Weird restaurant policies

[kaylasdad99]

Originally Posted by Labrador Deceiver

Yep. Around here we say "Do you want a Coke or something?"

I my house it's: "May I offer you a beverage?"

[Pai325]

Originally Posted by kaylasdad99

I my house it's: "May I offer you a beverage?"

I usually say, "Can I get you a drink?" and follow that immediately with the types of juice and pop we have.

When I order a Coke, I mean, and always get, a Coke. When a restaurant moved from Coke products to Pepsi products they started to ask if Pepsi was okay. The servers told me it was a requirement (I don't know if by management or someone else) so that it didn't look like they were selling Pepsi as Coke.

I can't imagine any server asking a woman if she meant Diet Coke after she ordered Coke and expecting a handsome tip. When they want to refill it as they pass by the table I understand, but don't look at me when I order and ask me if I mean Diet.

[Acsenray]

Originally Posted by Pai325

The servers told me it was a requirement (I don't know if by management or someone else) so that it didn't look like they were selling Pepsi as Coke.

It's a requirement of trademark law, consumer protection law, and unfair business practices law.

[kayaker]

I avoid this whole Coke situation by ordering beer.

[Alessan]

Yeah, but if you do that, they might bring you something like Miller or Budweiser, instead of an actual beer.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by dougie_monty

According to an article I read in Westways, the Auto Club magazine published in Southern California, if you ask for a container to put leftovers in, in a restaurant in Europe, they'll think you are out of your mind.

Not sure it'd get that strong a reaction, but yes, IME taking home your leftovers is very unusual. I first came across it on TV and it's only from conversations here that I've gathered it's quite routine in the US.

[StarvingButStrong]

Originally Posted by Charley

Not sure it'd get that strong a reaction, but yes, IME taking home your leftovers is very unusual. I first came across it on TV and it's only from conversations here that I've gathered it's quite routine in the US.

I guess restaurants over there don't go way, way oversized on servings like a lot do here.

[dougie_monty]

Originally Posted by Charley

Not sure it'd get that strong a reaction, but yes, IME taking home your leftovers is very unusual. I first came across it on TV and it's only from conversations here that I've gathered it's quite routine in the US.

Really? You must be in Europe, then, Charley. What country?

[Pai325]

Originally Posted by Charley

Not sure it'd get that strong a reaction, but yes, IME taking home your leftovers is very unusual. I first came across it on TV and it's only from conversations here that I've gathered it's quite routine in the US.

When I take my leftovers home from a place like Texas Roadhouse (I get the smallest filet) I can usually get two more meals from it. Most restaurant portions are way too big for me.

[MPB in Salt Lake]

I have spent time in over 20 different European countries, and have eaten hundreds of meals in various restaurants during my travels, and I can't ever remember any of the servers acting like getting me a container to take away my leftovers was unusual or a hassle for them....

[Charley]

Originally Posted by dougie_monty

Really? You must be in Europe, then, Charley. What country?

UK. Maybe it is related to portion size in some way. Logically I suppose it makes sense - this is food you've paid for, if you can't finish it then and there why wouldn't you take it with you? I have to say though, it just feels weird to me. That's probably not helped by the whole English thing of
not drawing attention to yourself in any way at all - asking for a doggy bag would involve all sorts of conversations and imagining about one's personal situation that we just can't cope with at all .

[Charley]

Originally Posted by MPB in Salt Lake

I have spent time in over 20 different European countries, and have eaten hundreds of meals in various restaurants during my travels, and I can't ever remember any of the servers acting like getting me a container to take away my leftovers was unusual or a hassle for them....

No, as I say, not sure you'd get any real reaction but it isn't a usual practice IME.

[MPB in Salt Lake]

Originally Posted by Charley

No, as I say, not sure you'd get any real reaction but it isn't a usual practice IME.

I suppose it's what you are used to; Here in the USA, when I eat meals out in a restaurant, from fine dining to fast-food, I will bring some of the food home with me at least 90% of the time, usually regardless of the actual portion size or how hungry I am at the time.

It's just something I always do; For some reason, I must like having restaurant leftovers for later in the evening or sometime on the next day....

