what is your take on doggy bag?

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Comfortable-mouse05@reddit

You're not. I wonder why your friend wouldn't do that? It's not embrassing. Millions of people me included do it. Loads of places offer this

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TheDogsMum@reddit

So many places offer it, there’s nothing wrong with asking at all, why waste food??

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No_Priority8136@reddit

I started taking containers with me, so I don’t have to ask for a box 🤣

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I often do, I've got some friends who don't, but depending on the food. Pizza, stuff like that I always take home. I won't bother if it's chips and stuff but if it's reheatable and tastes good I'll be taking it home

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RoyalyMcBooty@reddit

All for it. You bought the food so if you can't eat it all, then surely makes sense to take it away.

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dopefish_lives@reddit

I live in the US now and it’s almost rude to not take leftovers if there’s a bunch. Almost everywhere will ask you if you want a box to take home

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External_Violinist94@reddit

Yeah it's much more normal to both take home leftovers and for someone to say "are you gonna eat that" of you've not finished. In the UK eating other people's leftovers would be considered pretty unusual unless it's close friends or family at home but loads of my US friends do it. I think it's brilliant, way better than throwing away food out of some weird fear of being rude.

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HappyDeathClub@reddit

I visited Canada for work a few days ago and the waiter told me my meal came with a complementary piece of pie. I asked for it to go. He gave me a plastic pie dish with a full quarter of a pie in it. Basically just ate pie all up and down Eastern Canada.

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melikebiscuit@reddit

Right, I need to organise a work trip to Canada, I'm sold. I want free pie 😂

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sjcuthbertson@reddit

Having also lived there - the portion sizes are generally much bigger there, though.

I pretty much never have leftovers in UK restaurants (curry houses being the one common exception) but I frequently took home leftovers in CA.

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boudicas_shield@reddit

I'm from America, and this isn't really true in my experience. I take home food here just as often as I do when I'm visiting home.

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External_Violinist94@reddit

As a former chef of 15 years I would much prefer people ask to take home their leftovers than let it be thrown away. Chefs do it because they enjoy cooking for people, the money is shit and most people would be shocked at how brutal the job can be so seeing plates of barely eaten food being binned is depressing, please take your leftovers home if you can. The staff don't think you're weird

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Littleleicesterfoxy@reddit

Absolutely, we shouldn’t be wasting food.

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ChoreomaniacCat@reddit

As a previous hospitality worker, if you don't take it, it will just be thrown in the bin, even if the plate was practically untouched. Always take your leftovers, it's a free lunch the next day and reduces industry food waste.

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Medical_Opposite_727@reddit

Always take your leftovers, it's a free lunch the next day

I just pictured a group of castaways being rescued, and one guy is nibbling a half chewed thigh and reciting the line I quoted from you.

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HirsuteHacker@reddit

It's incredibly common

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thewatchbreaker@reddit

Due to health issues I often can’t eat a lot of food in one go, so I’m always taking food home from restaurants. I’ve been like that all my life but it only occurred to me to start doing it when I was about 22 lol.

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fantasticnumber7@reddit

I worked for years in restaurants and it was perfectly normal for people to take their leftovers home. We were pleased to wrap them up, because otherwise they would have gone in the bin. In some places I worked people over ordered so they could take whatever was left and have another meal the following day. It’s good for the environment, it’s good for the customers pocket and it shows that the food the restaurant is good, so good In fact they want to keep the leftovers.

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Pizzagoessplat@reddit

Depends on the restaurant.

I wouldn't ask for it in a top restaurant, but at the same time I'm the type of guy that would only order what I intend on eating in the restaurant anyway.

Do restaurants hand out doggie bags now?

I remember working in them in the early 2000's and we wouldn't allow it because if you reheated it wrongly and got food poisoning we were scared of getting sued

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Akash_nu@reddit

Yes, I’d never do that even though I have the balls for it! Literally. 😂

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winkywoo75@reddit

I do I was brought up never to waste food

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andykn11@reddit

Restaurants often offer, every one I've visited where we've asked has been happy to oblige. You should tell your friend she should always ask. Oddly enough we took a doggy bag home last night from dinner at a mate's.

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Radiant_Fondant_4097@reddit

It’s seriously not a big deal and your friend needs to stop being a weenie.

