# Ever Receive a Foil Swan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698 "2011-06-16T15:33:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/1 "2011-06-16T15:33:08Z")
The Archer thread reminded me of a recurring gag, that every time someone eats out, they’re in the next scene holding a foil swan containing their leftovers. I’ve never eaten at a place that did the foil swan thing, but then I’m not doing a whole lot of high-end dining. But the idea of the foil swan had made it far enough that it’s immediately identifiable to me what it is and what it contains. Ever get a foil swan with your leftovers? Or a foil anything shaped? Typing this reminds me that, back in the day, when you wanted your food wrapped the kitchen would usually just dump it on some foil, wrap it, and return it to you in a wax paper bag that often had a picture of a dog on it. I suppose that, pre-microwave, “doggie bags” actually were for the dog as often as not. I don’t know when the expectations that you’d get some form of take-out container really took hold but I can’t imagine getting a foil wad of food in a doggie bag these days from even family restaurant style establishments. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/2 "2011-06-16T15:35:22Z")
Sometimes as a little kid my parents would bring them back for me when they had gone out to a place they obviously didn’t want to take a little kid to. But I haven’t seen them in a very long time. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/3 "2011-06-16T15:37:32Z")
Yes, a few times. IME most places use boxes with lids for leftovers instead of aluminum foil. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/4 "2011-06-16T15:41:58Z")
I was thinking that as well, that these days the panache of a foil swan would be outweighed by the convenience of a decent foil tray with paper lid. Hard to look classy with crab juice leaking out of a swan and onto your pant leg. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/5 "2011-06-16T15:46:27Z")
Yup, at a French place in Providence. The name escapes me, alas. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/6 "2011-06-16T15:58:52Z")
First I’ve heard of it. Anyone got links to pictures? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/7 "2011-06-16T16:08:04Z")
With SafeSearch on, the Google Images result for “[Foil Swan](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1152&bih=731&q=foil+swan&gbv=2&oq=foil+swan&aq=f&aqi=g1g-m2&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1226l2632l0l9l9l0l0l0l0l262l1365l2.4.3l9)” returns some pics including stills from Archer. [Supposed “real life” foil swan](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2799/4095967999_b1d4d75a09.jpg) [Still from Archer](http://images.wikia.com/archer/images/3/3f/Barry_tin_foil_swan.png) ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/8 "2011-06-16T17:35:17Z")
I’ve gotten one but I’ll be damned if I can remember where. I think it may have been St. Elmo’s in Indianapolis. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/9 "2011-06-16T17:39:41Z")
Not sure why they’re being associated with fancy restaurants. I used to wait tables at a Lone Star Steakhouse in college, and we’d make them. They’re absurdly easy to create. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/10 "2011-06-16T17:58:00Z")
I guess because I associate “lower end” restaurants with sytrofoam to-go boxes or those foil trays with the paper lid. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/11 "2011-06-16T18:17:51Z")
I’ve gotten them at very “old-fashioned” restaurants, the kind that used to be classy but are now a little stuffy and moth-eaten. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/12 "2011-06-16T18:22:15Z")
I have never in my life heard of this. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/13 "2011-06-16T18:26:32Z")
The one time I can remember receiving one was at a fairly classy restaurant up in Minneapolis,about 15 years ago. Much hilarity ensued when, on the drive back to our hotel, the recipient of the foil swan opened up the car window, stuck the head of the foil swan out the open window, then closed the window, decapitating the poor bird. (Yes, some alcohol had been imbibed…) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/14 "2011-06-16T18:29:39Z")
Requisite scene from [The Sweetest Thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q99B3FegSU4). ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/15 "2011-06-16T18:32:38Z")
Yes, once or twice in my life. Only at very expensive restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/16 "2011-06-16T18:33:25Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Yes, once or twice in my life. Only at very expensive restaurants. +1 ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/17 "2011-06-16T18:47:07Z")
The Jumer’s hotels in Illinois always wrapped up your leftover mini-cinnamon rolls in foil swans. You may have even been able to order that as take away (after finishing a sit down meal of course). Management might have changed hands since then, or they’ve been bought out, but in the eighties and nineties they were a higher end hotel and restaurant. I must have carried away a half dozen foil swans. They likely used them for other leftovers, but I only remember the little cinnamon rolls. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/18 "2011-06-16T18:54:29Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I was thinking that as well, that these days the panache of a foil swan would be outweighed by the convenience of a decent foil tray with paper lid. Hard to look classy with crab juice leaking out of a swan and onto your pant leg. Foil swans are never used for anything in a sauce or liquid that might leek. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/19 "2011-06-16T18:56:29Z")
Well, no, you’d never wrap leeks in a foil swan 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PoorMarie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5ac83/32.png) [@PoorMarie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorMarie)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698/20 "2011-06-16T20:41:49Z")
Hey, this is my first post! About a foil swan! I got one about five years ago at a restaurant in Malibu that overlooks the water more or less. Not a fancy place… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-receive-a-foil-swan/585698.md?page=2)