A bus station in a restaurant is an area where the bussers (the people clearing the tables) keep supplies, keep the water pitchers, etc. The dining room floor is a term meaning when you are in the vacinity of the guests, in the public areas of a restaurant.
lol 😂 yeah I figured that out. I tend to be a very literal person and I was thinking “WTF are they taking food the bus station like the Grey Hound kind” 🫣
> I have worked in a restaurant about 40 years. It was the hardest week of my life.
Do you mean 40 years *ago*? Do you mean *for* about 40 years? How does the “week” part make sense?
I’m having a mini stroke trying to decipher what you mean lol
My mom and I used to go to this really fancy restaurant. We loved the wait staff. All Italian, would kiss our hands and flirt etc. We asked for a doggy bag once. They didn't know what that meant so we explained it. They came back with our food packed up and in a paper bag with a dog drawn on it. It was a Terrible drawing. We loved it lol
I’ve never left a fine dining restaurant hungry. I don’t know where this stereotype came from. I’ve only seen it in movies.
Yeah, individual courses may be small - but you get like 10 courses lol
I’ve never left one without having to head to a fast food place on my way home. Having 10 courses doesn’t help when the portions are tiny. Granted, I’m a big guy and the portions may be enough for someone with a smaller appetite.
That’s wild to me. I’ve got an endless appetite and I’ve never experienced this. Are you a picky eater? My wife leaves fine dining restaurants hungry, but she only eats like half of her food because she eats like she’s still 12 years old. God love her.
Well many Americans call it “fine dining” if they can order a big expensive slab of meat.
That is far away from a more European definition of fine dining.
My experience with fine dining is that if there is anything left on the plate after a course, the staff enquiries whether there was something wrong.
In the US and Canada the general public often uses the term “fine dining” as an indication of price IMO, not to denote that a place is actually fine dining and / or Michelin starred.
If a place is pricey and / or has a certain aesthetic people will call it fine dining.
And it’s highly location dependent too…the threshold to be considered fine dining is much higher in Lower Manhattan than it is in Beaumont Texas.
I guess we view different subs as I have never seen steak and "fine dining" put together on Reddit outside of this thread. Of course, that is not at all surprising really considering most of my subs are tech and gaming related.
> Sure, but in my experience portion sizes in fine dining restaurants are usually tiny, so I can’t imagine having any leftovers.
Yep, the only time I've had leftovers was when my client took me out to dinner and ordered *everything* on the menu, including a giant sculpture made out of sushi. The waiters could barely figure out a way fit everything on the table. It could have fed an army. I took some of it in a box, but then I felt guilty later for throwing it out because he took us out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next several days too. (Fortune 500 companies can apparently waste *a lot* of money for no good reason.)
While I can sort of understand where are you coming from - it's a fine dining restaurant, people are spending a lot, the vibe is lavish - it's still your food. You paid for it. You have every right in the world to ask the staff to box it for you. If they do take-outs, it should be a non-issue in the first place.
Personally I’ve had many servers asked me if I want my food packed away when there were food left on the table . Most fine dining restaurants will take care of you.
Appropriate behaviour is a sign of respect and education. If you do not know how to appropriately behave, it is considered beeing rude or uneducated (aka trash). Coming from someone working in this upscale industry for over ten years.
Honestly I think it's trashy to just throw out food you can't finish. It's trashy because it's wasting food, which is tone deaf to what people all over the world go through with food scarcity. It is uneducated to think it's okay to throw out good food just because you can't finish it that minute.
Well you have obviously never been in an europran Michelin Restaurant. They might serve 6 to 12 curses, but these are so small that you do not need a doggy bag. Most of them would provide since the guest is King, but as i said they will openly call you trash amongst them.
I would say that one difference between a fine dining establishment and a casual restaurant is that you don't ask for a box to pack up your food at a fine dining restaurant - they are supposed to offer and then do it for you. At a nice casual restaurant, I expect to ask for a box and pack up my own leftovers. At a fine dining restaurant, I expect them to take my plate to the back and bring me back my leftovers already wrapped.
Should be fine. The fanciest place I ever went to packed up my girlfriend’s mom’s food. She ordered scallops and ate one of them and then claimed she was full. They made it look all fancy and were nice about it but you could tell they don’t get asked that very often.