The other week my folks visited and went out for Sunday dinner, mum didn’t eat half of hers so got it boxed up and I scranned that shit the next day.

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Spiritual-Peach-4032@reddit

We always ask for a takeaway container for the leftovers. Love a fridge raid leftover lunch the next day. Was very upset the other day when my son ate my leftover pizza while out and I couldn’t take it home.

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Ok_Aioli3897@reddit

I think it depends on how much is left and also cost of the food

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Future-Selection9287@reddit

Tbf if it's a mouthful and cost like fifty quid I'm still taking it

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JohnLennonsNotDead@reddit

So an airport Burger King then?

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HawkTenRose@reddit

I mean, yeah, why not? I paid for it.

I ask for “a take out box” though — sounds better than a doggy bag

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GnaphaliumUliginosum@reddit

take out box actually sounds rather non-U to me, the genuinely posh people I know use 'doggy bag'.

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gazchap@reddit

I can only assume that I'm just getting far too old, but what the hell does 'non-U' mean?!

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BINGGBONGGBINGGBONGG@reddit

non-U is/was a set of rules for the well to-do of good old Blighty. the U is for the Upper class.

a basic rule is that any words derived from French are non-U. so toilet, serviette, dessert - not acceptable language. instead, lavatory, napkin and pudding are used. it is also unacceptable to say ‘pardon?’ if you have mis-heard something. the correct response is ‘what?’

there’s a guide here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_and_non-U_English

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HawkTenRose@reddit

Put the K in, I think they might have skipped it

(Automatically non-UK)

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Fred776@reddit

Nope. It was a reference to a famous old list of words that would identify lower class people from upper class people. Things like "napkin" vs "serviette".

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gazchap@reddit

Ah yeah, that'd make sense. Odd that they made the same 'typo' twice though, makes it seem intentional.

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MrsTrellis_N_Wales@reddit

You probably aren’t too old!! link

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gazchap@reddit

Ah-ha! Thanks!

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b-ees@reddit

takeout sounds american. i hear takeaway container here

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asscrackinator@reddit

I usually say ‘Can I get this to take away, please?’ (UK)

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Mysterious-Yak1693@reddit

they do it in Australia too, 'take-out' box. If you've had a meal and can't finish it they usually look disappointed and ask you if they can pack it up for you to take with you...so you rarely have to ask.

The funnier one is when you go to a barbecue at a house and the rule is just to 'bring a plate'. You can either take salad, nibbles, dessert, bread, cheese, crisps...dump it on the table and then you all dig in to everything. We had a new English immigrant family turn up carrying 5 empty plates, they thought it meant there weren't enough plates.

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HawkTenRose@reddit

Conversely: I’ve been to the USA and they use doggy bag, I’ve never heard anyone in the UK say it.

I’ve only heard “take out box” or “take away box” usually take out because you take it outside.

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teerbigear@reddit

Yeah I feel doggy bag makes it sound like I'm trying to hide the fact that it'll be me that eats the food.

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Basic-Highway-695@reddit

doggy bag to me conjures the image of them sliding the food into a poo bag. I think I'd for it to go or to take away.

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Fancy-Significance-5@reddit

I do this most times I eat out if I don't finish my meal! Yay leftovers!

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Eastiseast3@reddit

Why waste good food?? I do it all the time if there are leftovers. They are only going to throw it away otherwise so that's the problem??!

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Karla_Darktiger@reddit

Depends on what the food is. Stuff that can be eaten cold, or still tastes fine when reheated I'll take.

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ScaredCrowww@reddit

If it’s something that will keep, like pizza, a half of a sandwich/wrap, chips, curry that hasn’t been touched with a used spoon then yes I’ll take it home no questions. But if it’s something messy like a leftover roast dinner, soup, etc then I’ll try to eat of it as possible to minimalist food waste.

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xxennahh@reddit

Of course I do, in everything from local caf to high end restaurants. Air fryers make things i wouldn't have bothered with as leftovers, like chips, decent the next day too.

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StalactiteSkin@reddit

I've never seen anyone do this, and I'm a little bit skeptical that so many people supposedly do it.

Personally I think it's a bit weird and seems sort of miserly, like you desperately need to have every last scrap that you've paid for?

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Identifiable2023@reddit

But we’re not really talking about scraps. I wouldn’t box up things like pizza crusts or a few chips obviously, but when I go out to my local Indian restaurant the portions are such that I am only ever able to eat half so I ask for takeaway containers and take the rest home. It’s another whole meal for another day. And delicious.

