Do you ask for doggy bags...portions too big

[80sWaistcoat]

Out the other night in a nice but casual restaurant. Mains are about £18. I only ate half of mine, really lovely fish dish, so I asked for a doggy bag.

My friend was mildly disapproving. I didn't care - the portion was too big and I wasn't going to waste it. It was lovely the next day for lunch.

And DH and I went out for curry and shared a starter and a main and a nan. All at the same time so the starter was like a side dish. Was that weird? It was enough. Neither of us are skinny....this isn't some weird boast.

[Nyancat]

I do too, and dh and I would share something similar for a takeaway, a starter and a main to share. Portions are huge in lots of places these days and I hate waste. I also on occasion ask for a small portion of something and say I'm happy to pay the menu price but only receive half portion, I hate it going to waste. Kids meals are the same, they are huge and my two have small appetites.

[Alabastard]

I work in a pub that serves food and people ask a lot. We have takeaway containers in the kitchen for that purpose, it's no big deal!

[BarbaraofSeville]

I almost always take a doggy bag due to huge portions and it's never an issue.

Restaurants don't mind at all because if you just leave the food, they think you don't like it, but if you say 'this was lovely, but I am too full, please can I take the rest away' they know you liked it.

Let your friend think what she likes. Food is no less wasted if you eat it when you are full than if it just gets thrown away. I would be 'mildly disapproving' at people wasting perfectly good food.

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

YANBU. I often do this. I've had bowel surgery and can sometimes only manage one slice of pizza or the equivalent (and I'm still plump, so not a weird boast either!). I love food and it will often last me several days at home.

It's much better than wasting food or making myself unwell trying to finish the portion. And no point eating good you don't need! I've never had any problems, though I don't eat anywhere posh I feel much happier asking to take it home than having them think I didn't like it. They always have a suitable container so it's obviously something they expect to do.

[MissVictoria]

They need to take the hint and start serving more realistic portions!
It's not helping people judge suitable portions in their own homes if they see these massive servings and think it's the norm. It's too easy to over eat when your judgement of adequate portions is skewed. You serve too much, you eat too much, you get used to eating too much, and then the portion size you should be eating feels too small because you're not full after eating it. One big unhealthy cycle that's definitely adding to the obesity rates.
They would save money by not wasting food, they'd help the environment by not having so much food waste, and they would be promoting healthier eating habits.

[Blueberry234]

Totally I've had weight loss surgery most takeaway places or somewhere like Wagamama do me 3 meals

[Floggingmolly]

I must be a greedy pig; I never get a "too big" portion

[HardcoreLadyType]

We ate out a couple of days ago at s noodld bar. The servings were huuuuuge, and loads of people were taking doggy bags.

We were going on to a concert, so I didn't, but actually, if I'd been going home, I might've. It would have been a lovely lunch, the next day.

[TawnyPippit]

Completely standard in the US - they usually just ask "do you want that wrapped to go" or similar, and its just entirely straightforward. That and Having a glass of water brought to you immediately you sit down, are two habits I would love to see become entrenched over here.

(While we are on the subject of better ways of doing things), in Japan you never pay your waiter, you always go to the cash desk on the way out and pay there. It is brilliant - saves endless amounts of faffing).

[ZoFloMoFo]

I hate waste so I always ask for a takeaway tub or doggy bag.

I agree with MissVictoria though, most places serve far too big portions, and it seems that lots of people don't feel they're getting "value for money" unless they're stuffed to the gills after eating it all, or have some left over to take home.

Our local Italian knows me too well by now, they automatically serve half the portion with the other half in a tub for me to take away. My favourite dish there is £11.95, but I'd be quite happy with a half portion for maybe £2 less instead.

[badtime]

Some people are weird about eating leftovers, and not just when eating out, like eating them means you are poor (and not just sensible).

Perhaps your friend reacted as it seemed you were publicly announcing that you were skint, as that is the only possible reason someone wouldn't want to waste half of their tasty food.

[BarbaraofSeville]

When we last went on holiday, after a couple of days of ordering far too much food that we couldn't finish and couldn't store (we were staying B&B in a hotel in a hot country) we were down to ordering either just a pizza to share, or a starter each, the portions were so enormous and we were sick of leaving loads.

A starter plate of pasta was piled high, filling a small dinner plate, one of 1970s size, before it was customary to have massive dinner plates.

DP ordered pork chops and got 2 very large pork chops plus sides as a meal. I ordered lamb and there were five! lamb chops on the meal, plus a pile of chips, salad and veg, so massive, massive portions.

It did feel a bit mean to not order a full portion of food per person, but the amount of waste was obscene until we started just ordering what we could actually eat.

[KinkyAfro]

I did this today. Ordered a burger and chips, it was massive so I didn't even touch the chips. Asked waiter to wrap up the chips and brought them back to the office for the lads

[Fatmanbuttsam]

I just take my wife with me when I go out....she can eat hers and then finish mine off and still is as skinny as a rake But if she's not with me I ask for a take home box as I hate waste and one of us will eat it the next day

[RebelandaStunner]

I have a small appetite and don't eat big portions especially in the evening. We love going out to eat but ridiculously large portions make me feel uncomfortable if I try to eat it and uncomfortable if I leave it. I don't bother with doggy bags- it just doesn't taste the same at home!
I wish more places did smaller portions. We often share or have tapas or several starters.

[myoriginal3]

I always wondered why there isn't a female sized meal. Realistically I'm not going to eat as much as dh. Him being twice the size of me.
So I eat half my meal and he eats his and my leftover half.

[Tiptoethr0ughthetulips]

I always get end up bringing home half of my meal at our local Indian, the portions are huge and it's lovely for breakfast. I usually bring home most of the meat from a Sunday lunch too and give it to my dogs.

[MsGameandWatch]

Yes, in the US, they are surprised if you don't take it. Should be the same here.

[80sWaistcoat]

I love leftovers. Will quite happily slice up a brought home half a steak to use in a stirfry the next day.

I find it quite weird when people don't take home stuff - you've paid for it - why not. Though I have on occasion gone on to the pub and not remembered a foil parcel in my handbag till I see the cat sniffing it hopefully.

In the states last year we pretty much always ordered a main course to share as their portions seem designed for you to take some home with you.

[Sparklingbrook]

No I never do. I just don't want to see it again once I have had enough and have half eaten it. Plus it wouldn't be the same reheated after a night in the fridge. Don't mind if others want to though, each to their own.

Maybe Pizza would be an exception. That seems to survive ok.

[CherryChasingDotMuncher]

Yes and I'm finding more and more places offer doggy bags these days

[AngryGinger]

I always get a doggy bag at the Indian, most other meals I finish or don't fancy the next day. I don't see anything wrong with it, it's a waste of food to throw it in the bin. And a waste of money.

[Kel1234]

I personally never have and never will. Just don't like how I feel it would look, but each to their own

[GeillisTheWitch]

I did last weekend for DD, we went out for lunch at a place that was doing kids eat free with an adult meal and the portion was huge so she got half of it reheated for her tea too. Seemed a real waste just to see it scraped in the bin.