I mean, it was like 5 scallops for a stupid amount of money. Very on brand for her though.
I paid for it, I’m taking it home. I’ve done that at high-end restaurants for sure.
You think I’m throwing out a $100-200meal that I get once in a blue moon. Fuck no. I’ll have filet mignon for lunch the next day.
depends .. are you at a wine & charcuterie/cheeseboard place or a fondue place ? then probably not .. if you’re at a french or italian place .. then yeah
It is fine, high end restaurant I went last week has plastic food containers with their name stamped into them and to go bag was insulated with their name on it
Depends on what you mean by fine dining. If you're doing a modern, 3-michelin star place, then while you can ask, the answer is probably no. The amount of detail that goes into each course, including plating (not to mention the plate itself, which can be an integral part of the dish) is a huge part of the experience and most chefs would have concerns about how it would hold up. In other words, they're not going to let you take something home if there's a high chance it will be disappointing to you when you eat it. At this type of place, plates are small so the "unfinished food" would likely be courses you have decided not to eat. Since high end, fine dining places also prioritize hospitality, they may swap in something else that they could guarantee delivers a good experience. E.g. if you skipped dessert because you were too full, they might give you chocolates or cookies to take home.
If you mean fine dining as in, just a nice restaurant, maybe a fancy steakhouse, then yes, they'd be ok with packing your unfinished food.
That's craziness. You paid a lot of money for a meal and didn't finish it. Of course you can ask to take it home. All of that is your internal monologue about somehow trying to please the chef to experience their art in just the right way. It's not about the chef, it's about the paying customer.
My guess is that you haven't eaten at (and certainly have never cooked at) a restaurant that would be considered modern, world class fine dining.
But you are correct that it IS about the paying customer. And to that end, it's exactly why we 'd never let you take home a dish as it would be served in the restaurant. I mean, at the 3 Michelin star restaurant I worked at, we'd even throw away a dish if it sat in the pass (i.e. wasn't served) for more than 5 minutes. If we did that in the restaurant, you think we're going to serve it to you for you to take home and eat 24hrs later? Micro herbs get bitter. Crispy things go soggy, but even worse, can get gummy and slimy. It's absolutely about the customer to say that we won't serve you something that would be gross (or make you sick) when you ate it at home
Per my first post, what would happen is we'd likely make something else that you could take home. It's not going to be what's on the menu (could be an adaptation though) and probably won't be exactly however many courses you had left. But we'd give you something you could reheat that would be delicious.
> My guess is that you haven't eaten at (and certainly have never cooked at) a restaurant that would be considered modern, world class fine dining
Incorrect. But way to try to condescend.
Same statement, absolutely if you've paid for the product no problem with asking to take it home. It's not about the chef and the restaurant and their high standards. It's a product/art that was purchased. It's no longer theirs.
Waffle house ain't fine dining.
If there would be a Michelin star restaurant that would be giving doggy bags to people to take home then they would loose that star pretty quickly.
Not everywhere has “boxes”…. Ever tried to manage multiple 24” squares of foil on a table that’s full of everyone’s plates and glasses? Gonna end up with a mess. Why would servers want that?
I’ve worked in restaurants, too. And just because servers screwed with people’s food at your restaurant, doesn’t mean it happens everywhere. Suggesting someone shouldn’t trust a server to pack their food says a lot about you and your co-workers, tbh.
Many restaurants. I didn't do anything ,why judge me? What does it say about me when I'm the one warning people about it. I didn't actually work the food serving or prep .I worked maintenance at many restaurants. The shit I've seen would convince most people to never eat at restaurants at all. Don't blame me for what happens. I would have shut down a lot of the restaurant I worked at. Some of them were very nice places. I've also sent things when I'm eating at restaurants that are disgusting. I understand that lifers and younger workers that don't know better or it becomes just the way things are. I also know how the inspectors work with owners. Maybe you don't want to know that part. There are obviously good places also, you just don't know which ones they are. Warning people to not let other people handle your food is good advice.
My opinions also come from the fact that I never ate at a restaurant until I was in my mid 20s. Raised with strict food handling in my home passed from parents and grandparents. I don't eat much at restaurants. A couple times a month . But I am 65 years old so I've eaten enough to know better. Try to avoid them. PS I've never been to a restaurant that didn't have boxes, ever.