I’m surprised that you’ve never seen this as it’s very, very common in my experience and restaurants often as if you want leftovers boxed to take home.

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BuGMoiDroit@reddit

How is it weird? I've known a few people who are vehemently opposed to the concept of doggy bags for fear of being perceived as miserly or poor, so they either eat everything until they feel physically sick or let perfectly food get thrown out.

If I eat out and am too full, I'd also rather show appreciation to the chefs (and have something delicious to eat later) by getting a doggy bag.

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DaysyFields@reddit

Waste is a terrible sin, so it's good to rather take a doggy bag.

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Identifiable2023@reddit

Nope. I do it frequently and so does everyone else I know.

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Rainbow-Ranker@reddit

Okay this was me scared to take leftovers it was just not something I did.

Met up with a friend for food they asked if they could box up the left overs - waitress brought a box and boxed it up for us.

Started dating my current girlfriend and she does it everywhere, I was like I’ve never done this and she tells me you’ve paid for it.

Now when I go out to eat I ask for a box. Some restaurants don’t have boxes but they offer tin foil.

It’s mad 30 years on this planet and I’ve been wasting food I paid for.

I’m sure the staff don’t mind less waste in the bin to empty at night and most of the time they box it up for you.

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Aggravating_Water_39@reddit

We do this regularly…but to be honest I have my husband be the one who actually asks because I do find it embarrassing

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neityght@reddit

Yes you are the only person in the country to take a doggy bag 🙄

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Any-Talk-2307@reddit

If you bought it then you can take it home.

I never would have asked for one before but after losing 6 stone (naturally, not with mounjaro or whatever), I actually can’t finish a full meal all the time. I’m all for asking for a doggy bag if I want to take it home. I did this recently, got an amazing sausage and mash at a nice pub near where I live, couldn’t eat it all and took half home. It was just as good the next day.

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emdio@reddit

Sorry for the OT, but for once I can be proud of the Spanish government, I just wanted to note that in Spain exists a "food waste law". So for example consumers will have the right to take home the ‘leftovers’ from whatever they have ordered in any restaurant or bar.

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No-Structure-8125@reddit

I always take my leftovers if I want them. I don't think there's anything weird or wrong with that.

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r_Coolspot@reddit

Leftovers? I don't understand. I do not have leftovers.

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E5evo@reddit

Exactly. WTF is ‘leftover food?’

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ChoakIsland@reddit

It's like left over cake. Never heard of it.

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catschimeras@reddit

I've heard of it, I just thought it was made up, like the Easter Bunny or the NHS Dentist

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Temporary_Resort_579@reddit

Left over cake? Those are swear words.

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E5evo@reddit

& wine. ‘ you can add left over wine’. 🤷

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hexaspex@reddit

If I can't finish and enjoyed it then it's coming with me! It also lets the chef know that you enjoyed their food enough to want to finish it but are too full, not that you left half because you disliked it.

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_chastity_sub_@reddit

Quite often do it at the curry house. It's good for your wallet and the environment and it's also a sign to the restaurant that the meal was really good but just too big.

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4ft10giant@reddit

Restaurant portions tend to be too big for me but I hate wasting food so I always get one (it's become a running joke amongst my friends). I love them

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Snowey212@reddit

I'll ask or sometimes I'll have an empty tiffin tin in my bag, I like to carry snacks when im out.

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finaIgirI@reddit

I work in a pub which serves big portions of meat-based dishes - think typical pub food.

Downvote me if you want, but when people ask for this we find it bizarre - mainly because it's extra work for the staff but also because of the type of people who ask. Especially if you bring your own container; it's just weird.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do this, but wherever you go the staff are probably judging you for it - if you don't care for that then by all means, it's your food.

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FindingHerStrength@reddit

I literally couldn’t give a flying fxck if the servers are going to ”judge” me for asking. If I want to eat the remainder of my food later or the next day it’s my prerogative.

Ask yourself do restaurants provide takeaway containers in the first place ~ Has the penny dropped? Your boss/management expect us to take it home. Quite simply if they didn’t then the takeaway containers would not be provided.

I find it laughable you say it’s ”mainly extra work”. How old are you? I get the distinct impression you’re a very young person and this is your first job, or you’re someone burnt out in the industry who lacks a decent work ethic now.

