# Doggie bag: Taking home left-overs from restaurants



## Roi Marphille

Hi to all!
for some of us, this doggie bag practise is really really odd. 

Do you ask for the doggie bag in your countries?
I don't really know how it works, I mean...is it a normal practise in any kind of restaurants? 
Do people ask it for the dogs or for themselves? or both?
Do you think it is something to be ashamed off, embarrassed?
What do you guys think about it? 
In my country you can ask for a doggy bag in a restaurant but it is something not common and sometimes leads to embarrassments. Normally people may do it if they know the owner of the restaurant quite well. Never to be done in high-class restaurants. 

cheers, 

Roi


----------



## GenJen54

That's an interesting question, Roi. I can only speak for "doggy bag" practices in the US, as I've never asked for one while visiting other countries. 

First, and foremost, the term "doggy bag" has, at least where I am from, lost its favor. Now, people tend to ask for a "take-home box," or simply box. 

In most "casual" (a step above fast food) and "medium" (jacket, but no tie required) dining experiences, any astute waiter will ask you if you would like a box, if you have food left on your plate. Of course, you can also just ask for one if they do not offer it. It is a perfectly normal and acceptable practice. Afterall, you just paid for that food. 

I would hesitate to ask for one in a very elegant restaurant, unless, of course, they were to offer one.

It is an ABSOLUTE no-no to ask for them in buffets or cafeterias, unless you are going to the cafeteria only to purchase food to take home, and not eat in that restaurant. 

To be honest, in some restaurants, I have been known to ask for a box at the beginning of a meal and will then box up at least half, if not two-thirds, of my meal before I even take one bite. I do this mainly because the portion sizes in so many US restaurants are out of control and much too large for a normal-sized person to eat.

It will be interesting to see other cultural perspectives on this, as I have never experienced this outside of my own country. Of course, in those instances, I am also usually travelling, and it is not convenient to take a "doggy bag" back to the hotel room.


----------



## Monnik

Hola, Roi...

In Mexico (and I'll write in English so that all will understand), it was not something people would do very often until some years ago, but now what you do is simply ask the waiter/waitress to give you your food "to go".     As in your case, it is not done at fancier restaurants, but rather at more casual ones.

Saludos...   

Mónica


----------



## Citrus

Hi !!!

From Mexico, I can say that it's a very common practice, although it's not called a "doggy bag" . . . we say "para llevar" (to go) . . . for example:

I would say to a waitress "Can you put this to go please?"

I've done it (and see it done) in almost every kind of places, . . . except in buffets as GenJen54 has pointed out.  

There even are some really expensive restaurants where the "packaging" where they put the food "to go" is printed and has a special design. Some have a look of innovation to them that makes you WANT to ask for part of your food "to go".  

In a more personal note: I rather take the food I couldn't eat with me and eat it later or give it away to someone who needs it that have it thrown away. 

Cheers
Citrus

Mónica . . . we were writing at the same time!!!


----------



## fenixpollo

My experience in the U.S. and Mexico has been the same as Citrus', Monik's and GenJen's:





			
				GenJen54 said:
			
		

> First, and foremost, the term "doggy bag" has, at least where I am from, lost its favor. Now, people tend to ask for a "take-home box," or simply box.
> 
> I would hesitate to ask for one in a very elegant restaurant, unless, of course, they were to offer one.


 Since restaurant portions are very big, I'll often share a plate with the person I'm with... it's usually worth the "extra-plate" charge. Otherwise, everyone will get their own plate and we'll box up the rest -- which is often the equivalent of another full meal! Asking for "a to-go box" or a "take-home box" (never a doggy bag!) is almost expected at some restaurants....





			
				Jen said:
			
		

> To be honest, in some restaurants, I have been known to ask for a box at the beginning of a meal and will then box up at least half, if not two-thirds, of my meal before I even take one bite.


 ... although this is a little cheeky, I must say!  

Cheers.


----------



## rob.returns

Doggie bags would be better than wasting food. 

But i do agree with some post that buffets and special occasion are exemptions, not unless offered by the guest.

In our country, we do have a lot of doggie-baggies here, for ourselves, for our loved ones, or plainly for dogs.


----------



## BasedowLives

Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> Hi to all!
> for some of us, this doggie bag practise is really really odd.
> 
> Do you ask for the doggie bag in your countries?
> I don't really know how it works, I mean...is it a normal practise in any kind of restaurants?
> Do people ask it for the dogs or for themselves? or both?
> Do you think it is something to be ashamed off, embarrassed?
> What do you guys think about it?
> In my country you can ask for a doggy bag in a restaurant but it is something not common and sometimes leads to embarrassments. Normally people may do it if they know the owner of the restaurant quite well. Never to be done in high-class restaurants.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Roi



haha, i remember being in spain, i don't think this concept existed. i was at a restaurant and since i had no idea how to ask for it i just i asked for it "para llevar" and i just couldn't get what i meant across. 

It's normal for all sit down type restaurants. It's nothing to be ashamed of or embarassed.... I don't see why you should be ashamed of not wanting to let food go to waste. Plus, you have a free lunch for the next day.


----------



## nycphotography

Brioche said:
			
		

> Where I live, it is now against health regulations for unfinished food to be taken home.


 
So let me get this straight.... the restaurant is deemed healthy, when eating in, and healthy when ordering takeout, but suddenly becomes a menacing threat to public health when you put previously safe food in a box and take it home?  Yeah right.  

If only politicians could be honest and say "because our restaurants and business owners cried like babies, we passed a law protecting them.  In order to enhance restauraunt return visit rates, it will now be illegal to take home left overs."  I do so hate liars.  blah.


----------



## Roi Marphille

nycphotography said:
			
		

> If only politicians could be honest and say "because our restaurants and business owners cried like babies, we passed a law protecting them. *In order to enhance restauraunt return visit rates*, it will now be illegal to take home left overs." I do so hate liars. blah.


hey, I was wondering about the reason! I guess you are right.


----------



## rob.returns

I find that law very ridiculous and preposterous. Like they care. They don't.

Besides its not illegal to order supersize meals for fat people. THinking that this would be also a risk for their health. 
How come the sudden concern?

