Is this wrong...please fucking say it is!

[crash]

Because they have to provide you with a container to take it home? Possible litigation if someone gets food poisoning from not handling it properly when they leave? Fucks me, but I've seen plenty of restaurants that do it.

There's an initiative here now that collects excess food from kitchens, restaurants, markets, grocery stores etc and redistributes it to shelters for homeless and the like. Pretty sure they don't do leftovers though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks, crash.

I obviously don't care much about what others think when it comes to personal style. I do my thing and let others do theirs. If nobody's intentionally hurting anybody else in the process, the end.

I do find it amusing that it's considered in bad taste to conserve extra food for a later time or donate it to people in immediate need (really common practice here with our volume of homeless in the city); considered as such by some who claim to be opposed to snobbery and fashion themselves as champions of the underdog.

I like being amused though and unintentional irony does the trick almost every time. Smiling as the beat goes on...

[crash]

Sorry, I should have added a fourth condition to the post above;

If I can actually be arsed taking it home. Previous experience tells me that I'll end up chucking it out of my car the next day after forgetting it in the drive home, or chucking it out of the fridge next week when it begins to look a little furry..

And realistically, restaurant portion sizes are such, that over here, you really are very rarely faced with leftovers.

[aussiefriend]

It's got nothing to do with ego or wasting food. It just seems very weird for me, if I am going to eat out for a meal, I have a meal with my family and then take a box home with food in it. It's not normal.

[Duchess]

I've gotten doggie bags before and I probably will again. I don't see anything wrong with it. I would never ask another diner for their food, it's crass and disgusting.

[sally]

I think everyone agrees that unless you're starving and homeless taking someone else's leftovers is fucking weird.

I don't think it's weird to take your own, however. What would be odd to me is if I'm going straight home and just left half of a huge, untouched pastrami or brisket sandwich sitting on the plate.

[Duchess]

There's a reason they choose the people they do for these shows that are produced. They aren't what most of us would consider to be normal and it makes for great viewing for those that are into that kind of thing.

[Cynical Ninja]

Aren't the serving sizes smaller in Europe? I recall reading something about that and how it played such a big role in why Americans are so fat.

Takeaway and fast food is the same as yours huge portions of mainly cheap junk. Buckets of chicken? Check, huge fucking pizzas? Check, deep fried oily shit? Check.

However Mcdonalds and Burger King in America sell burgers and portion sizes not available in England. Like supersizing? Not in the UK ever. When I was in the US I was surprised to see burgers in Macdonalds etc with 3 burger patties, 4 burger patties, 5 burger parties. And these huge cartons of soda! Amazing! A large soda here would be the same as a small or medium there.

But in restaurants? No portions are generally smaller with the emphasis on quality and flavour not quantity and value. I was in a French restaurant a few years ago and a fat American guy was having a meal with his wife and he complained about the portion size of every course, continually repeating the phrase “back in the states we.....”. By the end the waiter was glaring at him like he was a dog who had just pissed on his shoes.

When I was in America the portion sizes just blew us away, in diners, restaurants and fast food joints. Amazing, 4 blokes being served enough food to feed the multitudes in the bible. I can remember Chris buying a foot long chilli dog and just standing staring at it in awe! “A foot long hot dog sausage with the works on it! Smothered and topped with all kinds of shit!”

Also in supermarkets if you buy a chilled microwave ready meal here it will probably be half the size of the one you would expect to buy over there.

I've got a chilled microwave prawn linguine meal for a quick lunch tomorrow. If I served that to most people at Mock for lunch they would probably go “why have you given me a kids meal?”

[Cynical Ninja]

Tell me your honest opinion.

You're in a locale where there's no heath ordinance against taking food that you own out of the establishment. There's more than you need on the plate.

Would you let it be tossed in a garbage bin rather than eat it later or donate it to someone in need?

No when I'm finished with a plate of food what's left on the plate, which is generally not a lot, is garbage. Two french fries some sauce and a couple of button mushrooms are going to provide a homeless guy with much sustenance.

If someone lives a large portion of their food on their plate the consensus in the UK would be “what did you order that for? Eyes bigger than your belly?”

As for finding someone needy to eat it, how is that done and who does it? The person who left it on their plate? I'm pretty sure that person doesn't want to drive around looking for tramps to give it to they just want to go home now! And if staff at the restaurant are touring the streets with plates of leftovers who's covering for them at the restaurant?

Do you think all restaurants should employ full time leftovers distributors for the needy?

You do know that supermarkets, cafes and sandwich shops throw massive amounts of perfectly good food away everyday right? Maybe you should be getting in their grill about waste rather than diners and their poxy little leftovers?

[HairOfTheDog]

No when I'm finished with a plate of food what's left on the plate, which is generally not a lot, is garbage. Two french fries some sauce and a couple of button mushrooms are going to provide a homeless guy with much sustenance.

If someone lives a large portion of their food on their plate the consensus in the UK would be “what did you order that for? Eyes bigger than your belly?”

I don't bother taking a couple of french fries or 3 string beans or some equally absurd amount of food, obviously. And, I don't have the same experience as you. I've traveled quite a bit through Europe and Asia - never noticed a big difference in portion sizes as compared to the US, but I don't eat American fast food when I'm abroad and typically don't order large portioned dishes here either.

Still, I often have a lot left when I got out for dinner. I don't keep tortilla chips and bread in the house (no sweets either). So, if I go out for Italian or Mexican, which I love, I usually splurge and eat more of them than I should when they're served as an appetizer. Then, I'm not usually able to finish my meal, but will take home what's left and enjoy it later. It's essentially a meal that's half dine in and half take out.