Have you forgotten you’re getting paid to be there to work? It therefore doesn’t matter WHAT activity you do during that time ~ for the customer. We’re literally paying your wages 😂

And final point, you’re judging us are you? Well there are people judging YOU for your career choice. Did not wanting to earn a good wage appeal to you? Did you not have the motivation, potential and enthusiasm to do anything else but wait tables?

Why stay in a job that literally relies on people having to subsidise your poor wages with tips?

The next time you judge people for asking to take their food home which they’ve paid for, I want you to remember that judgement goes both ways.

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Broken_Woman20@reddit

My friend has a small appetite and always asks for her leftovers to be boxed to for her. I’ve started now and never been refused. Virtually every place has specific take out containers for it as well so I think it’s becoming more common. I think it’s great. Less food waste and all that.

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Wonderful-Bonus5439@reddit

I take it every time, and my husband also used to be shocked! Restaurant workers are never upset about it. Just yesterday, the cafe put the rest of my soup into a take out coffee cup for me 🙂 anything else is so wasteful.

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onionsofwar@reddit

It's why restaurants have containers ready for you. Your friend is weird that they think it's a brave move.

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Indigo-Waterfall@reddit

Depends what it is and how much food is left.

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Cultural-Ambition211@reddit

I very rarely leave enough to want to take it home.

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Particular_Store8743@reddit

Nope. Not for me. I'm not a doggy and the only food I want in a bag is crisps.

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Cultural-Ambition211@reddit

It’s not a literal bag, you know?

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Taylor_Mars2042@reddit

Done it before and I’ve never had any hassle. Some restaurants actively encourage it

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Inmymindseye98@reddit

No completely normal

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VeganHaggisLover@reddit

I would definitely ask to take the leftovers home and have some. My issues is when you have to pay to do so. The restaurant I’m going to next week charges 98p to take home a doggy bag.

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Sensitive-Question42@reddit

I have kids who have eyes too big for their bellies, so we often have leftovers.

It’s expensive to dine out and I’m not leaving it to go in the bin. I have no problem with asking for a container to take the food home.

If the establishment happened to decline (some do, on the basis that once you take your food with you it might be stored in such a way to cause food poisoning, and they don’t want the blame), then I’m wrapping the food in as many napkins as I can and sticking it in my bag anyway.

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TSC-99@reddit

Depends where. Somewhere posh maybe not but if I have enough left, I’ll take it home.

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Manifestival1@reddit

Somewhere posh would be even more of a waste not to!

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TSC-99@reddit

True! I never go anywhere posh tbh.

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miklovesrum@reddit

The posh places are more than willing. The last super fancy place I ate at, they took my leftovers away and gave them back to me in a fancy vacuum-packed thing!

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GnaphaliumUliginosum@reddit

Proper posh places tend to be very happy to offer a doggy bag in my limited experience (I'm too greedy to often leave anything on the plate)

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NeitherBag4722@reddit

Never, I don't eat leftover food. There's nothing wrong with it, I just don't want to eat heated up leftovers. The remains of last night's takeaway went straight in the recycling.

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Hot-Box1054@reddit

Is it the word ‘doggy bags’ that she finds embarrassing? Because I’ve never asked for a doggy bag, I just say ‘can I have the rest wrapped up to take home’.

And yeah there’s nothing embarrassing about that at all. I bought it. I get to keep all of it.

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EatingCoooolo@reddit

You take it or it goes in the bin. Your friend is probably not a very mindful person.

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SadAnnah13@reddit

I'm sure that food places would rather you took leftovers home than them just going in the bin. It's just wast otherwise.

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JimDixon@reddit

I have a friend who routinely brings Tupperware with her when she goes to a restaurant.

Your friend "would never have the balls"? I would take this to mean she is learning from you to have more courage.

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7148675309@reddit

Eh? You paid for the food. It’s yours! Take it.

Don’t call it a doggy bag. I once did that and they literally thought it was for a dog and put my food in a leftover dirty container.

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anon_tsubasa@reddit

Doggy bag just reminded me of that shirley valentine movie and that dog. What a moment to rewatch a clip in ages and find out in comments she's gone only a few days ago, rip. And then I had to backtrack wondering why I was even searching the movie.