 "People be aware taking food out would poison you!"-Government.
 ~sigh~..all for the greed of money.





			
				Brioche said:
			
		

> Yes, previously safe food can become dangerous when put in a box and taken home.
> 
> Unless the food is immediately cooled to the the correct storage temperature (less than 40F/5C), re-heated to steaming before being eaten, it is a health hazard.


----------



## Outsider

Going back to the original question, yes, you can ask for a "doggie bag" in my country. My mom does it all the time, hehe.   
As others have said, normally we won't ask for a doggy bag in fancy restaurants.



			
				Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> I don't really know how it works, I mean...is it a normal practise in any kind of restaurants?


Well... you won't see everyone in the restaurant doing it. But some people will occasionally ask for a doggie bag.



			
				Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> Do people ask it for the dogs or for themselves? or both?


Both or either. 



			
				Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> Do you think it is something to be ashamed off, embarrassed?


It made me a bit embarassed at first. But, if you think about it, we're going to pay the same amount of money for the food, anyway, so why not? Why waste good food just because you ordered a little too much, or lost your appetite?


----------



## santi

hi alllllll    greetings from colombia 
  here in my contry we take food home in boxes and usually ask the waiter/tress to give it to us ¨para llevar¨ or ¨to go¨ but never in a fancy restaurant, you understand you have to keep the ¨cache¨or slang for ¨fancyness¨


----------



## Roi Marphille

wellcome Santi!

for all, 
..mmm...what about to ask for *real* "doggie food" I mean, bounds and alike..?
is it common too?


----------



## BasedowLives

Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> wellcome Santi!
> 
> for all,
> ..mmm...what about to ask for *real* "doggie food" I mean, bounds and alike..?
> is it common too?



when i had a dog, we usually got dog food from the store


----------



## Outsider

Roi Marphille said:
			
		

> for all,
> ..mmm...what about to ask for *real* "doggie food" I mean, bounds and alike..?
> is it common too?


Perhaps you should state explicitly that by "doggie food" you mean "food *for* the dogs", not "dog food".


----------



## Roi Marphille

Outsider said:
			
		

> Perhaps you should state explicitly that by "doggie food" you mean "food *for* the dogs", not "dog food".


yep, I meant food to feed dogs


----------



## rob.returns

Hygiene laws are hygiene laws, doggie bags are different it's a personal concern not a general or government concern.

They do care, but not that they do it because they don't want us to be poisoned. It all goes down, to buying another set of your favorite food. Restaurants love people spending their money again. Income on them, tax for the government. Quite a cycle. huh?!


			
				Brioche said:
			
		

> If _they_ don't care, why are there any food hygiene laws at all?


----------



## SwissPete

The concept of "doggie bag" seems to be limited to the United States. What do people in other cultures do with uneaten food in restaurants?


----------



## Alva_1992

Yes, I think it's quite limited to the US. 

In Spain is really rare to ask for a "doggie bag", although it can be done. It is not common and depending on the restaurant it can look not totally right (especially in pricey restaurants).


----------



## mirx

> Roi Marphillewellcome Santi!
> 
> for all,
> ..mmm...what about to ask for *real* "doggie food" I mean, bounds and alike..?
> is it common too?


 
Not at all in México, that'd be considered completely out of the question, even rude. You can ask for meat leftovers for your dog to your local butcher though.

And to widen what my countrypeople have alreay said. It is not uncommon in Mexican restaurants to ask for you uneaten food to be packed, but it depends a lot!!! on the people.

The way I was brought up just wouldn't let me ask for my food "to go", to the contrary my mom's well manners say that one is expected to even leave some remains of the dish in your plate, not doing so would mean you were desperately hungry, which means you are not being fed properly at home, which by itself means bad prestige to the family...and so on and so forth.

It would be completely acceptable if there was an emergency and you had to leave the restaurant in a hurry, you can then ask with all the confidence that your food be packed. Or make up an excuse that you're sick and that you'd rather eat it later.

With this, I think, I speak for most of my relatives and aquaintences.

Stupid, I know, yet true.


----------



## sarcie

GenJen54 said:


> To be honest, in some restaurants, I have been known to ask for a box at the beginning of a meal and will then box up at least half, if not two-thirds, of my meal before I even take one bite. I do this mainly because the portion sizes in so many US restaurants are out of control and much too large for a normal-sized person to eat.





SwissPete said:


> The concept of "doggie bag" seems to be limited to the United States. What do people in other cultures do with uneaten food in restaurants?



I think these two remarks are quite closely related - a "normal" portion in the States (in my experience) seem to be twice the size of a "normal" portion in most European countries. I live in Munich and while the food here is hearty, the portions are generally just about right. I have never seen anyone ask for a doggy bag here in Germany - I don't think most restaurants have the capacity to offer it (suitable receptacles), because they don't expect it. 

In Ireland "doggy bags" are not a common practice, although I doubt most places would refuse to wrap up some leftovers in tinfoil if you asked (we're generally quite obliging, really! ). My grandfather always insisted on leaving half of his food on his plate for the dog - our local Sunday dinner destination used to provide him with a little extra from the kitchen, because they knew he wouldn't eat a sufficient amount otherwise. The lucky mutt always got his own Sunday dinner!


----------



## Kajjo

Roi Marphille said:


> for some of us, this doggie bag practise is really really odd.


Yes, indeed.



> Do you ask for the doggie bag in your countries?


I have never asked for a doggie bag nor do I know anyone who ever has done so. It is an uncommon practice in German, although I guess _a few _people do bring receptacles along and take some of the food with them.



> I don't really know how it works, I mean...is it a normal practise in any kind of restaurants?


Not in German restaurants. You cannot expect the restaurant to offer suitable receptacles. You would need to bring a box or bag yourself.



> Do you think it is something to be ashamed off, embarrassed?


Actually, yes, I do. From a German point of view, it is a quite strange behaviour.

I would like to add that German portions are reasonably sized and usually can be eaten, at least in most cases. Many restaurants also offer smaller children's or senior's meals, which are also cheaper. There is no need to carry away part of the meal. 

Kajjo


----------



## Etcetera

Why, this practice seems to be rather common in Russia. But people would take food with them only in a certain restaurant of American origin.


