Yesterday I went to lunch with my husband at a Middle Eastern restaurant. The place is relatively fancy, with white linen tablecloths and fine china. With our meal, they served us a basket of soft, warm pita bread. We could barely finish our meal, let alone the extra bread. I couldn’t stand to let the bread go to waste, so I took it.
Very discreetly (I hope), I took the stack of bread out of the basket, wrapped it in a paper napkin (happily, the napkins were not made of linen), and shoved it in my purse. I looked around to see if the waiter saw me, wondering ludicrously whether he might reprimand me, or worse, think I’m cheap. When he came by to clear our plates, he didn’t seem to notice that the breadbasket was suddenly, completely, empty.
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It makes perfect sense to me to do what I did. There are millions of Americans going hungry these days, and if I need a reminder of that, there are homeless people all over big cities, begging for food and money. But even if that weren’t the case, it just makes sense not to waste food. Is it really acceptable to throw away good food that has already absorbed resources by being prepared, shipped, and packed? According to food sanitation laws, the restaurant server would have had to throw away our untouched bread, simply because it was on our table, so why not take it home and eat it?
Apparently, something about doing so felt strange, otherwise I wouldn’t have whispered to James about what I was doing. In my mind, I heard echoes of people mentioning, with a disapproving tone, that “My Aunt Flo takes bread from restaurants.” The implication, of course, is that Aunt Flo is either poor, cheap, or simply tacky, not qualities anyone wants to advertise.
I’m not sure how we got this way. Maybe it’s because of how wealthy this country became after World War II, when memories of the austere Great Depression days were shunned or simply forgotten. Maybe it’s all the “aspirational” ads we see for luxury goods, that make us want to identify with the wealthy. Or maybe it’s because modern agriculture has made food cheaper than it ever has been. All I can tell you is, so far, we have made three sandwiches with the bread I took home, and none of it has gone to waste.
What would you have done in my situation? Do you think it’s sensible or downright tasteless to take home extra bread?
01.14.12 @ 4:00 pm
Considering the restaurant will most likely either throw it out or worse, serve it again, I don’t think it’s wrong to take in theory. Maybe it’s a compliment to them that their bread was so good, you had to take it!
I’ve also heard people ask, can you take an unfinished bottle of wine home? You paid for it, shouldn’t you be able to take the rest home?
01.14.12 @ 4:06 pm
Absolutely…They have to throw it away, as you said, only because it came and sat on your table. I hate wasting food..same as the wine..if you paid for it–it’s yours.
01.14.12 @ 4:07 pm
I take it home all the time.when u don’t finish my food I ask them to wrap my bread up also. I usually take the bread and give it to a homeless person that I see out on the street.
01.14.12 @ 4:08 pm
I do and whatever I didn’t finish. I usually will eat it the next day
01.14.12 @ 4:10 pm
I agree with Last Minute Lady. They aren’t supposed to re-serve it, so it makes no sense that it would and SHOULD be thrown away. If you don’t want it to end up in that stuffing the next week, you’d best take it with you. If you paid for the Wine, yes it’s yours, but the problem is transporting it. It’s an open bottle and if you’re stopped, that could cause a whole bunch of issues. How does one take it home?
01.14.12 @ 4:11 pm
I think it’s perfectly ok. You are paying for it somehow in the price of your meal and drinks, so why not. If you’re going to have it for later or for your next day’s meals, why not - it’s a form of reduce, recycle, reuse.
01.14.12 @ 4:11 pm
I agree, the bread would be thrown out & it was part of the meal that had been paid for. We throw away too much food these days. The Restaurant could not serve it to anyone else ( I hope) They don’t know what you could have put on it …..
01.14.12 @ 4:12 pm
I don’t think it’s wrong, I’ve done it myself. Instead of trying to sneak out with it, I first always ask the waiter/waitress for a doggie bag. Even “high end”, elegant restaurants are accommodating.
01.14.12 @ 4:17 pm
I have found most Middle Eastern restaurants not only approve of taking home the leftovers they will supply boxes, bags etc. Taking home an open bottle of wine brings up a different issue and that is does your state allow open bottles of alcohol in a car. Some states approve and I am sure the restaurant would also if that was the case.
01.14.12 @ 4:21 pm
I think it is perfectly fine to take it home and I would have asked for a to go box for it. I would rather use the bread with another meal than it be tossed. I have even come out of a restaurant and found someone asking for change. I asked if they would like my other half of meal and they were happy to take it and they had a dog (their best friend) They sat down together and ate. Don’t feel awkward, do we really care what others think of us?
01.14.12 @ 4:29 pm
Why in the world would you waste good bread? I never feel odd about taking leftover bread home (if it’s good bread) anymore than I would feel odd about taking what’s left of my dinner.
