# Can I buy dinner for a freegan? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849 "2014-03-16T18:14:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/1 "2014-03-16T18:14:57Z")
I met a guy of facebook that I wanted to get to know. I wanted to meet him. I wanted to go out to dinner with him and pay for it, but I heard him say in an interview that he hasn’t bought food since 1984. If I offered to meet him, do you think he would insist that we ate food out of the trash? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/2 "2014-03-16T18:17:18Z")
I believe the key part of the statement is “_ **he** _ hasn’t bought food since 1984.” _All_ of the food he eats has been paid for by someone else. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/3 "2014-03-16T18:22:25Z")
Just think, you can have dinner behind the fanciest place in town. 😃 [From Wiki.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeganism) > [@](#): > > Freegans "embrace community, **generosity** , social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed. I’m sure he won’t mind if you pay. Personally, I think he sounds like a freak. Normal people don’t eat garbage. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/4 "2014-03-16T18:27:39Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Just think, you can have dinner behind the fanciest place in town. 😃 > [From Wiki.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeganism) > > I’m sure he won’t mind if you pay. > > Personally, I think he sounds like a freak. Normal people don’t eat garbage. I couldn’t care less about what **you** think about him. I’m just wondering if it might be against his ethics to eat food that wasn’t immediately about to go to waste. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/5 "2014-03-16T18:29:10Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > I couldn’t care less about what **you** think about him. I’m just wondering if it might be against his ethics to eat food that wasn’t immediately about to go to waste. Wrong forum, then. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/6 "2014-03-16T18:30:42Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Wrong forum, then. Where should I have put this than? GD? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/7 "2014-03-16T18:32:25Z")
So freegans are like rats? They eat our of the garbage, but are more than happy to accept handouts? ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/8 "2014-03-16T19:10:55Z")
Can the mods put this question where it belongs than? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/9 "2014-03-16T19:26:18Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > I’m just wondering if it might be against his ethics to eat food that wasn’t immediately about to go to waste. Then I don’t think anyone other than he can answer that. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/10 "2014-03-16T19:31:33Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Then I don’t think anyone other than he can answer that. You’re probably right, it just seems awkward to ask him. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/11 "2014-03-16T19:33:11Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > I couldn’t care less about what **you** think about him. I’m just wondering if it might be against his ethics to eat food that wasn’t immediately about to go to waste. Here’s a novel and daring idea: How about simply asking him if it’s OK to buy him dinner? His answer will be either yes or now; you can proceed from there. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/12 "2014-03-16T19:37:08Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Here’s a novel and daring idea: How about simply asking him if it’s OK to buy him dinner? > > His answer will be either yes or now; you can proceed from there. If he answers me with “now”, I will ask him “now what”? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/13 "2014-03-16T19:37:59Z")
Why not ask him? I know a few people who tend towards the freegan, and while I don’t think any would object to being bought dinner, none are as hard core as that guy sounds. I’d suspect he’d be happier about meeting up if you were prepared to join him in what he more usually eats, as it’s obviously something he feels pretty strongly about. It is pretty amazing what people throw away- we’re not talking disgusting compost here. Nothing magical happens to perfectly good food just because someone decided to throw it away, it’s often still sealed and perfectly fresh- hell, I’ve seen three whole beer bottles chucked, because the fourth in the pack had broken. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/14 "2014-03-16T19:40:06Z")
I guess I just want to know if Freegans have a universal stance on the issue. Are there no Freegans on the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/15 "2014-03-16T19:47:49Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > If he answers me with “now”, I will ask him “now what”? Heh, I see what I did there. But you get the general picture. Why not simply ask him? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/16 "2014-03-16T19:48:23Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > I guess I just want to know if Freeland have a universal stance on the issue. Are there no Freegans on the Straight Dope? Being a true [freegan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeganism) would (I think) mean you are fairly disconnected from transactional society. The notion of a freegan with a Facebook account is an interesting concept. You’re an adventurous woman. Most women would be entirely put off by the notion of trying to establish a relationship connection with a an acknowledged scrounger. He must be fascinating. Definitely offer dinner. He should readily take you up on it. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/17 "2014-03-16T20:18:57Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Being a true [freegan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireeganism) would (I think. mean you are fairly disconnected from transactional society. The notion of a freegan with a Facebook account is an interesting concept. > > You’re an adventurous woman. Most women would be entirely put off by the notion of trying to establish a relationship connection with a an acknowledged scrounger. He must be fascinating. > > Definitely offer dinner. He should readily take you up on it. I haven’t checked my “hardware” in a while, but I’m pretty sure that I’m not a woman by either sex or gender. I’m intrigued by this guy, but not necessarily in a romantic way. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/18 "2014-03-16T20:55:53Z")
In my younger days, I had some freegan friends. I think they’d prefer a home cooked meal made from sustainably sourced produce to a reastaurant, so I’d offer that (maybe a picnic if you don’t want to open your home.) I can tell you one thing- the freegans have more good food than your average broke person. When I was working minimum wage, I used to gratefully accept food gifts from my freegan friends, who were awash in produce and treats. While I was eating rice and beans, they were having daily feasts. It’s usually not dirty garbage scrounging (though obviously standards may vary.) Often they had inside connections at places. In the SF Bay Area, the Cliff Bar factory and the Scharfenberger chocolate factory were common targets. Inside connections would tell when a big discard was coming and why (one friend got 20 pounds of fine chocolate that had been processed on machines that had been used to process nuts, and hadn’t been properly labeled as such.) Another friend got bananas leftover from the local hotel continental breakfast, and had the inside track to day-old baked goods at a very nice french bakery. It’s not hard to make friends with cashiers, wait staff, and factory workers. These inside tips were the main way they got food, and it would be very rare to eat food that wasn’t from a known and trusted source. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/19 "2014-03-16T20:57:53Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > I haven’t checked my “hardware” in a while, but I’m pretty sure that I’m not a woman by either sex or gender. I’m intrigued by this guy, but not necessarily in a romantic way. Interesting I read that as “copperwidow”. But still… it’s a new relationship, you’re strangers to each other, shouldn’t you start with just a “get to know you” lunch at the local vegan cafe. Dinner seems kind of a next stage thing. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849/20 "2014-03-16T21:08:49Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Interesting I read that as “copperwidow”. But still… it’s a new relationship, you’re strangers to each other, shouldn’t you start with just a “get to know you” lunch at the local vegan cafe. Dinner seems kind of a next stage thing. I just asked my wife if dinner was more intimate of a meal than lunch is, and she said yes. I did not know that. Perhaps I should just ask this guy if he’d like to meet for a drink. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-buy-dinner-for-a-freegan/683849.md?page=2)