Doggie Bags

The most over the top DB experience I've had was a few years back at Maggiano's, a small chain of Italian places that is (in)famous for its portions. If you're a party of 4 or more it is typical to eat "family style" - that is you pick a salad, a couple of apps, a couple of sides and a couple of entrees and the food comes out on platters and in bowls. You then pass the food like you were in someone's home. Supposedly if you run out of something they'll bring more although I've never seen it happen.

Well we were finishing and someone called for the check. At the same time, without prompting, another server starts boxing all of this uneaten food. Now I don't think anyone would dare ask for a box at what is essentially a buffet but I guess it happens...and because of the way they serve it they can't give it to another table. I guess some smart server (tip$) decided if she proavtively started boxing it removed the stigma.

In this case, I was the only one who lived in town and could refrigerate this stuff. I literally had a week's worth of leftovers

The most over the top DB experience I've had was a few years back at Maggiano's, a small chain of Italian places that is (in)famous for its portions. If you're a party of 4 or more it is typical to eat "family style" - that is you pick a salad, a couple of apps, a couple of sides and a couple of entrees and the food comes out on platters and in bowls. You then pass the food like you were in someone's home. Supposedly if you run out of something they'll bring more although I've never seen it happen.

Well we were finishing and someone called for the check. At the same time, without prompting, another server starts boxing all of this uneaten food. Now I don't think anyone would dare ask for a box at what is essentially a buffet but I guess it happens...and because of the way they serve it they can't give it to another table. I guess some smart server (tip$) decided if she proavtively started boxing it removed the stigma.

In this case, I was the only one who lived in town and could refrigerate this stuff. I literally had a week's worth of leftovers Originally Posted by atlcomedy

at typical "all you can stomach" places there is no carryout

at homestyle restaurants..you can take home what was served

I think some women can be a little shy about asking for a container to take home leftover food.

Not long ago, I talked a very attractive lady into joining me for dinner at a fine restaurant.

She had a delicious pork loin and was only able to finish half of it, if that. Since I had chowed down on a fine filet, I had little capacity to assist. (And didn't want to make a pig of myself, in any event!)

My date asked whether I thought it would seem "tacky" to ask for a to-go box. I said, "Of course not. It's terrible to waste food -- especially food as good as this! It might make a good lunch for you tomorrow."

It did, she told me later.

Many times I will order one of their burgers and a side of spinach and take half of it home for dinner. Originally Posted by Ansley

Wait ... Wait ... Wait ....

Am I missing something here? Burger with a side dish of Spinach?

Am I missing something here? Burger with a side dish of Spinach? Originally Posted by Woody of TX

Meat and a green vegetable is a healthy meal for me.

You need to come back to Texas again girl........Burgers and Fries only! Jakes in Dallas, Huts in Austin, Chicken Oil Company in Bryan/College Station.

I just realized that I don't hear the term "doggie bag" any more. About 20 years ago we would ask for a doggie bag. I guess it was considered odd or low-class for a human to eat leftovers (?). So there was the ruse of taking it home to your dog.

Now the server often asks "Would you like me to box this up for you?" Or else I ask for a box to take it home.

That's only with my family and close friends. To answer your question, when I'm on a date I don't ask. We're usually going back to his hotel or house. If it's a hotel, the fridge is probably already stocked with things the hotel hopes to sell. If it's his home, it just seems tacky to put my leftovers in his fridge and then collect them a few hours later when I leave.

Something really fun to do if you have a decent portion of your meal left over (no sandwich halves with bites taken out) is to have it boxed up, ask your server for some take out utensils, and sometimes they'll even throw in a to go drink of water... and then you go HUNTING FOR HOMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! No person I approached has turned it down.

You need to come back to Texas again girl........Burgers and Fries only! Jakes in Dallas, Huts in Austin, Chicken Oil Company in Bryan/College Station. Originally Posted by Woody of TX

What part of "I'll be visiting Houston Saturday August 14th - 17th", in my sig line are you missing?

