov 3, 2015, 5:46 am
#5
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Eating food from one restaurant in another restaurant
find a park or eat at your office or someone's house. Panera or Qdoba isn't a food court. seats and tables are for paying customers.
And while some may now say "We aren't taking up any more space than if I was eating in alone," you are. A solo customer eating in will take less time on average than someone gabbing while eating with another. And what if you use the restroom?
Would you bring Panera food to a dinner party someone was hosting?
And while some may now say "We aren't taking up any more space than if I was eating in alone," you are. A solo customer eating in will take less time on average than someone gabbing while eating with another. And what if you use the restroom?
Would you bring Panera food to a dinner party someone was hosting?
Nov 3, 2015, 10:10 am
#7
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
I've done this...in China. Though I would often order a drink anyway, the waiters never seemed to care.
Shucks, whenever I went to a restaurant that didn't serve something Chinese, I'd notice the staff chowing down on fish soup, bones and stir-fries.
Shucks, whenever I went to a restaurant that didn't serve something Chinese, I'd notice the staff chowing down on fish soup, bones and stir-fries.
Nov 3, 2015, 10:21 am
#8
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I'm not sure I would describe McD's and those other places as restaurants but, semantics aside, it's absolutely not acceptable to use an establishment's facilities in that way.
Nov 3, 2015, 11:21 am
#9
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I think it's uncool and disrespectful. Seating in a restaurant is a benefit for customers. If you're not a customer, you shouldn't be eating there.
Presumably you're both mature adults, so you have three options:
1. Compromise on a restaurant decision.
2. Each of you eats alone at the restaurant of your choosing.
3. You find a public place where you can eat together.
Presumably you're both mature adults, so you have three options:
1. Compromise on a restaurant decision.
2. Each of you eats alone at the restaurant of your choosing.
3. You find a public place where you can eat together.
Nov 3, 2015, 1:37 pm
#10
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I think it's uncool and disrespectful. Seating in a restaurant is a benefit for customers. If you're not a customer, you shouldn't be eating there.
Presumably you're both mature adults, so you have three options:
1. Compromise on a restaurant decision.
2. Each of you eats alone at the restaurant of your choosing.
3. You find a public place where you can eat together.
Presumably you're both mature adults, so you have three options:
1. Compromise on a restaurant decision.
2. Each of you eats alone at the restaurant of your choosing.
3. You find a public place where you can eat together.
In my case, I'm not talking about bringing outside food into fancy, expensive restaurants or even chains with table service, just fast food.
Nov 3, 2015, 6:26 pm
#11
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Is it really any different than occupying a seat while a companion eats? I've done this plenty of times: I've already eaten, I'm not hungry, I don't like the food there, I'm planning a big dinner later, watching my calories, etc. No one's ever asked me to leave the restaurant while I sit and converse with my companion. Is it really necessary to order something? How many times would my companion have eaten elsewhere if I'd said, no I'm not eating there. The sale of 1 meal is better the sale of zero meals.
In my case, I'm not talking about bringing outside food into fancy, expensive restaurants or even chains with table service, just fast food.
In my case, I'm not talking about bringing outside food into fancy, expensive restaurants or even chains with table service, just fast food.
It would be different if it was, say, a party of 6 with 5 people bringing food in from outside.
Nov 3, 2015, 7:24 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Posts: 1,798
The only ways I could see doing this would be with restricted diets, finicky small kids, or perhaps in exceptional circumstances like stops on school road trips where one restaurant is chosen as the meeting place and kids who want something else are expected to bring it back to that point.
Nov 4, 2015, 11:34 am
#13
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Is it really any different than occupying a seat while a companion eats? I've done this plenty of times: I've already eaten, I'm not hungry, I don't like the food there, I'm planning a big dinner later, watching my calories, etc. No one's ever asked me to leave the restaurant while I sit and converse with my companion. Is it really necessary to order something? How many times would my companion have eaten elsewhere if I'd said, no I'm not eating there. The sale of 1 meal is better the sale of zero meals.
In my case, I'm not talking about bringing outside food into fancy, expensive restaurants or even chains with table service, just fast food.
In my case, I'm not talking about bringing outside food into fancy, expensive restaurants or even chains with table service, just fast food.
Nov 9, 2015, 9:03 am
#14
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If I were hosted dinner by someone in his own home, it would be staggeringly rude to bring my own food to eat. It's no different with restaurants.
Nov 11, 2015, 7:08 am
#15
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I was the new guy on a project a few years ago. Team dinner at a steak house (40-50 people). Guy sitting next to me had kosher food delivered...and alot of it.
Last edited by bitburgr; Nov 11, 2015 at 12:20 pm