----------



## nath1

Depends in what restuarant you are in I suppose. I certainly would not ask for one in a top restuarant. But in a buffet style then it could be done. I used to get doggy bags when I was in the army. They consisted of pork pie, a chocy bar, and some rather dry cobs that tasted a few days old! I think the word doggy bag may have come from the thought of not wanting leaving any scraps at the end of a meal, so the people took small doggy bags home for their pets!! Well thats my take anyway 
nath


----------



## LaReinita

I really don't understand what the big deal is or better yet, what is shameful about asking for a box. When I go to a restaurant, I would say 90% of the time, I take almost all of my dinner home with me. After drinking part of my soda, eating a couple of the WONDERFUL dinner rolls/biscuits/breads ( I love Red Lobster and those damn Cheddar Bay Biscuits) that restaurants offer here and then eating a salad, I'm usually almost stuffed. I have no issues with asking for a box to bring the main course with me for a later meal. Especially, since that meal is what I've actually paid for and the rest is just complimentary to the meal. I suppose what someone said earlier is true, that the portions here in the US may be quite large. However, I do not see this as a bad thing, but rather a great thing. I am getting more for my money.


----------



## Mph redux

that's the point!
it's actually a CULTURAL thing!!! 

It's not something about being "good" or "bad", is it?


----------



## Etcetera

Let me add something to my post #23 (I re-read GenJen's and Swiss Pete's posts and realised that my input was a bit one-sided). 
It's pabsolutely normal to come to a cafe and ask to pack your food in a box so you could eat it at home. But if you're eating in this cafe and there is some food left, asking for a box to take this food with you would seem rather strange. Uneaten food is usually left behind.


----------



## DearPrudence

I would have answered like Kajjo for France. Except for


Kajjo said:


> From a German point of view, it is a quite strange behaviour.
> Many restaurants also offer smaller children's or senior's meals, which are also cheaper. There is no need to carry away part of the meal.


 At least as far as I'm concerned I don't find it weird, I would really like to see it in France. I eat like a child but unfortunately I can't decently ask for a children's menu 

Unfortunately we can't take food home, even if you only eat a third of it  When we want to bring back a bit of meat or bone for the dog (or whatever), we have to do it on the sly & put it in tissues or something ...  (hey, you won't tell them, will you  )


----------



## LaReinita

DearPrudence said:


> I would have answered like Kajjo for France. Except for
> 
> At least as far as I'm concerned I don't find it weird, I would really like to see it in France. I eat like a child but unfortunately I can't decently ask for a children's menu
> 
> Unfortunately we can't take food home, even if you only eat a third of it  When we want to bring back a bit of meat or bone for the dog (or whatever), we have to do it on the sly & put it in tissues or something ...  (hey, you won't tell them, will you  )


 
That's terrible. I understand what you're saying, I can't eat much either and this is why I almost ALWAYS ask for a box because I want to be able to enjoy what I've paid for.  How sad!  I know it is a cultural thing and all, but it seems like a waste of money and food.  There are starving children all over the world, but food is thrown away because of shame to ask for a box.  I HATE WASTING FOOD!!  I feel guilty wasting food.


----------



## ColdomadeusX

In Australia, generally it is considered normal to ask for something 'take away'. If you have left overs at the end of a meal (even in some higher class restaurants) it's fine to say that you want to get the rest of your meal 'take away'. 
We don't use the the term "doggie bag" anymore; I was actually a bit confused when I saw the term because it is very old fashioned.


----------



## LaReinita

ColdomadeusX said:


> In Australia, generally it is considered normal to ask for something 'take away'. If you have left overs at the end of a meal (even in some higher class restaurants) it's fine to say that you want to get the rest of your meal 'take away'.
> We don't use the the term "doggie bag" anymore; I was actually a bit confused when I saw the term because it is very old fashioned.


 
We don't use that here in the US anymore either.  We usually just say "box" or "to-go box."


----------



## ColdomadeusX

LaReinita said:


> We don't use that here in the US anymore either. We usually just say "box" or "to-go box."


 
I heard that Americans always say 'to go' instead of what we Aussies say- 'take away' is that true?

(this is completely relevant to the topic as we are talking about take away so please don't delete my post).


----------



## LaReinita

ColdomadeusX said:


> I heard that Americans always say 'to go' instead of what we Aussies say- 'take away' is that true?
> 
> (this is completely relevant to the topic as we are talking about take away so please don't delete my post).


 
You are correct!  I have never said nor heard "take away" box in my life.


----------



## Sepia

You probably will not, either - now that half of the world is learning the expression "to go" from the many "Coffee to go"-cafés.

(What annoys me is that they begin using "to go" in other connections where they had a wonderful expression in their own language all the time.)


----------



## Kajjo

Re-reading some posts I wondered whether the restaurants charge you for the to-go box. Is it free? German restaurants do not provide them and surely would charge for them, if they had such boxes. Do you really expect those restaurants to have them ready for you?

Kajjo


----------



## fenixpollo

It is a free service offered by every restaurant, with very few exceptions. If a restaurant did not offer the option of a to-go box, then most people would consider that poor customer service.


----------



## sarcie

Sepia said:


> You probably will not, either - now that half of the world is learning the expression "to go" from the many "Coffee to go"-cafés.
> 
> (What annoys me is that they begin using "to go" in other connections where they had a wonderful expression in their own language all the time.)



What really bothers me is the local Stehimbiss (bakery/sandwich shop/lunch place where you can eat in, standing up, or take away) writing "Kaffee togo" on a sign outside. I thought they were selling some sort of special Togolese coffee the first time I saw it . And sadly, it's not the only place I've seen it written like this. 

But don't get me started on German businesses taking English words and using them completely inappropriately to look trendy...


----------



## mirx

I just did this thing in Dublin two days ago, they provided the box for free and didn't seem to mind at all. It made me feel really appreciated and taken into account. I definitely will go back to that restaurant, plus the food was superb.

