"Taking leftover food on your plate will be consider as a Shoplifting,...

@ibuemma (2953)
United States
August 25, 2009 6:11pm CST
and will be prosecuted" That's the sign that I read in front of one of the local famous buffet restaurant in my area. I never even think to bring home any doggy bag if I eat in buffet ( all you can eat ) restaurant. There must be some people that already done it, so this restaurant feel that they need to post this sign. So, did you ever think to bring home food from buffet restaurant?
2 people like this
18 responses
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
25 Aug 09
I consider that I've paid for the food, so it is mine to take home if I want! Of course, a buffet restaurant is slightly different. There you are expected to only put on your plate what you can eat and taking more than you can possibly eat just so you can take it home would certainly be fraudulent and depriving them of revenue, so they have a valid point. Many restaurants I know will gladly wrap any uneaten food for free if you ask them - but I'm talking about the kind of restaurant where one orders from a menu and receives a set portion, not the all-you-can-eat kind!
1 person likes this
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
25 Aug 09
That's true, but I'm thinking the food already on the plate somehow we can't finish it. I just wonder what they are going to do anyway with that? It's not like we are come back to buffet table, take the fresh food and bring it home...LOL
• United States
26 Aug 09
the problem is though, that if a buffet resturaunt were to allow this, there are many people out there who WOULD do exactly that....eat their fill, then go top off another heaping plate knowing they are in no way going to eat any let alone all of it, just to have it wrapped up and taken home. It is sad, especially if you are just wanting to take home half an egg roll that you just coudoln't force yourself to finish when you thuoght you could, but in order for a buffet to allow their food to fo for these prices, they have to set rules.
• United States
26 Aug 09
I have taken home doggy bags from regular restaurants, but never from an all you can eat buffet. I guess the point of a doggy bag is to take all the food you have paid for home with you to make the most of it and probably go back to that restaurant or tell your friends about them. However a buffet you are paying for what you can eat right then, not later. Although I think that if you put food on a plate and were unable to finish that, then you could be able to take home those items simply because it would just be thrown away instead.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
27 Aug 09
I thought that, but probably the restaurant think they should just "treat" the customer all the same with one standard, so there are no confussion. Bottom line, "No taking food outside the premises"
• United States
26 Aug 09
Unless they use the leftover food to feed their pets or the animals at a local shelter. But even so, I don't see why they would make such a big deal since most people don't think to take home that food.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
25 Aug 09
so instead you are supposed to just waste it? seriously! i was at an all you can eat chinese buffet on the weekend and my mom gave me some desserts that she was too full to eat and i had taken a couple of cookies and thought about bringing them home in a napkin. (but i didn't). what are they thinking? people are paying good money for the food anyways, so what if a little extra is gone?
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
25 Aug 09
that's what we are thinking too when we see the sign, and we can kind of argue between ourselves. The sign says the leftover food on our plate, what if that like a little pice of chicken that I already bite. they can't put the food back on buffet table.
• United States
26 Aug 09
well..any food taken from the buffet table cannot be put back, whether you eat from it or not, but that is besides the point. If people knew or thought they could take things home with them, it would be easier to go up for that last trip, thinking you could eat another whole plate, but knowing if you didn't it would go home with you and not got to waste. Now, knowing that any food you put on your plate that you don't eat just goes int he garbage, doesn't that make you think a little more about your serving sizes? thus wasting less food? And those little bits add up for a resturaunt. When you figure in what thy thow out because if has been sitting on the buffet too long, what people leave on their plates that gets thrown out...they are already losing money there...if they were to let people take stuff home as well...well i don't think there would be any all you can eat buffets still left open!
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
26 Aug 09
I always took leftovers home in a doggie bag when I eat in a regular restaurant. However in a buffet all-you-can-eat restaurant I would never think of doing so. I actually saw one person eats three or four plates full of crab legs but I do not even think they had anything left over. Whether or not it is a few cookies wrapped in a napkin or a shopping cart full of food I do agree with the restaurant, although I have seen a few people that can actually pack away a lot of food in one sitting, so I sometimes wonder how they make money. I know one person that had a radio show but he could see nothing wrong with eating food at the grocery store, grazing on grapes or bulk food items right out of the bin.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
27 Aug 09
Maybe they already calculate on how much actually people can eat in on sitting. THey put the sign maybe the calculation missed, because people sneaking out food more than it supposed to be.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
26 Aug 09
No not at all. With the amount of food that you can eat why would you have to bring any food home anyway. It doesn't make sense. You know if people were allowed to they would be taking a plate of food home for the next day.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
hahaha, they take home enough for a week..LOL
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
26 Aug 09
Yes you're probably right!