[Švejk]

Originally Posted by MPB in Salt Lake

I have spent time in over 20 different European countries, and have eaten hundreds of meals in various restaurants during my travels, and I can't ever remember any of the servers acting like getting me a container to take away my leftovers was unusual or a hassle for them....

Huh. Well, good for you, you've managed to find nice and accommodating wait staff - but being from Europe and having travelled to at least as many countries, I guarantee you that it *is* highly uncommon. I had never heard of people doing this until I met Americans who did it. I've never done it myself, nor have I been at a table with anyone who asked for this other than Americans, nor can I recall this happening more often than once or twice at another table in any restaurant that I've been in.

Not that there's anything wrong with it - it's your food, you paid for it, and I think it should be a more common practice in Europe as the alternative is to throw it out, which is wasteful (although I agree that portion size might have something to do with it, as people have mentioned).

[billfish678]

Originally Posted by Švejk

I've never done it myself, nor have I been at a table with anyone who asked for this other than Americans, nor can I recall this happening more often than once or twice at another table in any restaurant that I've been in.

So, do you guys just pork out and usually eat everything brought to you, rarely order more than you can eat, or just regularly throw food away? My dad taught me #3 was a sin, with all those starving kids in China and whatnot.

As a somewhat skinny American, I can tell you that the vast majority of time that I eat out (and its rarely the supersized version of the meal, extras or an appetizer) I get nearly two full meals out of whatever I've ordered.

[Švejk]

Originally Posted by billfish678

So, do you guys just pork out and usually eat everything brought to you, rarely order more than you can eat, or just regularly throw food away? My dad taught me #3 was a sin, with all those starving kids in China and whatnot.

As a somewhat skinny American, I can tell you that the vast majority of time that I eat out (and its rarely the supersized version of the meal, extras or an appetizer) I get nearly two full meals out of whatever I've ordered.

If I had to guess I'd say it's mostly #2, although I'm sure there's a fair bit of #3 as well. Portion sizes are way smaller. People do not usually have a problem finishing their plates, IME. When you can't finish your plate, the waiter takes it away and throws it out. My first impulse reaction to asking for a doggy bag is that it is a bit of a cheapskate thing to do (and indeed that you would be asking to take your leftovers home 'for the dog' does suggest that there's a certain stigma attached to the practice in the US as well, although I'm not too sure about that conjecture).

[billfish678]

Interesting and fair enough. Though I think we would probably both agree that the possible stigma of being a cheapskate because you don't wanna waste food is rather unfortunate. To me the sin of wasting food is WAY worse than asking for a "doggy bag" But in the US I think you could safely say that unless you are eating at a fairly upscale place, asking for something to take the leftovers home in gets about as much bad reaction as asking for extra ice water at some point in the meal.

[MPB in Salt Lake]

Originally Posted by Švejk

If My first impulse reaction to asking for a doggy bag is that it is a bit of a cheapskate thing to do (and indeed that you would be asking to take your leftovers home 'for the dog' does suggest that there's a certain stigma attached to the practice in the US as well, although I'm not too sure about that conjecture).

I can see people looking at it like that, but the thing is, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK about what people who work in restaurants (or those dining around me) think about me....

I am polite to a fault, tip exceedingly generously, and if someone (be it in Milwaukee, Melbourne or Madrid) thinks I'm a cheap bastard because I don't want to throw away perfectly good food, fuck 'em.

(Fuck 'em with an antique Bavarian walking stick.)

[Švejk]

Tipping generously - or at all - is also something that people in Europe don't do - but I don't think everyone's ever given you the stinkeye for that anymore than they have for asking to have your leftovers wrapped up to go. That does not make it standard practice, though.

I don't think you should mind if people think you are a cheap bastard, and as I said in my first post reacting to yours

Originally Posted by me, Josef Švejk

Not that there's anything wrong with it - it's your food, you paid for it, and I think it should be a more common practice in Europe as the alternative is to throw it out, which is wasteful (although I agree that portion size might have something to do with it, as people have mentioned).

