Octang Frye

'Been here 15 years. I think I have come to identify more as a Merkan, than a Brit.
'Was listening to Five Live and they were having a debate about taking leftovers from a restaurant. They used the term "doggy-bag" instead of a box.

I'd say 3/4 of the callers and guests' sentiment was that taking leftovers is uncouth, and embarrassing. I just don't get it. You paid for the meal, and is it better to just throw the leftovers in the trash? And they lecture us on waste...

And I also thought they (especially the callers) sounded rather unworldly.
I guess being around Mexican, Thai, Mongolian, Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Korean restaurants broadens one's outlook. That may sound a bit snobbish, but hearing some Yorkshireman repeatedly call pizza "pitzer" and describing it as "dough with bits" made me face-palm a little.

Marocco

Oddly enough, the first place where I saw someone take leftovers home in a box was at a Pizza Hut in Yorkshire, 20+ years ago.

ChocolateBabz

Here in Houston it seems to be the norm to take your leftovers home. I do if I think someone will actually eat them, otherwise it's just a waste of a polystyrene box and a bag.

Recently hubby has had quite a few 'business' dinners but to make up for it he brings me home dessert .

Rete

Its the norm here in the 'burbs of NYC. Also ask for a doggy bag for my leftovers.

Believe the people who called in to the show were trying to protray themselves as something they aren't. But then again, don't think you get many doggy bags at Mickey D's and Red Lobster.
PS it's called a doggy bag because it once was packed in a bag.

kimilseung

I listened to the same segment, and had similar reaction to yours. Overall it came across that the Brits are just too snobby, and prefer to waste and too concerned with how it would be seen by others.

Mongolia is the only country where I found eating actually to be a problem, where I had to go door to door asking to be fed, so I always find it odd to see Mongolian and restaurant in the same sentence.

I am not quite with you here, isn't pizza just dough with bits, and what is the correct pronunciation? With the exceptions of Mongolian (thank god) and Korean (I had to travel 35 miles for Korean in UK) those nationalities cuisine is easy to get in the UK

robin1234

I saw the thread title and the author.. thought it was going to be a tortured soul-searching, admitting he'd become a liberal.

Octang Frye

LOL. I've always been socially liberal, Robin.

Maybe it's like that in the bigger towns in the UK, Kim, but it wasn't like that in Dorset when I was there.

To me, it came across as they were still worried about "making a scene".
Which is why customer service is terrible in the UK.

And what chafed to me was his pronunciation of a global word. Pitzer. Pitzer! Please...

GeoffM

Should point out that portion sizes in the UK tend to be a lot smaller, so the need for doggy bags is less, thus perhaps it is more of a stigma to ask for them. The wife and I eat out quite a bit (according to the hole in my pocket) but it's been months since I last asked for a doggy bag, and yet we always keep leftovers when cooking at home so it's not as if we're embarrassed to have leftovers.

I'm more worried about what happens to the food between leaving your table on a plate and arriving in a plastic box or bag. Some actually bring containers to your table but that can be considered a bit uncouth in itself.

penguinbar

In NYC it's perfectly normal. I have noticed that outside NYC when I've asked for my food to be wrapped up a often box is brought to the table. Where I work and most other places I frequent it is taken to the back and packaged up. I think it depends on where you are from whether or not it's called boxed up or a doggy bag. I've been in the restaurant business a long time and I think it's is perfectly acceptable.

avanutria

It's normal in all the US places I've lived, which is about seven different states. Some servers, upon seeing that you have finished eating but still have food on your plate, will offer to bring you a box for the remainder without your even having to ask. I know many people who approach eating out as getting two meals out of the one purchase, which makes it a more affordable thing to do.

I haven't heard anyone call it a doggy bag for years, though. Mostly it's "would you like a box for that?" or "may I box that up for you?", something along those lines.

Sally Redux

Snap
They're usually trying to get you out as fast as possible, they'd probably love to box it up before even bringing the plate to you.

sime303

My parents are here for a couple of weeks, so I just asked my mother why they don't take home the left over food from reataurants and her reply was

"a lot of places don't like you doing it because of health and safety reasons and the restaurants can't guarantee you heat it up properly when you get home and could possibly get food poisoning"

She used to be a chef so I guess she would have a decent idea.

penguinbar

If the food has already been cooked and stored properly you won't get food poisoning by heating it up.

sime303

They are worried you may not store it correctly. If stored at room temperature and under heated salmonella and listeria can become a real problem. Rice being the worst offender.

tamms_1965

Listen to this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpUn9...=1&safe=active