I was unsure to ask at the beginning but the waitress was very polite, I asked for an Italian dish that turned to be uneatable, way too spicy, she then offered to bring something else and I ordered a new dish, then I couldn't eat it because I had an upset stomach from the first dish, so I asked her if I could have my new dish packed instead. She said of course and she brought it in a small box in a white bag. I call that customer service.

Ps: The new dish wasn't charged either!!!


----------



## moirag

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the ecological implications of all this packaging "to go". Surely it's even worse than McDonald's, as you're using plates and the electricity in the restaurant, then all the packaging too?


----------



## ColdomadeusX

Kajjo said:


> Re-reading some posts I wondered whether the restaurants charge you for the to-go box. Is it free? German restaurants do not provide them and surely would charge for them, if they had such boxes. Do you really expect those restaurants to have them ready for you?
> 
> Kajjo


 
In most restaurants take away boxes are free for after the meal.
However, the higher class ones usually charge.


----------



## DCPaco

I think it might also have something to do with the fact that portions in the US are significantly larger than most places.  So, if you were to want to take home something that was left in another country, it might literally be a doggie bag and nothing you'd want to eat.  Whereas I've been to restaurants in the US and the portions are so large that you immediately know that you will be taking some of that home.

In Mexico, I've run into this but at very casual places and it is probably because it has rubbed off because of its proximity to the US...but traditionally, it is seen as a thing of bad taste to ask to take home anything--much like Mirx said, it would imply that you were ill-bred.


----------



## fenixpollo

moirag said:


> I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the ecological implications of all this packaging "to go". Surely it's even worse than McDonald's, as you're using plates and the electricity in the restaurant, then all the packaging too?


 The alternative is to waste the extra food. With food costs as expensive as they are in the US, and with people starving all over the world, I'd prefer to save the food and eat it another time, rather than throwing in the garbage.


----------



## Kajjo

fenixpollo said:


> The alternative is to waste the extra food. With food costs as expensive as they are in the US, and with people starving all over the world, I'd prefer to save the food and eat it another time, rather than throwing in the garbage.


I wonder whether it is allowed that two people share one meal in the US? That would be a solution for your more-than-huge portions.

By the way, I did not find the prices outrageously in the US. German prices are not smaller per menu, I believe. Of course, the exchange rate of currency makes it difficult to judge this issue objectively.

Kajjo


----------



## fenixpollo

Kajjo said:


> I wonder whether it is allowed that two people share one meal in the US?


 Of course. Some restaurants charge an extra-plate fee -- less than the cost of a second entree, but more than a single entree -- to bring an extra plate to the person you are sharing with.

However, what if both people don't want to eat the same thing?


----------



## Kajjo

fenixpollo said:


> However, what if both people don't want to eat the same thing?


Sure, I know. In just wondered whether they accept sharing or mind such behaviour.

Kajjo


----------



## Etcetera

Kajjo said:


> Sure, I know. In just wondered whether they accept sharing or mind such behaviour.
> 
> Kajjo


I don't know how about sharing food in a restaurant, but we go regularly to a cafe where they make excellent coffee. The coffee is served in a french press, which is rather big for one person; we usually order one french press and ask to bring a second cup. 
And we aren't even charged for the second cup.


----------



## alisonp

This is true.  I'm not a coffee-drinker myself, but I believe that some of the coffee chains over here will refill and refill, and even give you "one for the road".

As for doggy bags, I *have* been to a couple of not too smart Italian-type restaurants where, if the pizza or whatever has been too much for you to cope with in one go, they've offered to box it up for me to take home.  It depends on the nature of the food too, I suppose.  I can imagine that, in these days of health warnings about how you really shouldn't reheat cooked meat, restaurants would be rather loath to allow you to take a meat dish home with you, in case you got food poisoning or something.


----------



## sarcie

alisonp said:


> As for doggy bags, I *have* been to a couple of not too smart Italian-type restaurants where, if the pizza or whatever has been too much for you to cope with in one go, they've offered to box it up for me to take home.  It depends on the nature of the food too, I suppose.



Ah, here is an interesting one - I think I mentioned in an earlier post that it's not common in Germany to get your leftovers packed up "togo" . The one exception I have seen is Italian pizza places - most of these restaurants also offer an order and pickup/delivery service, so they already have pizza boxes on standby and are happy to use them to put those last two slices that you can't manage (but that will make a delicious breakfast tomorrow!).

Do pizza places do this all over? I expect so...


----------



## Etcetera

sarcie said:


> Ah, here is an interesting one - I think I mentioned in an earlier post that it's not common in Germany to get your leftovers packed up "togo" . The one exception I have seen is Italian pizza places - most of these restaurants also offer an order and pickup/delivery service, so they already have pizza boxes on standby and are happy to use them to put those last two slices that you can't manage (but that will make a delicious breakfast tomorrow!).
> 
> Do pizza places do this all over? I expect so...


Yes, in Russia all pizzerias I know do this. 
In fact, we very rarely go to a pizzeria to sit there and eat a pizza. More often, we we just drop there and order a pizza and then take it home to eat it there.


----------



## libre_pensador

I live in the U.S. and it's perfectly acceptable for people to take food 'to go.' At most restaurants, near the end of the meal the waiter will almost always ask you if you want a to-go box (except at a buffet). Even at a nice restaurant, waiters usually ask if they can box up the food for you. It's seen as a waste to throw away perfectly good food. Another thing people do is share a meal, which is also quite common since portions seem to be so large. The term 'doggie bag' is not very common, although you would be understood. And no one would think that you were asking for a bag to actually take home to your _dog_. Cheers!


----------



## KateNicole

I think this thread is _so _interesting!  I've only been to Spain once about six years ago, and I'm just now realizing that there were so many cultural nuances I was unaware of.  My first day in Barcelona, I was feeling ill and went out to lunch.  I ordered a plate of spaghetti, ate about two bites, and felt nauseous, so I politely asked for the check.  When the waitress cleared my plate, I politely asked her if she could wrap it for me because I wasn't feeling well.  She smiled and said yes, and then _*threw it away in front of me*_!  (There was a garbage can in eyesight.)  I figured she hadn't heard me or maybe I said it wrong (I always said "¿_me lo puede poner para llevar_?" in Mexico and wondered if that didn't make sense in Spain) . . . now after reading your post, I wonder if she did hear me correctly, but didn't believe what I was asking.  Perhaps the request was incomprehensible (?????)  I really never had any idea that asking to take home uneaten food that you paid for (and tipped very well, mind you!) was frowned upon.  I didn't say anything to her.  I just paid and left, but if that had happened to me in America, I would have demanded a refund or a new meal.  