So I endorse the practice and wish we did it more - but my impulse reaction is still to think it's a bit cheap, and you're certainly wrong to argue that taking home leftovers is a common thing to do in Europe. It may not have been a hassle for the waiters who served you, but it certainly was unusual for them.

[Pixel_Dent]

I was at a restaurant in Brasil and I ordered a pizza. (Yeah, it's a strange thing to order in Brasil but I think it's fun that what's called a pizza differs greatly from country to country. Also about half the menu at this particular restaurant was pizza and I'd been eating more typical Brasilian food all week so I figured I'd see what it was like.)

What was strange about this experience was instead of bringing the pizza to the table they kept it in the back and anytime someone wanted a slice we had to flag down the waiter who was usually off somewhere smoking and ask him to bring out a piece.

[Acsenray]

Originally Posted by Švejk

and indeed that you would be asking to take your leftovers home 'for the dog' does suggest that there's a certain stigma attached to the practice in the US as well, although I'm not too sure about that conjecture).

Doggy bag is a known term, but it's used more in the third person and rarely used in the actual situation. It's more likely to be --

--Could you please bring us a box for the rest?
--Could you please wrap this up?
--We'll take the test to go, thanks
Etc.

As I've said before when this comes up on these boards this situation has a lot ti do with the economics of restaurant service in the United States. Restaurants serve large portions in order to make it easier for patrons to accept higher prices. The food is actually often a smaller input cost for a restaurant compared to other overhead.

[rogerbox]

"Doggie bag" having a negative connotation here (U.S.) because it's "for dogs" is crazy talk. Doggie bag is just what it's called, it isn't implied that you're taking the leftovers home to feed the dog, you're taking it home because you paid for it and it's perfectly good food.

Unless you're at a very high end restaurant (or a buffet of course!) , there is no stigma in taking food home whatsoever.

[Cub Mistress]

Somewhere along the line the polite fiction of the doggie bag has disappeared. I haven't actually heard the term in 20 years. People just ask for a take out box or a leftovers box. Nothing to be embarassed about, it's just leftover food, not the restaurant's silverware!

[eenerms]

On the take away thing.. Never had a problem in Italy EVER.

[drastic_quench]

I had a birthday dinner at a first-rate gastropub when a tornado warning hit. It was for real, green sky, gusts and all. They moved us to the basement of this old brick building. Power was intermittent. The manager offered table wine to anyone who'd like some, but stated that it would be added onto the bill. It soon became clear that the waitresses had given up keeping tabs on who had what, so lots of people (including me) ended up drinking for free and eating Lays potato chips by the bag while a tornado missed us by a few short miles.

[Askance]

Originally Posted by Shalmanese

Restaurants hate reservations and all restaurants would do away with them if they could get away with it. You instantly take a hit from all the no-shows (which is around 20%). If someone lingers at a table too long and blocks off the next reservation, you need to shunt them to the bar and feed them free drinks until the table is ready. If you're a high end place and you want to turn a table twice a night, you need to offer inconveniently timed seatings at 6:30 and 9:30. If a restaurant has lines out the door, it has no motivation to offer reservations.

Originally Posted by Athena

And the other reason (as others have pointed out) are no-shows. People don't think twice of making reservations and then not showing up. That causes a restaurant to hold a table for at least a half an hour, turning away other potential customers if they're full. They also may have purchased food based on the number of reservations, and if more than a few reserved tables don't show, they end up potentially having to throw food out.

That's why a lot of restaurants don't like reservations. At least one new high-end restaurant has taken to selling tickets rather than taking reservations. You want to come? You buy tickets. If you can't show up, you re-sell the tickets. They claim this allows them to keep prices down as they don't have to worry about extra food/empty tables as a result of no-shows.

We are getting more of this here. I know of four high-volume or high-cost places now that will not accept reservations at all, or only for larger parties (6 in one place, 8 in another). I can completely understand; it must cost them a fortune in lost business and if they can fill their tables anyway, why go to the trouble and expense or running a reservation system? Other places take credit card numbers and charge you a no-show fee, or ring you and check you are still coming once or even twice. Whenever I ring to cancel a reservation the restaurant is always very very grateful, it mustn't happen very often.