01.14.12 @ 4:34 pm
I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking leftover food. Wine is a different story. Depending on the state you live in, it may very well be illegal for you to take it with you. Check your stat’s website to be sure. As for the bread, help yourself!
01.14.12 @ 4:36 pm
We take the bread all the time. Sometimes the waiters even ask if we want a bag or box for it. So take the bread!!! They can’t serve it again. Enjoy your bread!!
01.14.12 @ 4:36 pm
I have no qualms about taking bread home from the restaurant. At Cracker Barrel the waitress asked if she could “box up” the left over biscuits, cornbread for our trip home. At Lone Star, their baked bread was so good, we asked if it was sold on the premises. The response was “no, but we’d be glad to give you a loaf to take home”. Bread is included with the meal….by all means, take it home.
01.14.12 @ 4:38 pm
I am complimented when my dinner guests want my leftovers, including the bread!
01.14.12 @ 4:39 pm
YES It is totally acceptable to take it home..I am watching the Big Waste on food network now…The restaurant would throw it out anyway…Absolutely amazing how much food goes to waste in this country!
01.14.12 @ 4:41 pm
I agree with LAST MINUTE LADY. If it’s on your table, you paid for it. Not sure about the wine. If they serve it by the glass, they might use it for that purpose, but, again, if you paid for a bottle, it’s yours.
01.14.12 @ 4:42 pm
I do it all the time. I feel that it is something that is adjusted into the price of a meal and if I enjoyed it, I should be allowed to take any leftover. I am sure that it is thrown away, and as long as I am not asking for a “refill on the bread” and then taking it to go (which is getting on the iffy side of what you are and are not entitled to) I see nothing wrong with it. If people are staring, I honestly do not care, it isn’t like I will see these people again anyways, and it should be done in a tasteful manner.
01.14.12 @ 4:47 pm
About the bread, I have often wondered how to accomplish the feat but I never once thought it wrong, tacky or tasteless. About the unfinished bottle of wine in the comment, most, if not all, states have an open container law that prohibits you from transporting opened alcohol of any sort. I even had a sports bar tell me that they could not provide a cup for me to take out my water because it ‘could’ appear they were sending me out with liquor.
01.14.12 @ 4:53 pm
I think it should be ok to take the bread home. If you didn’t finish a meal you could get a box to take it home. Why not the bread?
01.14.12 @ 5:05 pm
You did nothing wrong in taking the bread home. It was served to you to enjoy with your dinner, nothing wrong in taking it to continue your meal at home. In regards to the above comment about the bottle of wine, that is illegal to do. It goes against the liquor license of the restaurant. It is considered an open bottle in the vehicle and if they find out you got it from the restaurant they could lose their liquor license all together.
01.14.12 @ 5:52 pm
Absolutely sensible. Not only is it acceptable to take bread from a restaurant, the server would have been more than happy to wrap it up for you to take in a to-go box (even if that’s all you wanted wrapped up). Whenever I take food home from a restaurant, if the bread is worthwhile, I ask them to wrap that up too.
01.14.12 @ 6:18 pm
Always take the bread - but please, ask for a bag or carry-out container; keep it out of your purse (that’s likely to be a tad germy.)
01.14.12 @ 6:35 pm
I’ve taken bread home in the past, first asking the server. Then they know that I like it, I don’t have to feel like I’m being a criminal and sneaking it out :), and they will usually provide a bag or container for me to take it home in so I don’t have to hide it in my purse! It may be considered “complimentary,” but you can be sure the cost of it has been included in the overall prices on the menu that you, the customer, are paying.
01.14.12 @ 6:36 pm
I’m a mother of 3 small children. If we happen to go to a nicer restaurant that serves a bread basket we usually take it home. Sometimes because it’s REALLY that good and other times because we usually have the kids with and something small for them to eat on the way home is better than them screaming or crying. But even if you don’t plan to eat it I would take it anyway and throw it away outside or at home. Although you never want to think it I would be afraid of the restaurant trying to cut costs and reserving the untouched bread to an unsuspecting customer. It’s gross and unsanitary.
01.14.12 @ 6:37 pm
I totally agree with Last Minute Lady. The bread should be discarded by the restaurant at the end of the meal. You ask for a “doggie bag” for your meal, why not take the bread home too?
And to answer the wine question, it depends on your state laws.
01.14.12 @ 6:57 pm
Of course it is ok. You paid for it and they would just throw it away. Just put it in your box of leftovers or ask for a bag for it.
01.14.12 @ 8:01 pm
As to the question of this blog, my response is “Hell ya”. You paid for the meal and anything that comes with it or any complimentary items like bread or chip are there for you to eat. Being single I normally eat out by myself or with a friend, so there is always quite a bit left over.
If you want to take them for your use at home then don’t feel bad. Yes (hopefully) any left at the table will be thrown away, so taking them for later use is a good thing. You should not care what other people think.
