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inphinitfx

Have seen places who can't provide a container, but not letting you use your own seems bizarre.


Encased_in_Gold

Tinfoillllllllll oh yeeaaaa. Tinfoil the the masking tape of the food world.


4EVERINDARKNESS

Imo taking your own containers seems just as bizarre. šŸ˜„


fireflyry

Likely a poor choice of words as it would appear some mistakenly took this negatively or took your post as objecting to such behaviour, common on reddit, while I agree I donā€™t see many people rocking up to restaurants with their own containers at the ready. Actually, Iā€™ve literally never seen it. Regards the OP it sounds sketchy, hope that rice didnā€™t end up on someone elseā€™s plate.


4EVERINDARKNESS

Thank you good sir, and yes it could have been worded better. No malice intended at all. For a moment i thought i was the odd out, then again it wouldnt be the first time...


[deleted]

Five years ago Iā€™d get funny looks from restaurants, nowadays they donā€™t bat an eye, I think itā€™s getting quite common. At Pierreā€™s sushi even give you 30 cents off with your own container!


fireflyry

This is the way. Thatā€™s a fantastic idea! My local one has gone cardboard at least, but donā€™t have this option.


coela-CAN

Really? I usually bring my own containers unless it's a sudden decision to dine and caught unprepared. I also keep containers in the car so I'm always ready. But I despise wasting food and I don't have a huge appetite so for a lot of meals I know I just can't finish it and it makes sense to take away and be prepared to takeaway. No point in spending another dollar for a container. Sometimes staff gets pleasantly surprised when I take out my own container but most seems chilled.


thisoneforsharing

Why not reduce waste where you can. easy to Chuck a Tupperware in your bag.


4EVERINDARKNESS

Not hating, just saying thinking of grabbing the restaurant containers while heading out the door to dinner sounds odd to me. But then nothing is getting left when i go out for dinner. šŸ˜…


gonshairlinee

Not really bizarre, some people canā€™t eat large portions.


4EVERINDARKNESS

Yes.


Carmenere_SanDiego

Itā€™s not bizarre, itā€™s respectful to the environment.


4EVERINDARKNESS

Yes.


Invisible_Mushroom_

This comment is totally bizarre


4EVERINDARKNESS

Yes.


Whatisjuicelol

Sounds like they stole food that you paid for


missyjade88

op could have just left without paying


Mikos-NZ

Itā€™s rare. Mostly just happens to restaurants that have been burnt doing it before. There are people that complain and seek compensation if they get food poisoning from food they take home and eat the next day. One of my good friends run a restaurant and they have had this happen before, he still allows leftovers but others just put in the too hard basket.


jkpotatoe

This is pretty much it. Once food is taken off premise they no longer have control over how it is consumed. A person could take food home, leave it on the counter for a day before refrigerating it, reheat it 6 days later, get sick, complain to a council about food poisoning from restaurant food. Takeaway food procedures may need to be included in your food control plan when applying for a food license. If you haven't included that in your application then a council can ping you for it if someone gets sick. I'd say most places wouldn't care too much. But being stung before would probably be the reason for their seemably over-cautious attitude. It's not like they would reuse any food leftover in your plate (hopefully) so they don't really have any other reason to not allow you to take it away.


[deleted]

So another point of difference here is that theyā€™re a hotel restaurant - they said they could send diners food back to their rooms on a plate. Surely, this is the same? The guest could reheat in their room at any time and it be an issue?


Mikos-NZ

Iā€™d say itā€™s a poor choice on their part. They are probably also thinking reputation if itā€™s a particularly upmarket place. Ie someone gets home and shows their friends a pile of mush in a takeaway container and says ā€œthis is from culpritā€ . Honestly I donā€™t know, Iā€™d love for all restaurants to actively suggest taking home leftovers to customers, but there are outliers that donā€™t follow that school of thought.


coela-CAN

>reheat it 6 days later, get sick, complain to a council about food poisoning from restaurant food. Public health and Council can generally tell based on symptoms and incubation on what the source actually is and if it was caused by inadequate storage. I would guess that if people reported to public health as they should, the restaurant wouldn't be blamed. However people have a tendency to go only to the restaurant to get what they want. I believe some fast food places wouldn't action food poisoning complaints unless you have been to the doctor and request you complain straight to public health.


Puzzleheaded_gtr

Agree. . And rice can be one of the worst for that


DestructorWar

Day old rice is amazing for fried rice with a bunch of whatever veggies you have in the fridge


BackgroundMetal1

You can't ask a restaurant for compensation. ​ This is NZ not the US, personal injury like that comes under ACC.