One high-volume Thai place near the city has a book on a stand outside the door. The floor manager writes your name, number of seats, and mobile number in it and gives you a numbered tag. You then go for a wander or a shop around the city and they'll call or SMS you when a table's ready. You do have to be pretty snappy getting there or it'll go to someone else though.

Originally Posted by wevets

I'm still curious where this is happening since I've never seen anything like it.

Has anyone besides MrDurden and dougie_monty seen this bring-the-bills-but-not-the-coins change practice?

Never. Of course here prices always include all taxes, so you are less likely to get the odd cents - menu prices are almost always in multiples of 50c or $1. And there is no requirement to tip, as waitstaff are paid properly by their employer.

Originally Posted by eenerms

In two restaurants in Australia, they wouldn't allow you to take home your left-overs. Said it was for health and safety But there are all those fast food and ethnic places not a problem...

I have eaten at hundreds if not thousands of restaurants across Australia over a period of 50 years, at all different price levels, and have never encountered this a single time out of the maybe 100 times I would have asked.

[Švejk]

Originally Posted by rogerbox

"Doggie bag" having a negative connotation here (U.S.) because it's "for dogs" is crazy talk. Doggie bag is just what it's called, it isn't implied that you're taking the leftovers home to feed the dog, you're taking it home because you paid for it and it's perfectly good food.

Unless you're at a very high end restaurant (or a buffet of course!) , there is no stigma in taking food home whatsoever.

No longer, but clearly something of a taboo did once exist, or the term 'doggy bag' would not have come into existence.

Originally Posted by eenerms

On the take away thing.. Never had a problem in Italy EVER.

I don't think anyone's suggested that it would cause problems, just that it would be a rather unusual request as opposed to North America where it is much more common and probably much more readily accommodated.

[drastic_quench]

Originally Posted by Švejk

No longer, but clearly something of a taboo did once exist, or the term 'doggy bag' would not have come into existence.

Whaaaaaaaaat? You know they used to put cut little cartoon dogs on the side of the bags, right? It's jokey. Doggie bag never had a serious or pejorative context.

[Mister Rik]

Originally Posted by Askance

And there is no requirement to tip, as waitstaff are paid properly by their employer.

I suspect the tipping came before the substandard wages, and was used as an excuse to pay waitstaff less than minimum wage.

[etv78]

Originally Posted by Švejk

No longer, but clearly something of a taboo did once exist, or the term 'doggy bag' would not have come into existence.



I don't think anyone's suggested that it would cause problems, just that it would be a rather unusual request as opposed to North America where it is much more common and probably much more readily accommodated.

Not only accommodated, I'd say it's expected.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally Posted by StarvingButStrong

I guess restaurants over there don't go way, way oversized on servings like a lot do here.

My husband and I ate at Hoffbrau tonight. The smallest beef serving was 7 ounces. The baked potatoes are two or three times what one serving for one adult should be. So usually we get a 10 or 12 ounce steak, split the steak and the potato, and order another non-starchy side. Most of the sides are starches, such as several potato dishes, mac'n'cheese, and corn. I think that we had a choice of salad or broccoli in that place, so we usually go with salad. Since the steak comes with two sides, splitting the potato and getting another non-starchy side means that both of us can have two sides, and have enough meat.

I'd love to see a menu with smaller entrees, because I enjoy eating out alone. But if I want to eat at Hoffbrau alone, then I'm going to have to ask for a box or leave about 2/3 of the meal on the plate.

Most places will put enough food on the plate to satisfy an active teenage boy. I don't want or need nearly that much food.

[lawoot]

Originally Posted by kayaker

I don't understand pizzerias with a "no double topping" policy. Ever see this? They have a two topping special deal. They will put on 12 pepperoni and 14 mushrooms without a problem, but you can't get 24 pepperoni or 28 shrooms.

I realize this was way back at the start of the thread, but I thought I'd answer it, based on my experience managing a Domino's Pizza 20 years ago. The reason WE instituted the policy was that often toppings wouldn't cook correctry if you put too many on one pizza (this was when we had a "any toppings, one price" special). Sounds ridiculous, I know.

