Am I a CF to go to the takeaway and ask for a discount?

[Clape]

So I’m trying to lose weight. Have done quite well, 23 pounds down. One of my most favourite meals is chicken marinated in tandoori spices cooked on the bbq with a lovely salad. I am OBSESSED with eating this salad with a sauce that comes from our local Lebanese takeaway. It cost £4 for a tiny little pot. Would I be really cheeky to go into the shop and ask if they can do be a much larger container for a fair amount. It’s a tomato based sauce so not expensive to produce. To get the amount I would need we’re talking it costing maybe three figures. I’m not joking. That’s how small the pots are. I don’t think there’s any harm in asking?

Obviously I don’t want to be rude or offensive either. If it wasn’t SO expensive of course the idea of haggling would not even enter my mind and I would just pay the going rate

No harm in asking how much it would be for say 1kg. But haggling would be embarrassing

I dont think there's any harm in asking if they would do a larger size portion. But its likely they might refuse because salad is more time consuming to prepare I would think.

A cash and carry may have the sauce. If not, perhaps try not to be obsessed with a particular food? And if you do buy a big tub it may go off before you use it, and what will you do when (assuming it stays fresh) you run out again?

Can you tell us what the sauce is so that we can help you find a recipe? Or a ready made sauce from an ethnic wholesaler etc

Toum. It is a creamy, pungent garlic emulsion (similar to a very potent, egg-free mayonnaise) made from just fresh garlic, neutral oil, lemon juice, and salt.

• Tahini Sauce (Tarator): A creamy sauce made from tahini (sesame paste), water, lemon juice, and crushed garlic. It is often served with falafel, fried fish, and vegetables.
• Fattoush Dressing: A zesty vinaigrette popular for the traditional Lebanese fattoush salad. Its key ingredients are olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, dried mint, and often pomegranate molasses.
• Muhammara: A dip made from roasted red bell peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses, which pairs well with various dishes and bread.
• Shatta Sauce: A spicy chili sauce that adds heat to grilled meats and wraps.

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You could ask if they would consider selling a certain weight of sauce and ask how much it would be. They are not obliged to quote nor are you obliged to buy at the price offered. The only time a take away has given me a discount was when I was pre ordering a couple of weeks in advance a take away for 30 people. That was a decade ago though when margins were not quite so tight.

I would get one of these chicken and salad takeaways each month as a treat. And ask each time if you can please have some extra sauce.

I think most takeaways would give people extra sauce if requested while they are ordering a takeaway and that one sounds quite healthy.

I thought the OP was making her own chicken and salad and just getting the sauce from the takeaway?

Don't ask for a discount. Ask them if there is any way they would sell you a container of their sauce and if so, what would it cost.

Then if they will and they give you a price, you decide whether thats a price you can pay.

OP, I did something similar at my local Lebanese restaurant, asking for the price of a tub of their Toum - as opposed to the tiny tubs that come with the shawarma.

Not an issue at all and they happily obliged at a very reasonable price.

Go in personally, express how much you love it and ask if you can buy a larger portion/tub of it. Don't mention discount, just ask about the possibility and the cost.

Quite often a larger tub isn't proportionally more expensive than an individual portion anyway, eg family size with 4 times as much costs 1.5 to 2 x more.

You could be really CF and say you have allergies and need to see list of ingredients in the sauce 😂 then make it yourself.

Ask them!! I’ve just been on diet and I have to say…A bit of burger relish on a lettuce with some pickle makes me feel like I’m getting Maccy D!!

Of course you can ask. They might say no. It's not like they're going to be offended that you really like their sauce.

Salad dressing is like syrup? Utter rubbish. The OP isn't asking for diet advice, either.

Salad dressing isnt all sugary, its a bit of a stretch to say that you are eating syrup when you have any salad dressing. Even if there is sugar in it, the amount you have on a salad is usually a tablespoon or so. Assuming that there are other ingredients in the dressing then there may be half a teaspoon of sugar in a portion. Comparing salad dressing to syrup is bordering on disordered eating.

My local Italian does the best olives. I always ask if I can get a portion to take away. they charge me the same but give me x3 as many 😋

I’m just here for the sauce suggestions.

Just ask them: "I'd love a large pot of this, where do you get it, or can I buy a big tub from you? How much is it?"

It's not going to be small tub x 100 price, it's going to be £30 or something.

Depends on what you mean by fair.

I would ask but don't expect it for cheap. As pp said, it's not just the cost of ingredients you're paying for.

Yes, I'm guessing they make it. A nearby fish and chips take away is Lebanese and their tartare sauce is made in store.

Take a tupperware type pot in and ask the price of them filling it with sauce.

They call it “house sauce”. I asked what is in it and they said it was tomato and onions. It reminds me of spicy salsa tbh. Not sweet or creamy at all. I just use a drizzle and it’s gorgeous. It’s very pungent and spicy so a little goes a long way. No way could it undermine my weight loss efforts.

Almost the texture of chimichurri ie chunky. They make it in house.

Its perfectly normal to ask "How much would you charge me for....". Phrasing it this way makes it clear you're asking for a discount. If they come back with the same price, it makes it perfectly clear they won't offer you one. All very civil every day interaction between customer and business.

If it's just tomato and onions, it depends on whether they blitz it in a blender / food processor or whether use something like a pestle and mortar.

It’s not remotely sweet. Smoky and spicy. I use it very sparingly. Even if it was pure olive oil it would still make the entire meal less than 600 calories. It’s very clearly not purely olive oil though