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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That this does not constitute stealing?

349 replies

6079SmithW · 19/08/2021 16:03

We recently enjoyed a self catering holiday. On the way we decided to break up the journey by stopping for breakfast at a well known chain pub/restaurant/hotel.
The menu was very complicated with only certain things being available to hotel guests rather than others.
My partner and I ordered a cooked breakfast, the DC just wanted something simple so I ordered them a bacon sandwich. I enquired about the small boxes of cereal on display as that was what the DC really wanted. I was told it was part of the hotel guests only breakfast and if DC wanted it it would br £6 each (£12). I ordered that too. My bill was over £30!
The hotel guests additional breakfast was basically the small boxes of cereals plus bread/crumpets to toast. The DC ate a box of cereal and one crumpet each.
Feeling aggrieved that I had spent over £30 on breakfast, and mindful that we were going on a self catering break, I decided to get my monies worth by taking with us a few additional individual portions of jam and Nutella (about 10-12) total. My partner accused me of stealing! WIBU?

OP posts:
Wannakisstheteacher · 19/08/2021 16:17

3/4 ok. 12 is really taking the piss.

KonTikki · 19/08/2021 16:18

Would the owner of said items have knowingly given them to you if asked ?
No
Then you stole them - simples !

grapewine · 19/08/2021 16:19

You took something without paying for it. It's literally the definition of stealing.

SilverTimpani · 19/08/2021 16:20

Who could honestly get vexed over this! Don’t worry about it.

anon12345678901 · 19/08/2021 16:21

Of course it's stealing. You didn't pay for them.

Chikapu · 19/08/2021 16:22

10-12 is excessive. Right to jail OP.

FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 19/08/2021 16:24

If there's no limit on how much Nutella and jam you can have with a breakfast, and you paid for two breakfasts, it isn't stealing.

You're bonkers to pay £12 for two variety pack cereal boxes though. I would've said no to the kids!

Sprogonthetyne · 19/08/2021 16:25

So you ordered your children two breakfasts each (bacon sandwich then cereal & crumpets) that's probably why it was so expensive, and isn't the hotels fault, so I don't think you can really claim you were reacting to their pricing. I'd say taking 1 or 2 would be fair game, if you haven't used much, but 12 is taking the piss.

PlanDeRaccordement · 19/08/2021 16:26

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

If there's no limit on how much Nutella and jam you can have with a breakfast, and you paid for two breakfasts, it isn't stealing.

You're bonkers to pay £12 for two variety pack cereal boxes though. I would've said no to the kids!

That’s not how unlimited buffets work. You’re supposed to only take toppings for what you actually eat in the restaurant. You can’t start loading up on extras to take home with you. It’s stealing to do so.
YukoandHiro · 19/08/2021 16:26

It's not stealing as such but it's dishonest and morally dubious.

JesusIsAnyNameFree · 19/08/2021 16:26

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

If there's no limit on how much Nutella and jam you can have with a breakfast, and you paid for two breakfasts, it isn't stealing.

You're bonkers to pay £12 for two variety pack cereal boxes though. I would've said no to the kids!

It's not very different to walking into a buffet, eating some and then whipping out the Tupperware and take another portion or two home. "All you can eat" is all you can eat whilst there.
EastWestWhosBest · 19/08/2021 16:28

You actually paid £6 for one of those tiny boxes of cereal?

Hoppinggreen · 19/08/2021 16:28

It’s not a huge deal but if you want to put a label on then yes, it is stealing

AryaStarkWolf · 19/08/2021 16:29

@Chikapu

10-12 is excessive. Right to jail OP.
Grin
itsgettingwierd · 19/08/2021 16:29

You paid for the hotel breakfast of cereals and toasts and crumpets and toppings.

That's what you took.

They bin what's left on trays even if unopened.

So it would probably have served you well to take a few boxes of cereals as well WinkGrin

1forAll74 · 19/08/2021 16:30

I might have done this a few times, and never had a police car follow me later. I am not going to feel guilty, as most eating places rip you off anyway.

FinallyHere · 19/08/2021 16:30

I just can't imaging agreeing to pay those prices for a small box of cereal for DC.

I'd be inclined to tell them it was bacon sandwiches now and if they ate up nicely with no trouble they might get one of the small cereal boxes at some point when we got home.

Those things are left out on display on purpose to tempt people to buy them. I would not ever want my DC to get used to having extras like that.

It is such a bad example to set, they are really never going to be good value for money so would need to be an enormous treat or special occasion. Otherwise, how are DC ever going to understand value for money.

itsgettingwierd · 19/08/2021 16:32

For all those saying she didn't pay for them - she did!

She paid for all you can eat cereal/toast etc.

SirGawain · 19/08/2021 16:33

@DeflatedGinDrinker

If you would have picked them up for the kids breakfast and had them on your table but not used them, they would have been binned. So you may as well have them.
So by your logic, I could damage some stock in TESCO and then take it home; because they would have to bin it anyway. Of course it’s stealing.
PlanDeRaccordement · 19/08/2021 16:34

@itsgettingwierd

For all those saying she didn't pay for them - she did!

She paid for all you can eat cereal/toast etc.

All you can eat doesn’t mean all you can stuff in your handbag....
GreenTortoise · 19/08/2021 16:35

What would you've done then if you didn't stop there for breakfast and took a few extras for your trip you were already on your way too even though you knew it was self catering?

igelkott2021 · 19/08/2021 16:38

@Hemingwaycat

Nah, I’d say they were the thieves charging you £6 for a tiny box of Kellogg’s cereal.
Agreed!
Bitofachinwag · 19/08/2021 16:38

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

If there's no limit on how much Nutella and jam you can have with a breakfast, and you paid for two breakfasts, it isn't stealing.

You're bonkers to pay £12 for two variety pack cereal boxes though. I would've said no to the kids!

Really? So would 20 packets have been ok? 5 croissants each for later?

Of course you can't just help yourself to lots of things from the buffet to take away. That's not what it's for. Eating somewhere cheaper would have been a good idea.

JackieCollinshasnoauthority · 19/08/2021 16:38

What are you in for?
Murder. You?
Stole 12 jams from a Premier Inn. Got 2 years in the slammer.

memberofthewedding · 19/08/2021 16:39

Re the hospitality lady who stated that hotels allowed for this. If the hotel has a buffet I often quite openly take a couple of rolls, jam, butter etc for later. Last time I was in an Italian hotel the waitress brought me a bag for them. If the buffet is included in the price of the room then per se you have already paid for it.

Some years ago I was on a group course at a residential college and the university paid for a buffet style lunch for us. Some of us took fruit, cheese and so on for the journey back. The waitress got a bit snippy with one girl she saw doing this. I was pretty quick to remind her that our employer had paid for the meal on our behalf and we were free to eat as much or as little as we wished. On the way out I complained to the manager who asked if we would like bags for what we had taken. No doubt the waitress intended to help herself to what was left as part of her perks!

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