Taking food from a hotel breakfast buffet- cheeky??

Slightly different but I’ve been in a hotel executive lounge during their evening free hours (you can have a glass of wine or two and a few snacks for nothing). The last time I was in there a guy just picked up a full bottle of wine, popped it in his suit pocket and walked out of the door!

I'd take a croissant or muffin or maybe a banana for DS

No a piece of fruit or a pastry is not acceptable and just as embarrassing.

I have seen people take food / make sandwiches for later and recently did it for myself.
In fairness two pieces of bread and an apple etc doesn't seem to be taking the mick too much. Maybe if someone took a whole loaf of bread / the whole fruit bowl it might be different.
I am more of a grazer so never eat much at meals , so didn't really take anything extra.
Definitely agree that people piling there plates and then leaving it seems much worse.

Very cringey and cheap

What if you find yourself full but have food left on your plate? Surely taking it and not wasting it is preferable?

The principle of taking anything is embarrassing what it is doesn’t matter.

I think that culturally it's more accepted in Scandinavia - in fact, I think I've once seen paper bags laid out so people can take things away with them. I've only ever filched a banana or (very occasionally a miniature jam). I'd say outside places where it's accepted/encouraged/facilitated hotels would be ok for very small kids (who might needs snacks, esp in remote places that might not have easy to access cafes...)

The buffet is for that meal, not a grocery store for the day's provisions. Taking more than you can eat during that meal is stealing.

It's embarrassing to be honest. A piece of fruit or a pastry is acceptable, but to take the equivalent of another meal is just poor form.

By taking additional food out of the hotel? Instead of going to a shop and buying them some lunch?

Sounds like stealing to me...

I do this as a pilot as you can end up in places with no food and be on the go for 12+ hours at a time. Every other pilot I have toured with does this. The French even ask the waiting staff for cling film 🙄

I have a friend who always has a plastic box upon her person to 'liberate' leftovers. Be that a meal out, a party, a buffet.

I over catered for a party a couple of years ago. I caught her throwing all sorts into one of her (several) boxes. I offered her some more boxes if she couldn't fit in enough.That was funny! She blushed and refused, but a guy said he'd take a few bottles of wine...I pointed them both to the door. Her with her tupperware and him empty handed.

They'd arrived empty handed btw!

Unacceptable to take anything out. It’s included/paid for breakfast not food for later.

It's not the hotel's fault you can't be arsed to go and get fruit or because you don't want a full meal at lunch.

It’s naff

I wouldn't in the UK as it's not the done thing and would feel really cheeky.

We are currently staying in a hotel in Austria and making a packed lunch (including sandwiches) at breakfast is actively encouraged! They even provide paper bags and napkins. I brought my insulated lunch bag so we could put stuff in there.
It's been brilliant for the whole holiday- especially when out on the mountains and everyone does it. Very different to back home.

It wasn’t.
It was my problem to solve and I believe I solved it.

At a hotel breakfast I will take some fruit for lunch, because it is hard to get healthy food out and about or at the beach, unless you are passing a supermarket or greengrocer. I do not want a sit down lunch at a restaurant because I do that in the evening. It’s not a question of money. Plus yes, it is paid for by me and accounted for by the hotel.

It’s the same whatever you take.

Personally, I have no issue making myself a breakfast sandwich, eating half and taking half for later. I’ve touched the food so I would take it better than wasting it.

Why was that the hotels problem to solve?

I wouldn’t and don’t take anything. I just eat what’s on offer and what I fancy at the time and then organise food when it’s the next mealtime wherever I happen to be.

Loads of people take extras though and I feel like it’s scummy behaviour so I just don’t.

When we were in holiday in Norway, pretty much everyone was doing this at breakfast! We'd never done it before, but thought 'if you can't beat them, join them' and took a cheese/ham roll with us every day. But then we don't eat massive breakfasts and were probably eating less food in total than most people.

Last year I was on the ferry to France in the Dog Lounge. They have complimentary tea/coffee and soft drinks in the fridge (as you pay a bit extra to use the dog lounge and non-pet owners aren't allowed in). A family came in and completely emptied the fridge of all the soft drinks and took them away for later. No shame at all.

Nah I wouldn't take loads. Maybe a pastry and a piece of fruit for my son. Definitely wouldn't make up sandwiches.