Leaving a restaurant with leftovers or a TO GO box, is this considered cheap?

I have never worked in a restaurant, but I usually take my left overs home with me. It is because we cannot afford to eat out that much as it is expensive, so when we do go out I do not want to waste my money and not have my left overs go with me... it is a waste of money and good food that can still be enjoyed later on. Here in my country we call the "to go box" a doggy bag or in our other language, afrikaans it is a woofiekadoesie. I do not feel it an embarrassment to take a doggy bag with you when you leave if you cannot or have not been able to finish your meal.

Me, i don't think it is being cheap, why will it look like cheap if you are paying for that food. It is only show that you wanted to satisfy yourself with that food, or you don't have enought time to finish what was had served on your table, it doesn't mean being cheap.

Well I guess this could be a cultural thing, and you will get different answers from different parts of the world - I don't know. But for me, here in the UK, it just isn't something that we do at all. If someone went to a restaurant and then asked for a "doggy bag" which is what we call it, then it would be considered very cheap, and very greedy! Maybe in some places it would be seen differently though!

If it were me, I'd rather have the customer take it home, because it's less food waste to take care of. Besides, they paid for the food, they might as well take it and eat it. Actually I would be more likely to worry about whether perhaps the customer wasn't satisfied with their meal if a person left a lot of food on their plate and didn't want a box for it. Perhaps that would mean they thought the food wasn't good?

Look they paid for the whole meal, not part of it. Are you going to eat the leftovers? The waitresses are glad to pack up the food for you. They know that many times, especially with weight problems, not everyone can finish the dinner. Even with dinners designed for over fifty, there may be too much and these are often limited selections. They even have containers to put the food in. If they were resentful, they would start complaining and there would just grab the leftovers without asking.

I don't think it's considered cheap. Sometimes customers are not familiar with the size of portions served at restaurants. So if they ordered too much and can't finish, it's always good to ask that they are packed in a To Go box. That will cut down on wastage (too much food is wasted these days and there are so many people who are starving!). Also it's not considered cheap cos the customer has already paid for the food and has every right to take the remainder home. Also it doesn't look better when someone leaves a lot of food behind. It looks wasteful and I'd have a bad impression of a family that left with a lot of food leftover.

What kind of a person would call that cheap? To leave food behind is wasteful!! Besides, if I pay for something, I'm going to take it. There are starving children in the world who would appreciate food, and would cry if they knew it went to waste. If I can't finish my plate in a restaurant, I'm going to take the food with me so it is not wasted.

I am from England so agree with the answer from the UK person. It would be considered very strange if a person asked for a doggy bag to take their left overs home. They would be all cold and unattractive by then anyway. We have a dog and I sometimes wrap the left over pieces of meat in the serviettes for him but try and hide them from the waitress rather than ask for a doggy bag - which would actually be for our doggy. How strange that most replies thought it was the best thing to do. Perhaps I should start a trend here but think my children would cringe in shame!!!

Absolutly not, you paid for it they are only going to throw it away anyway. I used to be a waitress and I say take it!!! I usually take them home because even if I dont eat them my dog will, better than letting it go to waste. : )