Etiquette advice

I suspect you misread the family's reaction - even in very upmarket restaurants they are now regularly offering to package up left overs (or don't mind if you ask them to do so).

I wouldn't bother have left over boxed up for takeaway (because I can't be arsed rather than etiquette); however Sushi is the exception. There is no way I would leave decent sushi on the table!!!!!!!!!!!!
So of course you are not being rude

I would enjoy your sushi, and stop worrying what other people think of you.

If they used a regular takeaway container then you’ll now it was a reasonable request that they’re happy to accommodate. If they had to stuff it into any old wrapper they could find in the kitchen I’d say it’s probably not the norm

Were you at Sushimania? They have an all you can eat menu and a normal menu. You cannot take away leftovers if you eat from the all can you eat. That might be what they exclaimed over

I'm not sure I'd take sushi home as I'd be worried about it keeping safely until the next day, but nor would I judge anyone if they did. Maybe they were hoping you'd leave it all so they could swoop in and eat the leftovers??

That is true! I remember being in America probably 1997 in my 20's in a nice restaurant and the table near us doing it and we were agog and thought it was "common" . And obviously common is the worse thing you can be accused of if you have been brought up by working class parents with a bit of a chip on your shoulder! You need to feel very awkward in a restaurant and not like you have paid for service!

See also eating in the street, women smoking in the street (men ok for some reason), your dress being longer than your coat , men wearing a hat indoors , women ordering at the bar, sitting at the front of the house, and saying thank you to the bus driver (got really bollocked for that one).

The food thing is probably something about cost isn't it - fear of showing people that you are poor and need to use leftovers, bit like when people won't accept handme downs as they think it's a reflection of them being unable to afford new stuff.

Blimey, I've even had 1 piece of pizza put in a box to take home! More fool them if they're wasting money by chucking away leftovers

I don't know about you OP, but any 'etiquette' that requires the unnecessary waste of food is irresponsible, outdated and should be ignored by anyone with an ounce of sense. In this day and age, anyone tutting about people acting responsibly to avoid food waste is a fool. However much money they have.

I wouldn't give it any more headspace. You were paying for the food so it was yours to take away if you wished provided that the restaurant could produce a suitable container and/or wrapping.

It isn't rude to want to take home stuff you have bought. To be honest, I am surprised anyone even noticed, let alone commented.

It's not rude. It's a compliment to the chef. You didn't reject their food, or waste it. You appreciated and valued it enough to take it home with you. It is good to be thrifty and better for the planet than food waste, also.

I think there is a weird hang up in British culture about taking away leftovers in a restaurant. In other places in the world, it's a non-issue. I'm very middle class and I'd absolutely do it as I hate waste. Dh is slightly embarrassed by me, but again, not because he's middle class, but simply because he was raised in a family where one should never draw attention to themselves. So he would stuff himself to the point of feeling ill rather than leave food uneaten and ask to take it home with him because it would make him feel like he was making a scene or being attention seeking and he has weird hang ups about being anything other than a bland backdrop in any social situation. I don't have weird hang ups so I ask for the doggy bag!

I'm wondering if they didn't realise they could and it was a happy revelation. It's really ok to ask in any restaurant, and politely accept the no if they can't provide a container. I have been asking for a (literal) doggy bag all my life for ddog though I admit leftovers from a Japanese restaurant isn't something I've experienced as it's expensive and smaller portions

That family sounds jealous nouveau riche, rather than old money

I was in a super smart michelin style restaurant recently and the staff offered to make up a doggy bag for us. Its just not a big deal at all and class doesnt come into it.

YABU to be upset by the judgement - just ignore! That said i do appreciate its very annoying to face that at the end of a lovely meal/occasion.

It’s completely their issue. Not yours at all OP. You did nothing wrong.

Well said. I'm so sick of these kind of replies.

Honestly OP you did nothing wrong. I am rather posh (titled) and I wouldn’t think twice about asking for a doggy bag. It’s absolutely not a breach of etiquette.

I have been to Japan but didn’t really notice if it was or wasn’t a done thing there.

Maybe the other family don’t eat out very often, it’s increasingly expensive. They might not know that one can ask to take food home.

Don’t give it another thought.

YABU to let it bother you in any way at all, and for making up in your head what people were thinking about you.

When our DC were small we made sure that they didn't over-order on food. I'm not above a doggy-bag, but i wanted them to learn how to behave and how to order. Sushi is deceptively filling, and expensive. There is no way i wouldn't have the things i can't eat packed up.

Not rude at all. I worked in loads of bars and restaurants when I was younger and we were always more than happy to wrap leftovers for people to take home. It didn’t happen often but I was always quite pleased when people asked, provided it was something that could survive being wrapped in foil. Nice to know that food isn’t being wasted and that the customer is getting value for money.

We also used to provide a cork/top for a wine bottle if people hadn’t finished a bottle of wine and wanted to take it home for later.

You know who was rude though don't you - it was them!

Traditionally it hasn't been the done thing on this side of the Atlantic to bring leftovers home (in any cuisine) but always has been in the US. I think with larger portions, tighter budgets and more awareness of food waste it will become more popular here and that's only a good thing.

Perhaps your gaspers weren't well travelled.

LOLing at the gasp. Who can be bothered getting that worked up about something like that? (The family, not you OP)