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Glass-Junket@reddit

i do this often

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Huirong_Ma@reddit

Wait, why was it a taboo to prevent food waste to begin with?

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ActFuzzy9738@reddit

Wowser ive never thought that it was a thing that someone would even struggle with asking. Its so normal for me and everyone i know. Like, why woukd ypu waste good food? And isnt it exactly the same aa take away food? I dont really get it.

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Ok_Resident3556@reddit

Not against it, if it’s worth taking (ie enough that it’s a worth another meal, will still be good reheated etc) but it’s unusual if he’d enough leftovers to be worth taking. I tend to only eat out when I’m actually hungry and eat the bits I like best at the time, so what’s left is likely to be the pizza crusts, or a few chips etc.

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Lopsided_Soup_3533@reddit

I paid for it I'm taking it home either in a doggy bag or wrapped up in a napkin

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Manifestival1@reddit

It's absolutely fine. It's common to accidentally over order or get full before you predict you will. Why would you waste food you like that you spent lots of money on in a restaurant? After the chef prepared it. Throwing it in the bin instead is the lesser option whichever way you look at it.

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TheLastObsession@reddit

You paid for the food? Why not take the rest..

If I have extra left once I’m full I always ask for a box to take it home with.

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douxsoumis@reddit

I have seen people wrap stuff in napkins, or a plastic bag, and try and sneak it into their purse rather than just ask if someone can wrap it up for them because they were too embarrassed to ask.

Unless the place is crammed and understaffed, no one is going to mind if you want to take something away - you paid for the whole meal, it's yours!

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RaggamuffinTW8@reddit

It's rare that I don't finish my main. I used to be like 27 stone ao my capacity for food is high.

That being said, if I think finishing a meal is going to make me uncomfortably full I always ask for a doggy bag. I've never experienced any staff pushing back or being incredulous.

You do you.

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St3lla_0nR3dd1t@reddit

It isn’t as common as it should be, but you paid for the food, if it is still going to be edible, then there is no food waste, you save the restaurant disposal costs. It seems to me to be the moral thing to do.

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oldskoollondon@reddit

I ask without another thought.

My wife and I aren't used to eating huge portions and when we go out, which isn't often, we order much more than we would normally eat at home, so there's a lot left over.

None of the staff think it's weird and often ask if we want containers to put our left overs in. You've paid for it! I doubt the restaurant wants to put the food you've ordered but couldn't finish in the bin.

The cost of food and labour in creating your meal is so high these days, unless you're eating in Salt Baes or some other ridiculously highly priced 'status' restaurant, why the hell would you ask them to throw it away?

Doggy bags all the way!

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SpinMeADog@reddit

genuinely never heard of anybody in the uk taking leftovers home from a restaurant. is that not mainly an american thing because they've got elephant sized portions? who is ordering more than they need in a restaurant?

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atomicsiren@reddit

I often go to an Indian restaurant that does a starter + main + rice/naan for £15 quid on Sunday nights. I’ll quite happily scoff the lot, but some of the group I go with have smaller appetites so will leave (and get doggy bagged) about half.

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Mumstheword76@reddit

As long as its a meal that's easily transferable to a take out container/foil etc I have no issue asking to take it away. I eat little and often so even my Chinese take out lasts 3 meals.

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atomicsiren@reddit

If I’m not eating half of what I was served, the shame of seeing so much food go to waste would far outweigh any shame of asking for a doggy bag.

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CuteMaterial@reddit

I always ask for a box to take the leftovers and feel no shame at all about it.

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bangkokali@reddit

Hell no always always get a a doggy bag In our local Indian we bring our own Tupperware. We,ve paid for it and well have it on our own terms

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ExpectedBehaviour@reddit

My parents do this all the time. I wouldn't have any issue doing it, since it's food I've already paid for after all.

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zonked282@reddit

God across my working life I've worked in many hospitality establishments.

Fast food, pub grub, high end restaurants, steak houses and in every single one of them asking for some leftovers to be packed for takeaway was a near daily occurrence. People really underestimate how often it happens, we even had specific boxes in the back we would keep on hand for this purpose way before covid

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whoatemycatfish@reddit

If it was a large amount of food I’d take it home, for the Pug of course

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pm_me_your_amphibian@reddit

Depends what the food is but I’m not wasting good food. Portions are way too big these days so often I’ll get two meals for one.

