Restaurant leftovers spark debate about food, boxes and to-go etiquette
2024-12-30
Category: lifestyle

Restaurant portions can be enormous today, so it's no surprise that those who dine out may feel stuffed to the gills with half their meal still on the plate.&nbsp; In these scenarios, servers often appear with a "box" or "doggy bag" ready to properly house the leftovers for customers' convenience.&nbsp; But while taking leftovers from a restaurant is common in the United States, it is less so in other countries. And there are some places, such as buffets, where to-go boxes are not a thing.&nbsp; PILE OF 'GARBAGE' FOODS WITH DEBATABLE TOPPINGS IS A DELICACY IN THIS US CITY Two restaurant industry professionals shared their views on when it is OK — and when it's not — to ask for a to-go box after a meal. Here are three issues that are sparking debate. 1. Is extra bread fair game?  At some restaurant chains – think Cheesecake Factory, Texas Road House and Red Lobster – the complimentary bread served before the meal is as much of a draw as the entrées themselves.  But is it ever OK to take leftover bread home after a meal?&nbsp; At least one restaurant industry professional said it's just fine.&nbsp; "It doesn't bother me," Ohio-based Brad Friedlander told Fox News Digital.&nbsp; 45-PIECE BREAKFAST HELPS PUT GREASY SPOON IN FOOD WINNER'S CIRCLE "The fact that [customers] want it, that they like it so much they want to take it home – I'm a little bit flattered by that," he added.&nbsp; Bread, Friedlander also said, is "built into" his restaurant's model.&nbsp;  Another person disagreed with that assessment.&nbsp; Kelli Ferrell, an Atlanta-based restaurateur, said that she personally is "not a big bread person" — and that she, as a customer dining out, would not take complimentary bread home from a restaurant. "I get it," she said, noting that the rolls served at Texas Roadhouse are "one of her favorites."&nbsp; MOM CHARGES FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER AND MORE: ‘IT’S JUST SO EXPENSIVE' "I think it's like a little treat," she told Fox News Digital. But she added that for her, taking bread from a restaurant is "a no-go." 2. How many boxes is too many?  Some restaurant patrons wonder if they're being too needy if they ask for separate boxes for separate items, rather than piling everything into one large box.&nbsp;  This is not a big deal, both Ferrell and Friedlander told Fox News Digital. "In my business, I tell my employees I don't want them to say ‘no’ to anything as long as we can possibly do it," Friedlander said.&nbsp; CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Ferrell, whose restaurants focus on breakfast, brunch and lunch, said that she's begun to order smaller boxes to accommodate these requests from customers. "I don't think it's more of an inconvenience," she said. "I think it's more about knowing — about just making the guest experience more comfortable for [people] and making sure they are feeling appreciated."  Plus, with these accommodations, said Ferrell, customers are more likely to actually enjoy their leftovers the next day.&nbsp; 3. What should not be boxed to go? While Ferrell said most items are perfectly fine to be packaged to-go, there's one exception: eggs. "Eggs are always kind of a no-no. I can take everything else but that." "Eggs for me are always kind of a no-no," she said, in terms of being wrapped to go. "I can take everything else but that." Eggs, she said, are best served hot and freshly cooked.  "The moment that you warm up [eggs] in the microwave — it's just not going to be the same," she said. "They're not going to be as soft and fluffy."&nbsp; For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle Friedlander said he would trust the customer's judgment when it comes to boxing things to go.&nbsp; "There are certain things that lend themselves to taking out [after a meal] more than other things," he said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "A simple broiled item [reheats better] than, let's say, a cream pasta of some kind, which would get all sticky if you took it home," he said.&nbsp; Peter Burke of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.&nbsp;