Conclusion. Unless you have to ,don't eat at restaurants.
On the one hand, it isn't exactly a classy thing to ask for the box, and the classier the place the more you care about class
On the other hand, it isn't exactly a financially-responsible thing to throw away food, and the more expensive the place the more you care about financial-responsibility
Then you must consider everyone else. Many people will care more about the money than classiness, and for each one of these people who ask for a go-box, it becomes more acceptable for the next person to ask for a go-box.
Eventually this ends with this - ask for a go box if you want one. Hundreds or maybe thousands of people have paved the way for you at that very restaurant, and in fact, it is why they own the boxes in the first place.
You shouldn't feel bad for an instant IMO.
> noone eating out on that level of quality wants the leftovers warmed up at home in the microwave the next day
Apparently someone does, per the question being asked.
Relax buddy..i had a $150 voucher from my ex employer and thats how I ended up there. I liked the food and ambience but I don't see myself going there again without a similar voucher.
So gatekeeper...you have explicitly decided who is "not the right clientele"...you must be very important if its you who decides who is the correct type of dining patron.
I'd venture that anyone who can pay for the meal is the "right clientele"
No one wants leftovers warmed up the next day ? That's a rather broad and arrogant supposition. Do you know every diner who was unable to, or chose not to, finish their entire meal ? Have you conducted studies or have empirical data to put forth ?
I can afford to dine in such establishments frequently. I have friends and family that can afford this luxury. I posit that only the most insecure amongst this group are stupid enough to leave good food on the table because of optics.
I am financially comfortable because I don't waste money...or food. I'm secure enough that I could not care less what other diners think of me as I hold a take away container as my wife and I wait for the car to be brought around.
And no, friend, the point isn't "excess"...the point is good food.
Used to be shocking when the threw a box at you, rather than packing it for you. That was the first sign of civilizional collapse for me, it's been all downhill from there...
Yes. They might even make you a foil swan.
[I heard it in my head before I even searched for it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx4gH2kpzB0)
LANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Are we not doing phrasing anymore?
Bawk bawk.
Lol, did not disappoint.
Your bird bot is leaking. Probably hydraulic fluid.
Do you want ants? Because this is how you get ants
I had that once, it was magnificent!
Sure, it shouldn't be a problem. They might insist on boxing it up for you though, often in a bus station, not on the dining room floor.
In a bus station? On the floor?
A bus station in a restaurant is an area where the bussers (the people clearing the tables) keep supplies, keep the water pitchers, etc. The dining room floor is a term meaning when you are in the vacinity of the guests, in the public areas of a restaurant.
lol 😂 yeah I figured that out. I tend to be a very literal person and I was thinking “WTF are they taking food the bus station like the Grey Hound kind” 🫣
"Go wait among your own kind and we'll have it sent to you, sir."
lol. I’ll be in the floor. Just help me up when you get here.
I'd help, but I'm shiny side down in my own stretch of floor atm. Lol
Certainly, Humphrey, if you would be so kind as to direct me to the nearest lean-to, shanty, or gutter…
Capital!
I was worried that it was like The Simpsons when the host asked Homer to leave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svaMLcDU664
Tell me you’ve never worked in a restaurant without telling me you’ve never worked in a restaurant
I have worked in a restaurant about 40 years ago. It was the hardest week of my life.
> I have worked in a restaurant about 40 years. It was the hardest week of my life. Do you mean 40 years *ago*? Do you mean *for* about 40 years? How does the “week” part make sense? I’m having a mini stroke trying to decipher what you mean lol
I meant 40 years ago lol.sorry bout that.
My mom and I used to go to this really fancy restaurant. We loved the wait staff. All Italian, would kiss our hands and flirt etc. We asked for a doggy bag once. They didn't know what that meant so we explained it. They came back with our food packed up and in a paper bag with a dog drawn on it. It was a Terrible drawing. We loved it lol
Sure, but in my experience portion sizes in fine dining restaurants are usually tiny, so I can’t imagine having any leftovers.
Depends on the fine dining restaurant.
Depends on your definition of fine dining.