[TBG]

Originally Posted by grude

Mountain Dew, Sprite, 7 Up, Fanta, Sunkist, etc.

BTW your text doesn't look brown, I demand a refund.

Those aren't colas, though.

And blame the the board software, when I put [COLOR="brown"][/COLOR] that was the color it pooped out!


this post has been sienna'd by the siennaist? is that better?

[stegon66]

"Doggie bag" having a negative connotation here (U.S.) because it's "for dogs" is crazy talk. Doggie bag is just what it's called, it isn't implied that you're taking the leftovers home to feed the dog, you're taking it home because you paid for it and it's perfectly good food.

I have two very persuasive beagles who insist that doggie bags are indeed for dogs...

[Battle Pope]

Originally Posted by Askance

I have eaten at hundreds if not thousands of restaurants across Australia over a period of 50 years, at all different price levels, and have never encountered this a single time out of the maybe 100 times I would have asked.

It's becoming more & more common where I am in Australia for the staff to offer to put your meal in a container before you ask.. Usually when they bring the bill if there is a large amount left on a persons plate they will usually ask if that person would like to take the rest home.

[Caricci]

Originally Posted by Battle Pope

It's becoming more & more common where I am in Australia for the staff to offer to put your meal in a container before you ask.. Usually when they bring the bill if there is a large amount left on a persons plate they will usually ask if that person would like to take the rest home.

Here in New England, too, even if it's just a scrap or a few greens left from a salad with all the yummy stuff picked out. "Can I wrap that up for you?" is as much a part of the server's script as "May I take your order".

[sisu]

Originally Posted by Švejk

There's this place in Montreal that for zoning reasons cannot be a bar, the city will only give it a restaurant licence. The thing is, though, that it is a bar, and people come there to drink. In order to avoid getting closed down, they now require that at least one patron at every table order some small dish (3 samosas for $5, or a small bowl of chili, or something like that) in addition to all the beer they drink.

Yeah in Australia in the 1980's you could only serve alcohol with food after midnight so your cover charge also included a spring roll or some other deep fried cat gut recipe.

[MPB in Salt Lake]

Originally Posted by sisu

Yeah in Australia in the 1980's you could only serve alcohol with food after midnight so your cover charge also included a spring roll or some other deep fried cat gut recipe.

In Utah, one of the last vestiges of our infamous wierdo liquor laws is that restaurants can't sell alcohol without an accompanying food purchase.

Bars have no such restriction, but restaurants can't legally, openly sell me a beer when I keep my friends company while they eat.

(Of course it's easy to get around with a wink and a nod, as I can always just tell them I will be splitting a meal with someone else at the table or that I haven't decided on what to order yet, and I will just have the beer for right now while I peruse the menu; Even though it's technically illegal, it is easy to skirt these asinine laws.)

[DrDeth]

A "true" doggie bag is when they wrap up your steakbone for your dog. People still do this.

[installLSC]

Originally Posted by Švejk

There's this place in Montreal that for zoning reasons cannot be a bar, the city will only give it a restaurant licence. The thing is, though, that it is a bar, and people come there to drink. In order to avoid getting closed down, they now require that at least one patron at every table order some small dish (3 samosas for $5, or a small bowl of chili, or something like that) in addition to all the beer they drink.

That reminds of what bars in Washington State used to pull. State law requires any place selling alcohol must also sell food. Some bars would do stuff like list TV dinners for $20, or charge $14 for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Obviously no one was stupid enough to buy this stuff, but it would have been sold to anyone who ordered it. The state liquor control board now requires the food to be sold at legitimate prices.

[Askance]

Originally Posted by MPB in Salt Lake

In Utah, one of the last vestiges of our infamous wierdo liquor laws is that restaurants can't sell alcohol without an accompanying food purchase.

Do they still have that law that says the waitstaff can't put down your next bottle or glass until you've sculled finished the current one? Boy that was silly, it just made you drink faster.

[dougie_monty]

Originally Posted by Battle Pope

It's becoming more & more common where I am in Australia for the staff to offer to put your meal in a container before you ask.. Usually when they bring the bill if there is a large amount left on a persons plate they will usually ask if that person would like to take the rest home.