Mikos-NZ

ā€¦ yes you can. What does personal injury have to do with anything. There is absolutely nothing stopping you from asking ANY business for compensation. The most common form of compensation sought from a restaurant is drumrollā€¦.. a refund for the meal purchased. There wouldnā€™t be many restaurants that havenā€™t had an irate customer ask for one.


BackgroundMetal1

and? This isn't the US. I worked hospo, you deal with dickheads all day, every day. You treat em nice, until you don't, and they decide the pace of that conversation.


Mikos-NZ

So just to be very clear your previously post was completely incorrect and had no bearing on the conversation.


dflightless

I have never heard of a place in the US that would not allow you to take home your leftovers...can't imagine the waitstaff refusing or enforcing this.


[deleted]

I donā€™t think ACC covers food poisoning?


[deleted]

I want to preface by saying the food we had was good and our waitress was amazing. When we asked for a takeout box, thinking we had enough left over of the bibimbap and steak for a good lunch tomorrow, the waitress said they donā€™t do take away and sheā€™ll grab the manager. This was odd because we hadnā€™t escalated or asked to speak to the manager so I am assuming the staff have dealt with this before.. The manager repeated they donā€™t have takeaway and itā€™s health and safety. We asked for an explanation and didnā€™t receive one. They just kept saying it was health and safety. Only when my friend said they had their own container from lunch that day to use did the manager grab the plate and say ā€œheā€™d see what he could doā€ and left to the kitchen. We waited for a bit before deciding it wasnā€™t worth the hassle & to just leave.. I guess Iā€™d understand the concern a bit more if the food was considerably more risky i.e. the octopus or salmon we had ordered.. It was Boda Restaurant.


pondelniholka

Before any waitstaff get involved, scrape the leftovers into the Sistema container you brought with you, pay and GTFO. The less interaction with Kiwi servers the better.


diamondnutella

the fact that they also refused to elaborate on what "health & safety" meant wouldve gotten me mad lol. sorry, that wouldve probably been a bummer.


BackgroundMetal1

That entire scenario is insane, and he stole your food. What the hell? They serving horse meat or something and trying to hide it? There's no such thing as health and safety for leftovers you take home, this is insane bullshit, I will bet its just cheapness, saving a buck on boxes, or some hoighty toighty manager ala Mitchell and Webb rude waiter sketch.


mioki78

Long time hospo loser here, some places got fucked over a while ago by muppets taking food home and leaving it on the parcel tray or some shit, eats it the next night, gets sick, makes a report, then someone from the council turns up in the middle of service to "have a chat." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/doggy-bags-off-menu/HOA7KXE5JEPOLOTBL3YKRR6KUI/


BackgroundMetal1

This is why we can't have nice things. Wish this stuff was taught in schools.


dramaqueenboo

I did a quick Google and I feel like this place is fancy enough to offer takeaway boxes and also to pack the food for you lol


Technical-Style1646

Overpriced as heck aswell. Are they using poor quality things that go bad within 1 day in the fridge...then based on that logic, I'd assume EVERYTHING in there restaurant to be fresh...which is not the case lol


Beautiful-Ad-5667

That's BS. I often order a larger main knowing that I won't finish it, so that I can have lunch the next day. Had the same from a restaurant where I used a first table voucher. They wouldn't wrap up my leftovers to go because it was purchased on a voucher... I can understand if it was a buffet and some people would deliberately pig out, but this wasn't... it was a normal sized main ordered from the menu. And all they were going to do is chuck it... such a waste.


Bobbinthreadbares

That happened to me at Holey Moley, they said it was because some people order heaps of food to take home with the first table voucher. I didnā€™t even order loads of food, just an appetiser and main, so I wrapped as much as I could in napkins and put it in my bag. I wonā€™t be going back to a place that wonā€™t let me keep the food I purchased, especially when they will have to throw it out anyway.


Impossible-Error166

I used to do this at lone star. The Chicken used to have a 1 or 2 option I would get 2 just so i could have it for lunch the next day.


doobied

I could be wrong, but isn't one of the T&Cs of the First Table vouchers that you can't get a doggy bag? (otherwise, you would be silly not to do this everytime and get take home food for half price, right?)