I have a very small appetite (not to mention that portion size is out of control in a lot of American restaurants), and I've never felt embarrassed or awkward about asking for a container, but I don't call it a "doggie bag" either (and I also don't feed the food to my dog!)  I don't think anyone should have to feel ashamed about taking home the food they paid for.  I've also done this in fancy restaurants (by fancy I mean coat and tie required and about $100 per person . . . that's as fancy as I have ever experienced) and the waiter has always _offered _to wrap what was left on the plate, and I didn't feel tacky about taking it home.  
Maybe I'm classless in that sense, but I actually think it's quite snobbish to scoff at someone for taking a home a very large, uneaten portion of a $65.00 steak.
I also think it's a little pretentious to not take home food that you would otherwise eat just because you are dining at a _fancy _restaurant . . . I think (at least within my culture) that people who prefer to discard food that they would otherwise eat in an effort to look extravagant or wealthy have self-esteem issues and are too image-conscious.


----------



## LaReinita

KateNicole, I completely agree with everything you said, in fact your post is similar to my posts #25 and #29 . . . so I can assure, you are not classless.


----------



## KaRiNe_Fr

I think portion is the key here. We rarely have some food left when we eat in restaurants in France. I can eat all and I can even be a little bit hungry after the main dish (it's why desserts are for, btw ). But I swear I'm not an ogre.


----------



## Nicomon

KaRiNe_Fr said:


> I think portion is the key here. We rarely have some food left when we eat in restaurants in France. I can eat all and I can even be a little bit hungry after the main dish (it's why desserts are for, btw ). But I swear I'm not an ogre.


 
Indeed, portion is the key. I also agree 100 % with KateNicole. "Doggie bag" or "take away box" is certainly not frowned upon in Quebec, and I would assume in other Canadian provinces. And yes, they do offer. As for me, I prefer to choose restaurants that serve normal size, not Texas size portions, or - as is becoming a little more common - offer half or lighter portions (e.g. 5 oz steak as opposed to half pound or even bigger). Sometimes, I'll share, if the person I'm with feels like eating the same thing. For instance to satisfy my sweet tooth, as I certainly can't eat all by myself those humungus pieces of cake, I ask for  « _gâteau mousse au chocolat, deux fourchettes »_.


----------



## flame

In Austria it used to be quite common that the waiter/waitress would offer to do a doggie bag for you proactively, particularly in more rural areas and not-so-ritzy places. The waiter would offer a length of aluminium foil to pack the meat, vegetables usually are not taken.

It is still (but less & less) accepted and practiced if you (the guest) ask the waiter if you "can take that piece home" - they may be proud you liked the food and the portion was so big you couldn't eat it at once.

Asking for a doggie bag at buffet style functions is considered inappropriate (maybe with the exception if you are the last one leaving - never tried).

The better the restaurant, the less I'd ask for a doggie bag.


----------



## alitaker

Wait wait! 

All right, i agree with the portion explanation, but i have a few doubts.

In Italy it seems to me to be quite rude to ask for a box, even when you left half of the meal on the plate, but that's not my point.

Here you usually have at least 3 dishes at a restaurant: first and second course and fruit or dessert.
Some have also appetizers (on your plate, not shared) and you could also have both fruit and dessert on a separate plate. 
Not to mention if you want vegetables, fries or some extra cheese. They're all on different plates.

You may order single dish meals only in very "fast" restaurants (usually cafeteria or pubs with hot dishes), but asking for a box for half a sandwich and salad would seem even worse 

Anyways I'd feel quite unconfortable if I wanted to take away half of the first course and then half of the second course... and so on. I would have to have a box for each course or have it there open and use it as a trash!  At least that's what it seems to me.

What happens to you other guys? Do you usually have many-courses meals? How do you pack/have things packed?

We also like to share dishes and if you pay for the extra plate, it's not very strange, but you usually do it in lower order restaurants and not because the portion is too big, but just because you want to taste more dishes, or because your girlfriend doesn't feel like having a full dish ;-)

And going back to the original topic, yes we have an equivalent for "doggie bag", and it's the adjective "d'asporto" (da asporto) which means take away, but we usually have "d'asporto places" like "pizzeria d'asporto" (pizza to go), not restaurants.
Also, although it's common to have places which are both pizzeria and pizzeria d'asporto, some nicer pizzerias do not have the "to go" option at all. 
I can think of only one other type of place where you take away: it's "rosticceria". Not a restaurant at all. 
Maybe it's because we're good at cooking  ...you always wanna cook yourself what you buy!


----------



## tvdxer

*Moderator note*: this post was the first one  of a new thread. Now it's merged with a previously existing  thread. Sorry for the inconsistencies you may find due to the merging. 

What do people in your country do with the food they can't finish at a restaurant?  

In the United States, most people take home what they can't finish from their plate at a restaurant so they can reheat it the next day (or later that night, or two days later...you get the idea) in the microwave.  This isn't an unusual occurrence considering the sometimes mammoth American restaurant portions.  This is seen as a completely normal practice, and if you ask for the bill and the waiter / waitress sees that you still have food on your plate, he or she will probably ask you if you want a "doggy bag", which is the American name for the styrofoam packages restaurants give your for this purpose.  

This might seem like a strange thread topic, but I've heard that such a practice is unusual in Europe, even seen as miserly.


----------



## Mate

Here in Argentina, only US citizens take left-overs home. Natives usually don't. 

We do not judge such practice as miserly, even in those rare occasions when a native takes advantage of left-overs  by bringing them home. 

A much more frequent costume is to bring home the remaining wine, especially if it is  of high quality. 
Inside a bag, of course.


----------



## lablady

The practice is so common in the U.S. that restaurants appear to expect that any remaining food will be taken home.