I'm such a pig I never leave leftovers. What can I say.....I'm not a salad girl. Thank Goodness I have an extremely high metabolism or I'd look like the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory!

Something really fun to do if you have a decent portion of your meal left over (no sandwich halves with bites taken out) is to have it boxed up, ask your server for some take out utensils, and sometimes they'll even throw in a to go drink of water... and then you go HUNTING FOR HOMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! No person I approached has turned it down. Originally Posted by RebeccaRothko

Bravo!!!

I did something similar. A bunch of years ago I was involved with a product demonstration at an area sports venue. Some genius scheduled the last group for Friday afternoon. It was a no charge for those that would show up so to blow it off was easy. Real easy. Not a single person attended. The facility had prepped a bunch of meals (sandwich, chips, apple and beverage) for that last group.

The company did not really know what to do with it, so I said I'll take it to a shelter in my town. Done. Off I go. I get a speeding ticket along the way (no good deed goes unpunished), and show up at the shelter at 5:00 PM. It was a men's shelter. All the guys are sitting around watching TV. No one got up or anything to ask if they could help me. This rubbed me the wrong way. Damn if I am bringing you free food the least you could do is help. Bums. I left.

But I had a client who helped at a shelter in the next town. I called her and asked for the addy and drove over. Someone asked if they could help. I explained I had a bunch of meals and could they use them. You should have seen the look on this person's face. Absolutely. The people at the shelter (not staff) had tried to make pizzas for the evening's meal. Apparently it was not successful (no one was going to get an apron from "Master Chef"). And my arrival with food was a way of God helping them (I'm not religious at all, hey I screw around on my wife, I'll be on the express train to hell). So they were grateful. The food wasn't wasted. It was a win-win.

I also have food at local marketing events, and will bring it to the shelter (though not recently).

But Bravo to Rebecca, what a wonderful idea. I am going to have to borrow it. Many thanks.

Something really fun to do if you have a decent portion of your meal left over (no sandwich halves with bites taken out) is to have it boxed up, ask your server for some take out utensils, and sometimes they'll even throw in a to go drink of water... and then you go HUNTING FOR HOMELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! No person I approached has turned it down. Originally Posted by RebeccaRothko

i commend you ...what i have taken to doing is buy up a bunch of restaurant gift cards at a good wholesome albeit "fast food" restaurant...enough to buy a decent meal on a card...and when i am out i pass them out...especially i do to people who are working....for example someone hawking newspapers at a corner...or guys doing landscape work ...i'll lower my window and hand them a card and thank them for working

.......Not a single person attended. The facility had prepped a bunch of meals (sandwich, chips, apple and beverage) for that last group.

The company did not really know what to do with it, so I said I'll take it to a shelter in my town. Done. . Originally Posted by SR Only

I've had similar situations but the problem we run into is most of the places we have contacted usually won't accept anything perishable.

If anyone knows of a place in ATL that will accept the unscheduled, "I'll be over in half an hour" type of perishable food donations PM me.

What usually ends up happening is depending on the venue, someone on the staff (custodian, security, etc.) ends up with something to take home.

i commend you ...what i have taken to doing is buy up a bunch of restaurant gift cards at a good wholesome albeit "fast food" restaurant...enough to buy a decent meal on a card...and when i am out i pass them out...especially i do to people who are working....for example someone hawking newspapers at a corner...or guys doing landscape work ...i'll lower my window and hand them a card and thank them for working Originally Posted by nevergaveitathought

That's a great idea. I'm reluctant to give cash to panhandlers for two reasons:
1) in many cases it enables some form of substance abuse
2) it rewards a behavior (panhandling itself) that is bad for business, tourism, etc.

I don’t really ask for food to go so much. If I don’t share an entree with whomever I’m dining with, I always order appetizers and a salad or a vegetable side. I do however take bones home to my dogs. They really, really like them.