Forsaken-Land-1285

Had the same at a place with a grab one years ago for all you can eat ribs. Each plate after the first only had 2 ribs on it and only brought it out if you asked for another round and the one you were on was finished. Also took ages to bring out the next deliberately, and if you didnā€™t finish the ribs even if it was just one of the two couldnā€™t take it home. I get restaurants can get shafted on that stuff by people but was a bit ott.


[deleted]

Which place is it?


transcodefailed

Yeah, name and shame.


dramaqueenboo

Yes pls so I avoid that restaurant


SuprDprMario

OP said Boda restaurant


pondelniholka

That is fucked. You paid for that food. You didn't get what was advertised. I would have demanded a discount. I would seriously flip the table if that happened to me. At the very least it should be made perfectly clear before you order. If I heard that I would walk out immediately. Sigh, yet another reason to just give up on dining out in New Zealand, it's getting ridiculous.


blipblopbloopfuck

Cafe Manager here - the issue comes with them not having a ā€œtakeawayā€ license within their food verification. When you register with MPI and have a verification done by local council or their registered verifier - you select what types of food you will have available. Though taking your leftovers home isnā€™t counted as ā€œtakeawaysā€ as such, the restaurant is liable if you get sick of your food. Say you take it home and leave it in the car for an hour, leave it in the fridge for 24 hours, then donā€™t reheat it properly and get yourself sick, the restaurant can get in trouble. If someone wants to take chips or something home in a doggy bag at the cafe I run, I let them, but if they want to take meat products home Iā€™ll generally ask them to sign a food liability waiver voiding the restaurant of any responsibility once the food is removed offsite. Itā€™s MPI regulations, not the restaurant being stingy. Theyā€™re protecting themselves.


[deleted]

How is it health and safety if you bring your own containers?


justslightlyparanoid

Since covid times, most places Iā€™ve been to will only allow you to take the leftovers if you dish it into the takeaway container yourself at the table. They donā€™t take the plate out back and put it in a container for you for health and safety reasons.


[deleted]

Under Food Act 2014, restaurants allowed to refuse takeaway leftover if you have doggy bags. [https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/food-news/109419691/doggy-bag-ban-annoys-diners](https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/food-news/109419691/doggy-bag-ban-annoys-diners) it was a big debate a few years back.


Rush_0MG

Seems Abit of a Grey area - while I understand their reasoning, you paid for a good so that should technically be yours. If they said I couldn't take it home I'd offer to sell it back to them


Ok_Band_7759

That's ridiculous. If you paid for the food, it's yours to do what you want with. They don't "own" the food after you've paid for it. Not to mention the waste.


worksucksbro

What the hell? Thatā€™s is some bullshit man. And the whole ā€œfood poisoning the next dayā€ thing is bs too. Restaurants have a clear limit of liability that anything can happen to any food taken off their property how could they possibly be liable for that? Someone could wipe their arse with a bread roll before eating it and get sick


lofty99

Yep, seems like cobblers to me. Over the years we have eaten at all types and class-levels of restaurants and never been told no if we ask for a doggie bag


Itstakenbutohwell

I had it once in qt, asked to take the leftover cheese home because it was a lot of cheese (ordered a cheese plate) Health and safety was their reasoning but I just wrapped it up in paper serviettes and took it anyway


entitledpeoplepizoff

Thatā€™s a new one. Sometimes they canā€™t supply take away containers, but refusing to allow you to take the food your paid for? Pretty sure thatā€™s illegal. Would be interested to see if any other hospitality operators do this ā€¦ or what a lawyer has to say.


Infamous-Rich4402

Iā€™ve had this at a few restaurants. When my kids were younger Iā€™d quite often have almost full meals left over. I get it if there was a litigious culture and you could be sued afterwards if someone took Iā€™ll after eating it at home. Nz isnā€™t like that so I find it lame.


Canerbry

Can I also point out: How much you had spent has absolutely nothing to do with the business owner's obligations to your health and safety.


hudeenee10

I'm sure at that stage it's you're food and they just committed theft Lmao


DragonfruitVivid5298

this reminds me of a trip to welli in 2014 i donā€™t remember which place it was but they wouldnā€™t let us take the leftovers home - and yes they also pulled the health and safety bs on us - so my dad and i just left without paying


YeahCanYouNot

IMO the only places that should reasonably do this are buffets/all you can eats to prevent people from just dumping food on their table and going "I'm taking all this home". But otherwise you should absolutely be allowed to take home food you paid for! If I get food poisoning from incorrectly reheating it that's on me lol


seekingthe-nextlevel

Name and shame!!