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Tao626@reddit

I've never left enough that I've felt the need to ask to take it. Like, I'm not going to have it as a snack but it also isn't enough for a meal.

But I would. I paid for that shit. If I want to take it, I'll take it. The place won't/shouldn't care, they already have my money.

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Specialist_Emu7274@reddit

Honestly I’ve never done it because I’ve never had enough to even consider but I used to work in a cafe and it wasn’t uncommon.

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Temporary-Zebra97@reddit

My take its an american thing and not for me.

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Aaron123111@reddit

As someone who works in a restaurant it’s incredibly common and we are happy to accommodate

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jolittletime@reddit

I feel like restaurants often ask if you want a box for leftovers. Maybe as I've regularly eaten out with a kid they are more likely to suggest it? Don't think I would ask in a fine dining place but I would anywhere else if there was a decent amount left.

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Key_Milk_9222@reddit

I like it when they make a tinfoil swan.

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decentlyfair@reddit

Always ask for doggy bag. Other week I had Turkish gozleme for breakfast and couldn’t even eat half. Ate the still warm other half in the train home for lunch.

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Raisinsandfairywings@reddit

I usually don’t have leftovers myself but my child usually doesn’t eat her full plate if we’ve ordered it off a kids’ menu (they’re usually big enough to fill older kids up but she’s not even 2 yet so it’s a lot of food for her). We’ll usually ask to take the rest of her food home if she likes it, so she can have a bit for lunch the next day. We’ve often had staff offer to box it up for her without us asking too.

I do tend to prefer ordering her an adult starter or a couple of sides instead as it can be closer to a portion size she will finish, but it’s not always possible or prudent depending on the restaurant.

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1of1legend@reddit

I’ll always take my leftovers if they can be eaten later! I paid for it and most places don’t mind giving you a takeaway bag.

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Jamesyroo@reddit

Depends on how much is left and how well it works reheated. When I go for a curry I’ll have pops/starters and about half of a main, then take the other half as a tasty lunch the next day.

If I’m at a pub kind of restaurant and struggling to finish a burger I’m not going to take that with me as leftovers

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gyroda@reddit

When I go for a curry

And most curry houses also do takeaway so they're normally set up for it with containers.

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knotatwist@reddit

It's a great thing to do and restaurants usually have boxes ready to go because it's so common.

I was not brave when I was a teenager but I'm happy asking to box stuff up to take home now.

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bahumat42@reddit

If I ever had anything left I would.

But it's not a situation I get into.

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rachw39@reddit

My friend did it last night, it would have been her lunch today. She paid for it so yeah it’s hers. I however never have this issue as there is never anything left for me to take 😂😂😂

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HarissaPorkMeatballs@reddit

I do sometimes accept if it's offered, but it depends what I'm doing after eating. If I'm going straight home, it's fine. But if I'm planning to go for drinks after or something, I don't really want to be carrying leftovers around with me. If it's not offered, I generally assume it's not something they can accommodate but maybe I should be better about asking.

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Breedy321@reddit

These days it’s no problem at all, used to be a really weird stigma around it.

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hani_hi@reddit

I meant if someone asked me to take their leftovers for a meal I mad for them, sure! What the hell am i gonna do with a meal you've half eaten? Hell, I'd even top you up on more.

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Personal-Listen-4941@reddit

Depends on whether it’s food that can be reasonably boxed then reheated & perhaps more importantly if I’m heading straight home. No matter how nice it is, I don’t want to be carting a box of seafood round the pubs with me.

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ChelseaGem@reddit

Think of all the pussies you’d attract tho. 🐈‍⬛

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ProcedureGloomy6323@reddit

Why would anybody order expensive food on a restaurant in the first place if you're not going to eat the whole thing. Maybe I'm too poor to understand, but on the other hand, why would you try to save old food if you're rich.

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ussy-dictionary@reddit

I used to think it was a weird thing and never dared ask. Anyway years later I married an American and now it comes really easy to ask for a doggy bag if there’s leftovers, I’m pretty sure I got it from him.

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yearsofpractice@reddit

Hey OP. 49 year old married father of two here. 100% will get a box/bag to take away food if appropriate - food that can be transported and with “eyes bigger than belly” kids, it’s usually pizza or roast meat from Sunday lunch.

It always get eaten. Roast chicken and beef gets made into sarnies for me/wife for work.