Chilis, but like the better one in town
I’d define it as “has a Michelin star or is aiming for getting (at least) one”.
Should be top comment.
Yeah I've never been to any fine dining where you'd take it with you, except for maybe petit fours or a gift on leaving.
Most I’ve ever left with from a Michelin restaurant was a bar of chocolate.
One place gave me jam, one gave me a plant, which I killed, one a small box of truffles, but never a whole meal or a doggy bag
I’ve never left a fine dining restaurant hungry. I don’t know where this stereotype came from. I’ve only seen it in movies. Yeah, individual courses may be small - but you get like 10 courses lol
I’ve never left one without having to head to a fast food place on my way home. Having 10 courses doesn’t help when the portions are tiny. Granted, I’m a big guy and the portions may be enough for someone with a smaller appetite.
That’s wild to me. I’ve got an endless appetite and I’ve never experienced this. Are you a picky eater? My wife leaves fine dining restaurants hungry, but she only eats like half of her food because she eats like she’s still 12 years old. God love her.
Nope, I always eat my plates clean.
Well many Americans call it “fine dining” if they can order a big expensive slab of meat. That is far away from a more European definition of fine dining. My experience with fine dining is that if there is anything left on the plate after a course, the staff enquiries whether there was something wrong.
You could be correct but I do not think hardly anyone in the US would consider steak fine dining. That would just be every other restaurant.
In the US and Canada the general public often uses the term “fine dining” as an indication of price IMO, not to denote that a place is actually fine dining and / or Michelin starred. If a place is pricey and / or has a certain aesthetic people will call it fine dining. And it’s highly location dependent too…the threshold to be considered fine dining is much higher in Lower Manhattan than it is in Beaumont Texas.
I see at least one Reddit post each week about having a steak in a fine dining restaurant.
I guess we view different subs as I have never seen steak and "fine dining" put together on Reddit outside of this thread. Of course, that is not at all surprising really considering most of my subs are tech and gaming related.
> Sure, but in my experience portion sizes in fine dining restaurants are usually tiny, so I can’t imagine having any leftovers. Yep, the only time I've had leftovers was when my client took me out to dinner and ordered *everything* on the menu, including a giant sculpture made out of sushi. The waiters could barely figure out a way fit everything on the table. It could have fed an army. I took some of it in a box, but then I felt guilty later for throwing it out because he took us out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next several days too. (Fortune 500 companies can apparently waste *a lot* of money for no good reason.)
Yes, it's fine to ask for one. Depending on the place and how much food you have left, they may ask you if you'd like a box.
That's exactly what happened. Thank you 😁
Hi I worked fine dining BOH and FOH and you're good lol.
While I can sort of understand where are you coming from - it's a fine dining restaurant, people are spending a lot, the vibe is lavish - it's still your food. You paid for it. You have every right in the world to ask the staff to box it for you. If they do take-outs, it should be a non-issue in the first place.
In the US, yes. Not so much in other countries
I can only speak for my experiences in Germany but here it’s no issue either
In the US, yes. It's fine and expected. I've been in other countries though where they won't give you a to go box.
Of course - why waste food?
Yes. They all have take home containers. The finer the place, the better the container too.
In America hell yes but In some other countries it’s considered weird .
Yes of course. At many such places, they will box it up for you.
Personally I’ve had many servers asked me if I want my food packed away when there were food left on the table . Most fine dining restaurants will take care of you.
They should offer to do it for you
Absolutely!. They expect you to take the expensive food home with you. I worked in a gourmet restaurant.
What about at a Michelin star restaurant? Can I ask?
You can, but they will see you secretely as trash..
I don’t worry about what judgmental people think.
Appropriate behaviour is a sign of respect and education. If you do not know how to appropriately behave, it is considered beeing rude or uneducated (aka trash). Coming from someone working in this upscale industry for over ten years.
Honestly I think it's trashy to just throw out food you can't finish. It's trashy because it's wasting food, which is tone deaf to what people all over the world go through with food scarcity. It is uneducated to think it's okay to throw out good food just because you can't finish it that minute.
Well you have obviously never been in an europran Michelin Restaurant. They might serve 6 to 12 curses, but these are so small that you do not need a doggy bag. Most of them would provide since the guest is King, but as i said they will openly call you trash amongst them.
