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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

taking food home

35 replies

FunInTheSunD · 07/08/2013 18:22

I went out and had an indian meal with some friends last night. We ordered far to much and had loads left over so I asked if anyone wanted to take it home with them... they declined... I asked the waiter if he would mind if I took it home and he gave me a take away box... my friends looked at me like I was mad in a bemused manner..
Am I being unreasonable in not wanting to waste food?
does anyone else take home their left overs?
by the way... I had it for brunch and it was bloody lovely Grin

OP posts:
Justforlaughs · 07/08/2013 18:24

YANBU and I know lots of people who do this - however I never, do partly because I hate leftovers and partly because I never leave anything Grin

TheOneWithTheHair · 07/08/2013 18:24

YANBU

You were polite enough to offer them first dibs and you then took home what had been payed for. I do it sometimes too.

Glad you enjoyed it. Grin

ilovesooty · 07/08/2013 18:27

I do it all the time and don't see the problem.

StainlessSteelCat · 07/08/2013 18:28

always took left overs home from curry meals. for some reason they were only sort where we over ordered and had left overs to bag up, but I'd. do it with any food. it's nit because I'm to lazy to cook if I can help, oh no. it's purely in the interests of saving the planet and preventing waste Grin

harrietlichman · 07/08/2013 18:28

YANBU, no problem with it.

Original poster
FunInTheSunD · 07/08/2013 18:29

thank you... these were new friends and I thought I'd shown myself up... Smile

OP posts:
YoungBritishPissArtist · 07/08/2013 18:33

This seems more socially acceptable in the US. I wish it would catch on here, you'd think with the economy it would!

quesadilla · 07/08/2013 18:34

YANBU.
I have done this many times in the days when I had enough money to go for meals and I thought everyone did.

Your friends must either be very wealthy or quite po-faced.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 07/08/2013 18:38

If I had been sitting at your table I would probably have thought you were a bit bonkers, but actually its a good idea. I have never experienced anyone doing this though.

BrianButterfield · 07/08/2013 18:43

I think it's fairly normal at the kind of places where they also do takeaways - I've brought pizza home before. Agree that in the US you could eat for a week on what you box up and they totally expect it!

You weren't taking anyone else's food, I assume? Otherwise that might explain the looks!

LilacBreastedRoller · 07/08/2013 18:44

No, we do this and our local curry restaurant always offers it. DH is not British and where he comes from it is absolutely the norm.

SillyBillly · 07/08/2013 18:46

Waste not want not, good on you its paid for so why not have it for brunch. wish I had some love indian food.

thefuturesnotourstosee · 07/08/2013 18:46

YANBU. We do this especially with curry or chinese. Why waste it?

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 07/08/2013 18:49

YANBU but YAK to day old Indian food!

yummymumtobe · 07/08/2013 18:50

I think it's fine. Some people are quite uptight and worried that waiters / other diners are judging them but I think this is an old fashioned view that comes from the days when eating out was a rare treat an everyone on best behaviour.

whois · 07/08/2013 18:53

Not rude or U at all. I think it's a good thing, reduces waste etc.

OhDearNigel · 07/08/2013 18:55

I hate waste and run my meal budget on a very thin shoestring so YADNBU, I would have done exactly the same.

My DFiL died last month and the venue for the wake did a gigantic buffet. MIL and I were over the moon when one of the waitresses came out with large takeaway boxes for us to take the leftovers home :)

muppetthecow · 07/08/2013 18:57

I've done it plenty of times. Our local Italian actually has a sign up to say that they're happy to bag up any leftovers if you want them Grin

If we're going out somewhere for dinner with DS in tow I quite often take freezer bags or a Tupperware box. He's not a big eater so there are almost always leftovers. Most places IME seem happier to see it go home than thrown out?

intheshed · 07/08/2013 19:00

I assume it was just shared food rather than stuff from their actual plates?! In which case YANBU- I often do this, especially with the DC's food, they never finish their food if we go out for dinner, so they get it for lunch the next day. Waste not want not!

Xiaoxiong · 07/08/2013 19:03

One of my relatives in the States actually asks for half their food to be put into a takeaway box immediately, ie. as soon as it arrives at the table - I found that a little strange but they said it was to prevent them overeating when the portions are so huge.

NeoMaxi - leftover curry and naan from the toaster is the food of the gods for a hangover breakfast Grin

cozietoesie · 07/08/2013 19:04

Not at all unreasonable. I've even done it at a posh restaurant. They weren't geared up for takeaways but the chef and the waiters had fun finding some foil and making me up a little parcel.

Smile
CatsWearingTutus · 07/08/2013 19:06

Day old Indian food is even better than fresh as the spices will have had the chance to marry. I wish more people would do this so it could become standard. YANBU.

meganorks · 07/08/2013 19:07

My dp asked for the bone when we had rib of beef for his birthday! Now that was embarrassing! Normal left overs not so much - YANBU.

Whothefuckfarted · 07/08/2013 19:09

YANBU, I call it a 'doggy bag' Grin

nemno · 07/08/2013 19:09

I would not do it if I were with friends or work colleagues, but have got used to doing it when out with extended family who all over order in Indian or Chinese restaurants. We share who wants to take what home then.

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