All restaurants are happy for paid-for food to be taken away - usually the higher quality, the more willing - unless it’s a customer being stupid and asking for a plate of peas or custard to take away.

It’s my youngest’s birthday tomorrow - he’s asked to go a local Chinese restaurant for his birthday meal - and I guarantee there’ll be quite a bit coming home with us from that restaurant!

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bornfromanegg@reddit

I’m a greedy bastard so almost never have the opportunity, but I am all for it and have never found a restaurant that had a problem with it. And I can’t stand wasting food.

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justdont7133@reddit

Does it count that I brought 2 nuggets home from McDonald's today? (They were for the dogs, so an actual doggy bag)

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owzleee@reddit

Every. Time. Food is expensive nowadays and eating out is a luxury I’m not having that go in the bin.

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blackcurrantcat@reddit

Yeah, you paid for it, you “own” it. I’d happily pay whatever for the box they send me home with because I hadn’t paid for that, but if I’ve half-eaten something at home I’d put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow so why is it different because someone else cooked it? We’re too weird about this in this country; we should be looking at leftovers as wasted food being sinful and making every effort to ensure they’re consumed.

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Labionda20@reddit

As others have said, it depends on the food. Something like a pizza or curry then yes. I know people who ask for a goody bag for absolutely everything. which is where it all gets a bit much for me. That salad you had a tiny bit left of is still sitting in the fridge 3 days later.

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examingmisadventures@reddit

Heck, I bring my own container! That way I'm not contributing to more garbage and I can put the leftovers in the fridge then into the microwave.

I will say, though, my mother about died when I whipped a small glass casserole dish out of my bag, shoveled in the remains of my dinner, snapped on the lid and stuffed it back in said bag.

However, it was really tasty the next day.

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lastMETALfinal@reddit

That's a great idea!

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TheDuraMaters@reddit

Completely normal now but I wouldn't have felt as comfortable 15 years ago. We often over-order so we have food for the next day.

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KingKhram@reddit

My family has done this for years and I will always do this. Restaurants would rather the food get eaten, rather than put in the bin and wasted. If I was at an expensive place then I'm sure there won't be that much leftovers to warrant a doggy bag

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Violet351@reddit

We sometimes go to an Italian restaurant that does quite large pizzas and they always any left up for you

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BetYouThoughtOfThis@reddit

I have taken home the bits of my leftovers that my pets would eat in the past. You paid for it, it's yours to take if you want it!

I don't know why it would be less taboo to put it in the bin so it can rot than to ensure it gets eaten.

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Cardabella@reddit

Does friend think the chef would rather see their food in the bin than sent home to be enjoyed later?

I always take it if I'll eat it.

Waste not want not. So much land, money and fridge energy is wasted on food that isn't eaten. It's a tragedy.

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in-the-cloud6679@reddit

If I’m going straight home after dinner then yes, if not then no.

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lunaj1999@reddit

I used to work in a very popular chain pub and people used to ask for takeout containers all of the time, we didn’t have them and people always looked at us like we were robbing them because they could take the leftovers of a £7 burger home. That said, I like to order a lot when I’m at a curry house or whatever and am not embarrassed to take the remnants home.

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LilacRose32@reddit

I’ve done this for years.

Some cuisines are easier than others but I’ve never had a negative response

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Cute-Willingness1736@reddit

I’m absolutely for asking for a doggy bag. We’re such a wasteful society as it is so why throw away perfectly good food!? Eating out is a privilege, and if you’ve paid for the meal, there’s nothing wrong with taking the leftovers home instead of having them binned. Loads of people do it (I definitely do), and honestly it’s completely normal. Your friend might just feel awkward asking, or maybe she’s never thought about it from a waste reduction point of view. But you’re definitely not the only one who asks!

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PKblaze@reddit

IMO I've paid for it and I'd rather it not go to waste so in most cases I'll ask to take something with me.

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OldBoyShenanigans@reddit

I'm always asking for a doggy bag. Some meals are just the right size, others are huge and enough for lunch the next day. I always enjoy leftover restaurant meals.

And it doesn't take balls to ask for a takeaway container. Waiters really don't give a fuck, it just saves them having to wipe the plate clean into the bin. And I'm sure they hate seeing so much food go to waste.

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I wouldn’t ask for a half eaten burger or anything though.

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