I have suffered from a weight problem lately; a doctor told me that when I feel as though I've been served too much food to eat I should ask for a take-home container and finish the food another time. I'd just as soon not get an adverse reaction--after all, it's doctor's orders--and take the food out regardless of what someone might say. I have never been to Europe myself, much less eaten there.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally Posted by DrDeth

A "true" doggie bag is when they wrap up your steakbone for your dog. People still do this.

Heh. One time, my family asked for a bag for our leftover ribs, for our two huge dogs. The waitress asked us if we really had dogs, and when she learned that yes, we did, she offered to get rib bones from other tables. I froze a lot of bones, and the dogs did enjoy them.

Back when soup bones were fairly cheap, I'd get a bunch of them, make stock, and then freeze the bones. They were mostly knucklebones, and the dogs also enjoyed those bones. Yes, I know that now it's considered unhealthy for the dogs, but ours really, really appreciated getting a bone now and then.

[DrDeth]

Originally Posted by Lynn Bodoni

Back when soup bones were fairly cheap, I'd get a bunch of them, make stock, and then freeze the bones. They were mostly knucklebones, and the dogs also enjoyed those bones. Yes, I know that now it's considered unhealthy for the dogs, but ours really, really appreciated getting a bone now and then.

Why are bones consdiered unhealthy for dogs?

[LVBoPeep]

Originally Posted by DrDeth

Why are bones consdiered unhealthy for dogs?

Some bones can cause blockages which can result in pretty expensive and not always successful surgery to get them out. Knucklebones, hambones (although have had narrow nosed dogs needing to have those removed from their lower jaw when stuck) and raw ribs are generally ok but steak bones should definitely be avoided.

Not a vet, just work for one and seen it a bazillion times. Not worth it.

[Moonlitherial]

Originally Posted by DrDeth

Why are bones consdiered unhealthy for dogs?

Raw bones are not but cooked bones can fracture and cause injuries in the mouth or digestive system.

[Sri Theo]

Yeah in some places in the UK a doggy bag is still meant to be for dogs. They'll just scrape everything into a bag rather than packing it nicely as if it was for human consumption.

To 'take-away' is the more specific nomenclature for that.

[iamthewalrus(:3=]

Can someone explain the Five Easy Pieces "hold it between your knees" comment?

It's clear from context that the waitress takes it as a major insult. I've heard the joke about aspirin being a birth control pill if you just hold it between your knees, so my guess is that telling her to hold the chicken salad between her knees is some kind of sexual insult. Maybe it's implying that she's a frigid bitch who needs to get some? I haven't quite figured out how that all comes together. Am I on the right track?

[Acsenray]

Originally Posted by iamthewalrus(:3=

Can someone explain the Five Easy Pieces "hold it between your knees" comment?

It's clear from context that the waitress takes it as a major insult. I've heard the joke about aspirin being a birth control pill if you just hold it between your knees, so my guess is that telling her to hold the chicken salad between her knees is some kind of sexual insult. Maybe it's implying that she's a frigid bitch who needs to get some? I haven't quite figured out how that all comes together. Am I on the right track?

I think you're overthinking it. A reference to a woman holding something between her knees is just vaguely sexual enough to be shocking in a conservative society.

[Nava]

Originally Posted by dougie_monty

According to an article I read in Westways, the Auto Club magazine published in Southern California, if you ask for a container to put leftovers in, in a restaurant in Europe, they'll think you are out of your mind.

But only once they spend a long time trying to understand what the hell you're talking about. And I mean a very long time. Places which serve on-site and take away will have containers you can use, but a sit-down-only restaurant simply doesn't have any. If you bring your own, they won't just think you are out of your mind, they'll wonder what the drugs you're on are called and whether they're so new they're not illegal yet.

Getting used to the notion of "ok, American restaurants serve you at least twice as much food as you need, and they get angry if you try to split what they call a portion, but you can take 3/4 of it home in cheap tuppers" is a very common source of Culture Shock for Europeans jumping the puddle. As another Spaniard put it "I can see that being convenient if I was at home, but we're in a hotel! What am I supposed to do with the leftovers in a hotel?"