----------



## federicoft

No, we generally don't ask for a doggie bag in this country (Italy), I don't think the very concept would be understood - even in casual restaurants. You are just expected to order as much food as you can eat at the moment, and waiters will warn you if they think you are ordering more food than you can handle.

In fact I remember being in the U.S. for the first time, and I was very surprised seeing people in restaurants asking for doggie bags.


----------



## CrazyArcher

It's pretty common to ask to pack the leftovers, at least at casual restaurants. The portions tend to be generous, and restaurants often have a stock of plastic boxes for those cases. It's common to order a take-away meal as well.


----------



## alex-38

My parents saw that for the first time in a Parisian restaurant and were traumatised by seeing that... This is just a question of culture, the Americans were thinking "let's congratulate the chef by asking a doggy bag because that was good." which I think is kinda nice. But in Latin culture (Italian, French and probably other countries) you don't do that.
At the end of the meal, you put your fork and knife on the right side of the plate inside the plate (parallel) => that says I liked it to the waiter. If you put your fork and knife in a crossed way, that says I didn't like it.
The leftovers are probably for the chef's dog... ;-)

You just have to accept the difference of culture, that is all. Why the indians eat with their hands ? Why the japanese eats on the floor in a crouched way... and so on...
Accept the other country way of behaving at the table, in life...
We all could make mistakes with japanese, chinese, indians, arabs culture because we don't know all the codes... This is the case with here the doggy bag thing...which is a slight difference inside western eating cultural habbit.. Why do we have to think it is weird ?
Let's just be all tolerant and accept each other differences.


----------



## Topsie

In a (rather expensive) Indian restaurant in London, where we ordered a lot of food, we were automatically given what we didn't eat to take home, nicely packaged in aluminium containers. 
In France that would be unheard of! A pity really, as people would perhaps order 3 or 4 different items from the menu "to taste" at the restaurant if they knew that they could take the leftovers home for another meal!
Since the laws on drinking and driving have become a lot more stringent, people do ask to take home their unfinished bottles of wine, though!

I'm not sure that hygiene laws forbid "doggie bags", because then all "take-aways" would be faced with the problem of being accused of food-poisoning - after all, it's the customer's responsibility to consume the food within a reasonable time from date of purchasing!


----------



## Gwan

I think here it's relatively uncommon to ask to take the leftovers home - certainly waiters don't automatically offer it, and I don't recall doing it or people I've been with doing it. If there's food leftover, it just gets wasted. I realise this doesn't make sense!
What intrigued me is that several people have said that you get charged for an extra plate if you share with someone. I don't think that happens here at all, and if it did I would probably be a bit taken aback! It's maybe not so common to share main courses, but very common to share entrees and/or desserts, or to order a couple of dishes and swap half and half or whatever between the table.


----------



## sokol

In Austria it once was extremely common to take leftovers home - not only for the dog, mind!

You could have said to the waiters that you'd like to take the leftovers home - there was no need for an excuse that you'd like taking it home for the dog.
It was a *most normal* thing - no stigma attached to it whatsoever.

Also, if you wanted to take home the bones for your dog (so, inedible leftovers for people, theoretically) you also said so - and you got them. (I knew a man, long dead now, who was quite poor and used to go to restaurants - where he wouldn't eat - to ask for leftover bones 'for his dog'; however it was common knowledge that he took the bones for himself. So I guess you 'needed' an excuse like 'it's for my dog' when asking for bones.)

However, *this has changed:* nowadays this is not so common anymore, people are much richer than they were some decades ago and it seems to be considered lack of finesse if someone asks for leftovers (or at least _some _people seem to have changed attitudes here). It is still done, though.


----------



## ajo fresco

I learned the hard way how different cultures deal with this when I visited Germany for the first time in 2003.  

As many other Americans have already mentioned, it's normal in most situations to take home our leftovers.

I stayed with a German family who took me to a small, casual Italian restaurant in Mannheim.  My plate of spaghetti was more than I could eat, so at the end of the meal I asked politely for a to-go box.  

My German hosts were aghast, and immediately stopped me:  "We don't do that here!"  They told me it was an embarrassment and only poor/lower-class people took their leftovers home.  Then they apologized to the waiter and explained to him that I was from the U.S.!

Believe me, on my subsequent trips to Germany, I _never_ asked for a to-go box again!

Were my hosts overreacting?  Or is it really considered that bad in Germany?


----------



## xiphias

HI ¡¡
In Chile, is usual that you ask for the rest of your food in two kind of restaurants: chinese and chilean tipical barbecue (parrillas o parrilladas a la chilena) where the food is very abundant. Normally they give you that food canned in disposable aluminum cans nicely sealed.
However, the "doggie bag" doesn't exist.
It's not a common practice in other kind of restaurants.
Regards


----------



## sokol

ajo fresco said:


> Were my hosts overreacting?  Or is it really considered that bad in Germany?



I don't know.
I don't think that Austrians would be horrified (which your hosts obviously were), but then Austria is not Germany, even though we are geographically close and (theoretically) speak the 'same' language habits are not the same in all respects at all.

However I do know from my own experience that taking leftovers home was much more usual some decades ago and is not so usual any more nowadays. In a 'stylish' restaurant you certainly would not ask for a leftover box anymore in Austria; but in a small inn in the countryside you might, and I don't think that people would be shocked. But that's just my Austrian experience.

So I really can't be sure if Germany is so much different from us, concerning this.


----------



## TrentinaNE

I haven't heard the euphemism "doggie bag" used in a restaurant in ages.  If there is a sizeable amount of food left on one's plate, the waitstaff typically will just ask if you'd like to take it with you.


----------



## blue_jewel

In our place we're usually asked "dine-in or take-out" if you have to eat in a food chain. But we don't usually do it in restaurants especially in buffet or even in the cafeterias. Though it isn't bad or shameful if you have to bring your left overs with you, be it for the dogs or for you. Waiters/ress just won't mind,you've paid for it anyway.


----------



## columbe1

moirag said:


> I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the ecological implications of all this packaging "to go". Surely it's even worse than McDonald's, as you're using plates and the electricity in the restaurant, then all the packaging too?