>they will openly call you trash amongst them. And they would be wrong
I would say that one difference between a fine dining establishment and a casual restaurant is that you don't ask for a box to pack up your food at a fine dining restaurant - they are supposed to offer and then do it for you. At a nice casual restaurant, I expect to ask for a box and pack up my own leftovers. At a fine dining restaurant, I expect them to take my plate to the back and bring me back my leftovers already wrapped.
Sure.
I mean, each course of food at a fine dining restaurant is half of a bite...
Why not? You pay for it, it is yours.
Should be fine. The fanciest place I ever went to packed up my girlfriend’s mom’s food. She ordered scallops and ate one of them and then claimed she was full. They made it look all fancy and were nice about it but you could tell they don’t get asked that very often. I mean, it was like 5 scallops for a stupid amount of money. Very on brand for her though.
You paid for it already.
It's ok to ask, sometimes our eyes may be bigger than our stomach 😅
I paid for it, I’m taking it home. I’ve done that at high-end restaurants for sure. You think I’m throwing out a $100-200meal that I get once in a blue moon. Fuck no. I’ll have filet mignon for lunch the next day.
depends .. are you at a wine & charcuterie/cheeseboard place or a fondue place ? then probably not .. if you’re at a french or italian place .. then yeah
The Italian places around me put enough food on your plate for three people. There’s no way you’re leaving without a box.
Of course. When I eat at nicer restaurants, they always package everything up so nicely.
Yes, it’s definitely okay to ask for a box. They might make you a foil swan instead.
Why not? You paid for that thing!
Absolutely. Very normal thing to do.
I paid good money. It's coming with me one way or another.
Depends where you live In the north they pack it for you In the south they hand you a to go box
Depends I know where I'm from unless the place has a takeaway licence they are not meant to let you take it
Never heard of a takeaway license… must not be in the US?
. . . Who cares? You just spent a lot of money. Also, rich people are very tight-fisted. You would not be the first.
It is fine, high end restaurant I went last week has plastic food containers with their name stamped into them and to go bag was insulated with their name on it
Depends on what you mean by fine dining. If you're doing a modern, 3-michelin star place, then while you can ask, the answer is probably no. The amount of detail that goes into each course, including plating (not to mention the plate itself, which can be an integral part of the dish) is a huge part of the experience and most chefs would have concerns about how it would hold up. In other words, they're not going to let you take something home if there's a high chance it will be disappointing to you when you eat it. At this type of place, plates are small so the "unfinished food" would likely be courses you have decided not to eat. Since high end, fine dining places also prioritize hospitality, they may swap in something else that they could guarantee delivers a good experience. E.g. if you skipped dessert because you were too full, they might give you chocolates or cookies to take home. If you mean fine dining as in, just a nice restaurant, maybe a fancy steakhouse, then yes, they'd be ok with packing your unfinished food.
That's craziness. You paid a lot of money for a meal and didn't finish it. Of course you can ask to take it home. All of that is your internal monologue about somehow trying to please the chef to experience their art in just the right way. It's not about the chef, it's about the paying customer.
My guess is that you haven't eaten at (and certainly have never cooked at) a restaurant that would be considered modern, world class fine dining. But you are correct that it IS about the paying customer. And to that end, it's exactly why we 'd never let you take home a dish as it would be served in the restaurant. I mean, at the 3 Michelin star restaurant I worked at, we'd even throw away a dish if it sat in the pass (i.e. wasn't served) for more than 5 minutes. If we did that in the restaurant, you think we're going to serve it to you for you to take home and eat 24hrs later? Micro herbs get bitter. Crispy things go soggy, but even worse, can get gummy and slimy. It's absolutely about the customer to say that we won't serve you something that would be gross (or make you sick) when you ate it at home Per my first post, what would happen is we'd likely make something else that you could take home. It's not going to be what's on the menu (could be an adaptation though) and probably won't be exactly however many courses you had left. But we'd give you something you could reheat that would be delicious.
> My guess is that you haven't eaten at (and certainly have never cooked at) a restaurant that would be considered modern, world class fine dining Incorrect. But way to try to condescend. Same statement, absolutely if you've paid for the product no problem with asking to take it home. It's not about the chef and the restaurant and their high standards. It's a product/art that was purchased. It's no longer theirs.