Bread or the tortilla chips from Mexican restauants are great to use at a later time.
I try not to eat a lot of bread items, but one of my favorite restaurants serves a small loaf of warm italian seasoned yeast bread with the order. Since I don’t eat it with my meal I take it home for use at another time. I usually ask fo a to-go bag and take it home that way. The wait staff don’t seam to care..
I freeze it until I want to use it.
I makes a wonderful hoagie loaf for coldcuts, or my favorite Italian sausage sub. The chips are great for snacks with some homemade salsa.
Don’t waste food. If you don’t want to take it home an eat it yourself, give it to the birds. They will appreciate.
01.14.12 @ 8:07 pm
I would think the bread is okay to take, since its price is included in your meal. Who cares what other people might think? People take sips of soda before purchasing it, or take extra condiments at other places, so taking bread you have paid for is clearly within the rules.
Personally, on the other note, I never take the “freebies” from restaurants unless I have seen the product come out of the oven or have inspected it. It is supposedly illegal to re-serve opened product, but some restaurants do that. Some restaurants don’t believe so much in sanitation-I once enjoyed some freebie chips at a Mexican restaurant until I got near the bottom of the chip bowl and found a pre-dipped chip with a bite out of it. Truly disgusting, never went back.
01.14.12 @ 8:31 pm
I have done the same thing. The pita was fresh and delicious. It would have been thrown in the trash when the table was cleared. I see nothing wrong with taking the leftover bread home.
That said, if there was one pita left and someone asked to get more bread so they could then wrap it and take it home - that is wrong unless they pay for the extra bread.
Most restaurants will, if asked, provide a to-go box for leftover food. The exception is if you are in a buffet/all-you-care-to-eat restaurant. They do not provide for leftovers as they expect you to stop serving yourself when you know you are getting full.
Are we being cheap? No, just frugal.
Also, most diet plans state - if you are eating out you should get a to-go box (or be green and bring Tupperware) at the beginning of the meal. Put half of the (they serve huge portions in many restaurants) food in the to-go box as portion control and to help you stick to your diet.
Next time do the simple thing. Ask for a to-go box and pay them the compliment - ‘I want to take this wonderful bread home for later’. Most restaurants will happily give the box as they would rather you have the bread and it not go to the trash.
01.15.12 @ 6:30 am
My husband and I live in China. We ask waiter to bring us take away container even when we only have little food left on the table. I remember attending a wedding reception in Taipei and at the end of the reception, every table is given out several bags and containers so guests can bring home the leftover. Not wasting food is a great culture, and a good personal habit… You’re right about being a wealthy nation though. In China, as people get richer these days, they will order food they can never finish and will not take away with them. And that is a statement saying, I can afford to waste all these food!
01.15.12 @ 9:57 am
I do not think it is tasteless. I have family who were waitresses and they said people always took bread home it didn’t bother them it was less food wasted. I take left overs home and just add the bread or rolls to the box, if I dot have left overs I do like you did I wrap them up and take them.
01.15.12 @ 10:35 am
I live in a german /check community and most bread served is a home made loaf. I usually take mine because it makes such good toast for breakfast the next day. I am not check or german and do not bake bread so that is a treat for me.
01.15.12 @ 12:25 pm
I agree with Last Minute Lady. The bread would have either been thrown away or reserved. Plus you paid for your meal,and the bread was included. So why not take it home. I personally would have asked for a to go bag for it.
01.15.12 @ 12:38 pm
In my state it’s a health law that the bread served at your table may not be served to another table, so it would be appropriate to take the leftover bread with you if you wish. That being said, I think it would not be appropriate to ask for more bread just so you have extra to take home. However, I have been at restaurants where they offer additional bread to accompany your ‘to go’ box and think that is a thoughtful gesture.
01.16.12 @ 11:15 am
Get a doggy bag and stuff the bread in there also. They just gonna discard it anyways. They cannot serve it again.
01.17.12 @ 12:43 pm
It seems to be way more than unanimous!
01.18.12 @ 8:29 pm
Of course, take the bread! Many finer restaurants will recork your wine bottle for transport.
01.19.12 @ 6:43 pm
since i ve had few executive positions as a chef.only think i can add to this might be that i would certainly feel as a rightful owner of my food.wherever i pay for it., dont think i ve heard of anyone having any problem taking food home from restaurants.but i live in north of europe. i personally walk into fine indian places just to pick up nan sometimes.i mean, i dont have tandoori at home.and they always have a guy for it and outside rush hours i find it ok. if i ask nicely.also with rice.mostly also people sell bread.especially if they have good one.like me than u dont have to feed them with free bread all that much, which should be a purpose
my friend was cooking for a guy who had his high end italian place where only think he would do himself was baking bread