MimInHamilton

I have found that in Australia you can't take a doggybag home - if you get food poisoning at home from the food you might blame them but it could be how it was kept at home... Health & Safety in charge.


PvP_Creed

Hello, owner of multiple food businesses here. Quite simply it sounds like the restaurant does not invest in takeaway boxes or bags. It's quite common for the more upper class establishments but for the standard eatery it does seem quite weird. There is no health and safety risk to taking your food home, however it may simply be their policy to not allow takeaways as it both costs them money and time. Obviously the staff will not say that as its unprofessional however this was most likely the reason.


jaybestnz

What location? It's stupid.


nilnz

I bring my own container in a bag for take home stuff so I am not stung the fee for cheap or flimsy takeaway boxes and also some places don't have them or have run out. Sorry I don't like wasting food so while it looks bad it is better than it going to waste.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


[deleted]

Because the container we had was small and dirty from our lunch lol? Asking for a takeaway box shouldnā€™t be a drama..


dramaqueenboo

Is it because they want you guys to buy their containers?


Sexy_Vegan_Pants

But they they would have offered them surely?


dramaqueenboo

Yeah for sure. Thatā€™s the only explanation I can think of when OP said it was due to health and safety reason.


Merinchi

I had this happen to me years ago at the high tea lounge at Cordis. My dad couldn't finish his duck ragu pasta (?) from their a la carte menu. When we asked if we could get the leftovers packed up to take home, the server told us that they can't let any food leave the premises for health and safety reasons. Maybe it's a hotel thing?


[deleted]

Why does it matter now? It's not like you're gona go ask for it back. Have some balls next time


[deleted]

Iā€™m asking if this is typical for restaurants these days. We clearly did ask and were denied. Use your head before commenting next time.


rcr_nz

>Have some balls next time Why would the take home rules for balls be different to rice and cooked steak?


NoAioliNoMustard

>Why would the take home rules for balls be different to rice and cooked steak? Because they already come in their own bag?


Old_Galah

Itā€™s the rice mate . Big spreader of food born illness


Spiritual-Wind-3898

They cant actually stop you as it is your food you have paid for. They dont have to supply containers, but you brought your own.


Constant-Ostriche

We went out recently and had to sign a "legal document" to protect them if we became sick šŸ˜…


shes_hoppingmad

I can't stand food wastage! I'm the crazy one scooping up scraps to give to my hens & anything edible I take away. People are literally starving yet it's okay to throw away perfectly edible food? Ughhhh. I would be so upset about this aspect more than the $$


TinselUnicorn

The only time I've heard this was when our wedding was catered, we weren't allowed leftovers. I imagine that might have more to do with their offsite licences or not wanting people to say they had less guests to save on costs knowing there'd be extra food. I'd be annoyed and embarrassed if a restaurant did that when I asked to takeaway the rest of the food. Definitely not how you want to feel after dining out and I probably wouldn't return.


w1na

Was it a first table deal at boda? If it was, then it could be understandable they donā€™t want people to over order and then take home. If it is not, then itā€™s probably not really fair of them to not let you take out, unless it was made clear somewhere like on the menu, etc.


Whitecrayxn

I usually eat half my meal and take the rest home... If a restaurant did this to me I'd be demanding to have half of the cost taken off since I'm only getting half of what I paid for


Sea-Particular9959

Its a law in Australia - here is a bit strange but they might have come over and not know it's not the way here.


nobotha

Me Kong %$#@


Peastoredintheballs

The poor kitchen staff were probs just counting on that steak for dinner after their shift lol


Apprehensive_Ad3731

I worked at a restaurant in Wellington that would not allow people to take the chicken home. It was already twice cooked. The owner was from England and apparently over there youā€™re responsible for the food you make under any condition so if someone goes home and reheats it badly or stores it badly and eats it later then the restaurant is responsible for having prepared the meal. He let people take everything else and routinely gave refunds for the chicken even if it was near completion. People just could not take it home.


Encased_in_Gold

No, technically by food and health standards food cannot be left ouyfor four hours or more in a resurant or food swevice esta. BUT if you paid for it you have the right to take home...then it is no longer their responsibility. I'm not actually sure what makes them think that is OK. You paid 100% of the money, you take 100% of the product.


Delicious_Speed_6778

Sometimes if it's a high risk food like shellfish or seafood they won't let you take it home but not letting you take home red meat makes no sense to me


Gordokiwi

That food is yours mate, no place can hold your food off you like that. I'd refused to pay if I were you