 
I'd have to disagree with you moirag. Here in New Zealand the takeaway containers are usually plastic and they're great, I reuse them to store things in the fridge/freezer, to give meals to friends/family and sometimes as lunchboxes for the kids... so the packaging doesn't go to waste in our house!


----------



## TrentinaNE

moirag said:


> I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the ecological implications of all this packaging "to go". Surely it's even worse than McDonald's, as you're using plates and the electricity in the restaurant, then all the packaging too?


But you're getting another meal out of it, and thereby foregoing the preparation costs/packaging associated with buying a second meal.

Elisabetta


----------



## Soy

Mateamargo said:


> Here in Argentina, only US citizens take left-overs home. Natives usually don't.
> 
> We do not judge such practice as miserly, even in those rare occasions when a native takes advantage of left-overs by bringing them home.
> 
> A much more frequent costume is to bring home the remaining wine, especially if it is of high quality.
> Inside a bag, of course.


 

Yet Ive seen it done (and done it myself, if I may say so) several times. And I´m 100% Argentine. Never in a fancy restaurant, though. But there are some quite nice ones that have a 'delivery service' and offer to wrap up what you haven't eaten.


----------



## sokol

TrentinaNE said:


> If there is a sizeable amount of food left on one's plate, the waitstaff typically will just ask if you'd like to take it with you.



This was the case once in Austria - I remember vividly family reunions in the late 1970ies and 80ies when the waiters *asked you* if you'd like to take leftovers home.
This however was not in fancy restaurants but in countryside inns; where I haven't heard for at least 20 years any waiter ask a guest if he'd like to take leftovers home (this custom seems to have come out of use) - but it may happen (still, I think) that _guests _will ask (and that no one might take offence).


----------



## 2001nita0

Hi,
Here in England 'doggy bags' have been around for quite a few years, but again, probably not at the more formal restaurants.It is especially acceptable if a child, for example, has not been able to finish a large portion. One can ask for a doggy bag, it might be offered, or one could just ask if it would be possible to put the left overs in a container to take away. It does seem preferable to wasting perfectly good food. Interestingly, when I was last in México and my daughters were unnable to finish their enormous pizzas in Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, the waiters offered us a box to take the remains back to the hotel, an offer we gratefully accepted!


----------



## coppergirl

HI

I grew up in the Northeast of America, where it was very common to hear people asking for doggie bags (or boxes).  I've lived in England for over 10 years now and I have to say, in that whole time, I have never heard anyone ask for the left-overs from the dinner to be put in a doggie bag or boxed up.  

Having said that, at Pizza Hut here, the waitresses and waiters automatically ask if we would like anything boxed up to take home, so occasionally, if we have only eaten about half the pizza or something, then I will get a box taken home for my kids to finish up later.  But this is the only time I have ever really noticed it being done in England, and I have never asked for it really either.  

Hmmmmm . . until I read this thread, I never really thought about it at all before, but I suppose it is another one of those cultural things.  Food for thought (unforgiveable pun sadly intended! )


----------



## 2001nita0

Yes, I do agree, one does not see it done that often here, and I personally have hardly ever asked for one, but I think it would be quite acceptable in many of the less formal restaurants and eateries (if they had a suitable container!)


----------



## chics

alex-38 said:


> My parents saw that for the first time in a Parisian restaurant and were traumatised by seeing that... This is just a question of culture, the Americans were thinking "let's congratulate the chef by asking a doggy bag because that was good." which I think is kinda nice. But in Latin culture (Italian, French and probably other countries) you don't do that.
> At the end of the meal, you put your fork and knife on the right side of the plate inside the plate (parallel) => that says I liked it to the waiter. If you put your fork and knife in a crossed way, that says I didn't like it.


Glups !
In Spain it's different! For us, putting parallel our fork and knife inside the plat means that we're finished and that we won't eat anymore of the plat, so the waiter can leave it. If we haven't finished, _we must say _a little sentence like "Sorry, it was excellent, but I am not able to eat anything more".
Crossing our fork and knife means that we are still eating and that the waiter can't leave it.

Quantities in Spain try to be normal, so not finishing a plat requires to smile, say sorry and an excuse. If not saying sorry, it's upsetting, it means you didn't like it.

Of course, not finishing a plate and, more, saying you will give to a dog is a terribly upsetting thing, unpolite, rude and very violent. You're saying everyone who can hear it that the food is so bad that it's only for dogs (and doesn't mean that you love your dog and care of it) and you won't eat it. I don't know if you will be welcomed next time...

In Spain, we have two dishes but we can only ask for one of them. We can ask the waiter if the quantities are big or small and, if quantities are really big and we ask for too many plates, the waiter politely will suggest us to begin with some things and, after, if we like,we can ask for more dishes. We can not have a dessert, or have it with another person (and people will think that two people with one dessert are family, a couple or really very very good friends ). If you ask for too many food, it's your fault: you only can make an effort eat it or to say sorry and left it.

In some (not all) familiar restaurants or bars, if you go with a _child_ and he doesn't eat anything; if you say politely sorry, you green and you tell your live to the waiter, including that your loved child never eats anything at restaurants but two minutes after he always changes his idea, but you're far from home and... they wrap it to you can leave home, if they can.


----------



## alisonp

I don't think there is actually any implication that you're going to feed the leftovers to your *dog*, which *would* be an insult.  It's just what these bags/containers are known as.


----------



## chics

Yes, but somebody said that sometimes it _is_ for the dog... or both!


----------



## TrentinaNE

As I noted above, "doggie bag" is becoming an archaic expression.  I haven't heard it in years.  The expectation nowadays (in the U.S.) is that leftovers are taken home to be eaten by humans.  

Elisabetta


----------



## Messquito

In Taiwan, it's a very common practice; in fact, it's so common that some diners even leave a roll of plastic bag where you can get and it you can just help yourself to it, no need to even ask a waiter.
It is even practised in wedding banquets. Yes, at the end of a wedding, people just start asking for bags and put those fancy leftovers in them.

While it's so common in Taiwan, I do understand why it's not appropriate for some restaurants or even some other cultures. Sometimes, the cooks just never want a customer to take their meal home and figure out the recipe; even if they don't care about it, there is still some health concerns. I've heard restaurants getting a lawsuit because one of their customers left the take-home box at home for a month and had food poisoning after eating it. That's actually the customer's fault, it was they who let the food go bad. But you can't expect every customer to be reasonable, so I understand why some think it's risky.