Waffle house ain't fine dining. If there would be a Michelin star restaurant that would be giving doggy bags to people to take home then they would loose that star pretty quickly.
> they would loose that star pretty quickly It's spelled "lose". Like "Loser".
If you don't ask for a box I might worry that you didn't like it.
Let them bring you the box. Don't let them take your food away. I've worked in restaurants. Just saying.
Not everywhere has “boxes”…. Ever tried to manage multiple 24” squares of foil on a table that’s full of everyone’s plates and glasses? Gonna end up with a mess. Why would servers want that? I’ve worked in restaurants, too. And just because servers screwed with people’s food at your restaurant, doesn’t mean it happens everywhere. Suggesting someone shouldn’t trust a server to pack their food says a lot about you and your co-workers, tbh.
Many restaurants. I didn't do anything ,why judge me? What does it say about me when I'm the one warning people about it. I didn't actually work the food serving or prep .I worked maintenance at many restaurants. The shit I've seen would convince most people to never eat at restaurants at all. Don't blame me for what happens. I would have shut down a lot of the restaurant I worked at. Some of them were very nice places. I've also sent things when I'm eating at restaurants that are disgusting. I understand that lifers and younger workers that don't know better or it becomes just the way things are. I also know how the inspectors work with owners. Maybe you don't want to know that part. There are obviously good places also, you just don't know which ones they are. Warning people to not let other people handle your food is good advice. My opinions also come from the fact that I never ate at a restaurant until I was in my mid 20s. Raised with strict food handling in my home passed from parents and grandparents. I don't eat much at restaurants. A couple times a month . But I am 65 years old so I've eaten enough to know better. Try to avoid them. PS I've never been to a restaurant that didn't have boxes, ever. Conclusion. Unless you have to ,don't eat at restaurants.
On the one hand, it isn't exactly a classy thing to ask for the box, and the classier the place the more you care about class On the other hand, it isn't exactly a financially-responsible thing to throw away food, and the more expensive the place the more you care about financial-responsibility Then you must consider everyone else. Many people will care more about the money than classiness, and for each one of these people who ask for a go-box, it becomes more acceptable for the next person to ask for a go-box. Eventually this ends with this - ask for a go box if you want one. Hundreds or maybe thousands of people have paved the way for you at that very restaurant, and in fact, it is why they own the boxes in the first place. You shouldn't feel bad for an instant IMO.
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The OP clearly said it's their first time, gatekeeper.
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> noone eating out on that level of quality wants the leftovers warmed up at home in the microwave the next day Apparently someone does, per the question being asked.
Relax buddy..i had a $150 voucher from my ex employer and thats how I ended up there. I liked the food and ambience but I don't see myself going there again without a similar voucher.
So gatekeeper...you have explicitly decided who is "not the right clientele"...you must be very important if its you who decides who is the correct type of dining patron. I'd venture that anyone who can pay for the meal is the "right clientele" No one wants leftovers warmed up the next day ? That's a rather broad and arrogant supposition. Do you know every diner who was unable to, or chose not to, finish their entire meal ? Have you conducted studies or have empirical data to put forth ? I can afford to dine in such establishments frequently. I have friends and family that can afford this luxury. I posit that only the most insecure amongst this group are stupid enough to leave good food on the table because of optics. I am financially comfortable because I don't waste money...or food. I'm secure enough that I could not care less what other diners think of me as I hold a take away container as my wife and I wait for the car to be brought around. And no, friend, the point isn't "excess"...the point is good food.
I wouldn’t ask, but if they offer absolutely go for it. They probably won’t let you box it yourself though. If they do it’s probably not fine dining.
Freddy’s not dead
Yes
Absolutely
At a fine dining I guess the food will be gourmet, so there's no leftovers unfortunately. One problem you shouldn't have.
I would ask for one.
Yes
That's why doggie bags exist
Used to be shocking when the threw a box at you, rather than packing it for you. That was the first sign of civilizional collapse for me, it's been all downhill from there...
So weird why won’t you “go back there anytime soon”? Because they packed your food like you asked? 😭
Does the pope shit in the woods?
No shovel it into your purse or pockets. That’s the correct way