As for finding someone needy to eat it, how is that done and who does it? The person who left it on their plate? I'm pretty sure that person doesn't want to drive around looking for tramps to give it to they just want to go home now! And if staff at the restaurant are touring the streets with plates of leftovers who's covering for them at the restaurant?

I don't know if you've ever been to San Francisco, but it's a walking city. We walk a lot to restaurants - either from home or from a parking garage. There aren't restaurant parking lots for most establishments.

There are a lot of great little places with all kinds of foods from around the world - everywhere. I usually go out in the Mission or Haight districts - there are many homeless on the streets outside of restaurants. If they ask for money, which I don't carry there and am less inclined to hand over anyway, I'll offer them left-overs if they say they want the money for food. Some of them actually get pissed. But, others really are hungry and are glad to have some good food in front of them (and it's not a big loss to me).

Do you think all restaurants should employ full time leftovers distributors for the needy?

You do know that supermarkets, cafes and sandwich shops throw massive amounts of perfectly good food away everyday right? Maybe you should be getting in their grill about waste rather than diners and their poxy little leftovers?

Restaurants don't need to employ any such employees. It's simply up to their customers if they choose to take food out and offer it up or not. Period.

I already said that I don't care if other people don't take home left-overs. It's nobody's responsibility to eat whatever they buy or donate it. I often do, personal choice. I just think it's silly for those who'd rather see it tossed to act as those who choose to make use of it are all of those negative adjectives that were thrown out there. Difference of opinion, is all.

Yeah, I know food gets thrown away by businesses. I also know that some of it gets donated. I live near the San Francisco Food Bank and volunteer there twice a quarter as part of a rotation. They have an excellent program which helps feed a lot of people in the community. Grocers and restaurants are the biggest donors.

[Cynical Ninja]

I'm sorry you live in such a sucky place hotdog.

In my town homeless people and tramps are like hens teeth very rare. If a homeless person or tramp started begging outside a restaurant that would not be tolerated I'm afraid.

I am charitable in my own private way I don't feel comfortable talking about here. Also helping needy vulnerable people is my vocation in life not just something I can impress my friends with to feel holier than thou.

If there were a practical way to spirit my leftover lukewarm jacket potato to a Charlie Chaplinesque derelict living in a hedge believe me I would Jean Luc Picard it! “I would make it so”. But alas poor hotdog I cannot!

But just thinking about you being so noble of spirit to give your precious leftovers (which will also contain your saliva of course) to the homeless is very moving.

Thank you for sharing. Thou art bleesed.

[JsMom]

It's not just insane, it's nasty. I would never ask for someone else's leftovers.

Agreed!

[HairOfTheDog]

Thank you for sharing. Thou art bleesed.

Thank you for asking so many questions; always glad to help educate when someone shows an interest.

I love the diversity where I've chosen to live and the generous spirit and tolerance of this beautiful city. You are quite right when you say that I am blessed.

[Cynical Ninja]

I love the diversity where I've chosen to live and the generous spirit and tolerance of this beautiful city. You are quite right when you say that I am blessed.

I'm guessing the numerous tramps and hobos that obviously proliferate your “beautiful” city don't feel quite as “blessed” as you do hotdog.

Giving a tramp your leftovers so you can feel better about yourself is a noble thing indeed.

[aussiefriend]

If you really want to be noble, you don't give someone your leftovers, you buy them a meal, but not your leftovers, I mean, what an insult. There is no generosity of spirit there.

[Duchess]

If a homeless person expressed interest in my doggie bag I'd give him the goddamn thing. Jesus. What is wrong with you people. That's not a question, don't bother answering.

[HairOfTheDog]

If you really want to be noble, you don't give someone your leftovers, you buy them a meal, but not your leftovers, I mean, what an insult. There is no generosity of spirit there.

I already explained that it's common practice here in the city and I don't consider it a sacrifice. I don't see such a simple gesture as "noble". An "insult" to give food to someone begging for food? You are dizzy.

This really isn't a difficult concept to grasp: I'd rather give a homeless person food than see it thrown in the dumpster. A wee bit of saliva transferred from my fork to the food is certainly not something that's going to put off or threaten the health of people who are living in the streets, underpasses and parks - people who often rifle through filthy dumpsters for food and recyclables. It simply makes sense, to me, and what I choose to do.

I understand that your culture and personal inclinations are different. It doesn't bother me if you wouldn't be inclined to take left-overs out of a restaurant and wouldn't offer them to someone who needed them (if they were right there and asking, which I know isn't the case in a lot of areas). It would be your choice and not my concern.

The formal ways that I choose to volunteer and give back in my community, which almost everyone does in this city and also isn't viewed as "noble", are not things that require the input or approval of you or anyone else either. There are some things that I find challenging business-wise and financially about living in one of the most progressive cities in the world. The generosity of spirit, plus the tolerance and promotion of diversity are, on the other hand, things that I personally value a lot. I know that others consider it way too liberal here. I get that, too.

That's as simple as I can make it. If you don't get it, aussie, it's okay. You don't need to hurt your head contemplating it - it won't make any difference.

[aussiefriend]

What homeless person is going to ask you for your doggie bag? That's begging. Buy the guy a meal. There is no generosity in giving away something you don't want. Nothing, nada, zilch....what's even worse is yes, it would have your saliva and maybe other contaminents.

[Duchess]

God grant me the serenity...

[HairOfTheDog]

God grant me the serenity...

Aussie is either trying to troll me or she really is as dimwitted and snobby as her posts reflect.

Either way, it's too banal to keep my interest and I'm moving away from the draft.

Serenity now! Haha.