----------



## Uriel-

I've shared food with friends in restaurants, and no one charges extra.  It's also very common to share a dessert, or to try a few bites of the other person's dish.  Waiters expect you to want a to go box if you haven't finished your meal, and usually ask if you want one.  A tidy arrangement.  And you get a snack for later!


----------



## Uriel-

alisonp said:


> This is true.  I'm not a coffee-drinker myself, but I believe that some of the coffee chains over here will refill and refill, and even give you "one for the road".
> 
> As for doggy bags, I *have* been to a couple of not too smart Italian-type restaurants where, if the pizza or whatever has been too much for you to cope with in one go, they've offered to box it up for me to take home.  It depends on the nature of the food too, I suppose.  I can imagine that, in these days of health warnings about how you really shouldn't reheat cooked meat, restaurants would be rather loath to allow you to take a meat dish home with you, in case you got food poisoning or something.



There's nothing dangerous about reheating meat that I know of; I eat leftovers for days -- either stuff I've cooked myself, or from restaurants.


----------



## velisarius

Good point, Uriel.



alisonp said:


> restaurants would be rather loath to allow you to take a meat dish home with you, in case you got food poisoning or something.



I guess that would make all takeaway places, like pizza parlours, loath to let you take your ham- and sausage-laden takeaway home with you. Perhaps they could deliver the pizza and have the pizza dude stand over you while you eat it. Any leftover scraps of sausage would have to be confiscated too, lest you sneakily reheated it the next day.


----------



## fenixpollo

Uriel- said:


> There's nothing dangerous about reheating meat that I know of; I eat leftovers for days -- either stuff I've cooked myself, or from restaurants.


Leftovers are definitely risky if their temperature is not controlled, and should only be reheated once to avoid the risk of foodborne illness. 

_According to section 3-501.17 of the FDA Food Code, ready-to-eat food should be kept for no more than seven days at 41°F (5°C). If a dish is prepared from a leftover potentially hazardous ingredient, then the dish containing the leftover ingredient can be held for the remaining time of the leftover ingredient. For example, if cooked chicken has been stored at 41°F (5°C) for two days and is then used to prepare chicken salad, any leftover chicken salad is good for five more days. Check with your local health department since their requirements may be differ_ent.
FAQS - ServSafe®


----------



## Uriel-

I've survived all this time.  Just put it in the fridge, you'll live.  No matter how many times you reheat it.  As for leftover pizza, no need to reheat -- nothing better than cold pizza for breakfast the morning after!


----------



## Sepia

fenixpollo said:


> My experience in the U.S. and Mexico has been the same as Citrus', Monik's and GenJen's: Since restaurant portions are very big, I'll often share a plate with the person I'm with... it's usually worth the "extra-plate" charge. Otherwise, everyone will get their own plate and we'll box up the rest -- which is often the equivalent of another full meal! Asking for "a to-go box" or a "take-home box" (never a doggy bag!) is almost expected at some restaurants.... ... although this is a little cheeky, I must say!
> 
> Cheers.




Big is probably the thing. Portions in American restaurants are often ridiculously big. I also don't know any other country where you would even in your wildest advertising dreams or night mares even think of using size as an argument in an advert for a restaurant. But, supersize, three-inch stack of pancakes at Denny's, you name it.

In Europe portions are smaller and people are encouraged to order several different things - a complete 3-course menu ... that is probably one good reason that doggie bags never were an issue here. What you leave on the plate is really what you do not want to eat - not even at home. And honestly - WHO reall brings the leftovers home for his dog - or for his rabbit or hamster in the case of vegetarian restaurants?

Anyone here who ever did that?


----------



## Sepia

Etcetera said:


> Yes, in Russia all pizzerias I know do this.
> In fact, we very rarely go to a pizzeria to sit there and eat a pizza. More often, we we just drop there and order a pizza and then take it home to eat it there.



There is nothing unusual about taking something with you home from at restaurant that mainly serves take-aways. But that was never really the point with the doggie bag.


----------



## velisarius

Sepia said:


> WHO really brings the leftovers home for his dog - or for his rabbit or hamster in the case of vegetarian restaurants?



I really do take leftovers home for my dogs and cats and assorted poultry. It's the done thing here (OK, I admit I don't frequent the swankier sort of restaurant). I don't like to see food wasted, and my dogs are very happy to be presented with a doggy bag full of half-eaten goodies.

I notice that people here tend to over-order when they eat out, and I see lots of food left on the serving dishes. It may be due to the way Greek _taverna_ meals are usually organised, with lots of _mezzedes  _and large platters of grilled meat that everyone at the table shares.


----------



## alisonp

Sepia said:


> In Europe portions are smaller and people are encouraged to order several different things - a complete 3-course menu ... that is probably one good reason that doggie bags never were an issue here. What you leave on the plate is really what you do not want to eat - not even at home. And honestly - WHO reall brings the leftovers home for his dog - or for his rabbit or hamster in the case of vegetarian restaurants?
> 
> Anyone here who ever did that?



Well, I occasionally eat out with a friend who can never manage a whole pizza, so always leaves quite a bit on her plate.  She's often asked if she wants to take the rest home, but since we're usually going to the theatre or something afterwards it's not terribly convenient.


----------



## Lly4n4

I never asked to take the leftovers away (in my opinion, it was kind of impolite in a French restaurant) - until last Friday 
I asked the waiter because of three reasons:
- my boyfriend only ate the starter and was already full (so he didn't even take a nip of his main dish, and there was an incoming dessert and coffee);
- it was an Indian restaurant who offered a take-away service (so I knew they have the proper packagings);
- since January (2016), French governement strongly recommands to restaurants to offer the "doggie-bag" option in order to reduce food waste: Tri sélectif et « doggy bag » : les mesures anti-déchets dans les restaurants

But I was a little embarrassed -_-"
Most of the time, French portions are quite right, so if there are some leftovers, either food was bad and there is no point to take it home, or it's too little to bother with it.


----------