• Philippines
26 Aug 09
Haven't done that all this years! First of all, that was a buffet eat-all-you-can. It doesn't say anything about bring-home-all-you-can. But i suggest that they keep the sign inside their restaurant cause it's not pleasing to the eyes of the customer. If i were a customer, i won't even bother eating in that boastful-type of resto.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
Well, the sign is not big enough for you to read from far. At least you have to walk up to their door, and Bam there it is. But, their food has a lot of variety and taste better than other buffet resto.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
27 Aug 09
Maybe they got scared that someone will use their recipes. I think they have a good reason for it. Take Care!
• India
26 Aug 09
no, I would never bring back uneaten food from the buffet. As it is I find buffets are great value for money and you can really try out a large number of options if you eat in small quantities. You know like you have gone to a restaurant and you want to try out multiple dishes but cant coz of the cost and also coz you cant eat all…but the buffet gives you that liberty so it would be sort of taking advantage of the situation if I just load my plate with all the stuff and bring them back home! Yes, some people must have tried the trick and hence the management was forced to put up that sign.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
That's why I like buffet, giving me chance just to try other dishes. And I can just get small portion instead I have to buy one certain portion that big chance I won't finish it.
@dreamr802 (985)
• United States
26 Aug 09
I have never brought home food from a buffet place...I don't think that is right because you can take as much as you want and buffets are usually cheaper...but at any restaurant I definitely bring my food home because I can never seem to be able to finish a meal...
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
Usually I already feel "stuffed" by the time I finish my meal in buffet restaurant, and never think to bring home any of the food. And I guess not everybody think the same way, that's why the restaurant feel the need to post that sign.
• United States
26 Aug 09
My grandmother would wrap cookies in napkins and put them in her purse whenever we are at the buffet. I tell her not to but I couldn't get her to listen. I guess people do try to sneak out food but I think it's a little rude to post a sign like that for the costumers. Not a lot of people steal food and a sign isn't going to stop those who do.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
This restaurant so huge, but I look around and I did found some surveilance camera here and there. So I guess they really take their sign seriously.
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
26 Aug 09
Oh no I don't. Buffets have strict rules about eat all you can. You have to finish the meal, no leftovers and no sharing of food too. Even the drinks we order we have to finish it bottoms up. But getting prosecuted would be a very hard punishment. Here in the Philippines, the customers have to pay the plate for two if they have leftovers. It would be embarrassing to bring home leftovers from a buffet/eat all you can restaurant. But in regular meals, yes, I do sometimes if there's still a lot of leftovers, I do take them home. I paid for it, so why not. Ciao!
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
basically why bother??? I don't want to go through so much trouble to"pack and hide" the food and get caught, has criminal record for buffet food??? Not worthy at all.
@seanbryan (349)
• United Arab Emirates
26 Aug 09
Hi there! For all I know, buffet is only for "eat all you can", i can't imagine somebody bringing out of the restaurant leftover food from the plate, if this is permitted then everybody must have done the same. The restaurant then has the right to post this kind of a sign. Good day!
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
I think that's the common concept, that you can take as much as you want as long you can eat those on the spot. It's just this the first time I saw a buffet restaurant with the warning not to STEAL food. LOL...hahaha. So, not everybody have this common concept.
• United States
26 Aug 09
I think what would get me, would be if there was kid's with you and they didn't eat everything on the plate. Why pay maybe $9.95 for 3 bites of food. If it's from a kid's plate I think they should allow people to take it home.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
Usually kids has different price than the adult. Some buffet places in my area average charged less than $5.00 for kids under 10 years old. Which pretty good, because that price including those deserts ( Ice cream, cake).
• United States
26 Aug 09
I never thought that I could bring home food from a buffet. Its all you can eat but I believe its all you can eat while you are there. I think its a good idea they posted a sign because some people may try to be greedy and take food home with them.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
I thought so too, they try to prevent people to take too much.
• United States
26 Aug 09
I know EXACTLY why the sign is there. I have an Aunt who I regrettable accompanied to a buffet one Sunday. After stuffing herself, she then proceeded to put chicken steak and any other meats she could find in her bag. I tried not to notice but had to ask, WTF?! She said it was dinner. Yes, the sign is warranted and I can proove that there are people that take advantage of "all you can eat" joints. I myself tend to take a few cookies with me as I walk out. I wonder if that would be considered stealing. I've also walked out while eating my ice cream cone.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
"WTF" hahahaha...didn't your heart racing while she's doing that? Well, i think we can get away little bit with ice cream cone on our hand. LOL
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
25 Oct 09
Normally when you get the buffet you don't take any home...at least I've never known anyone who has. Now if you order a dinner and can't finish it, you can take that home with no problem...I've done that before and the restaurants are fine with it. Like you said, someone must have tried taking some home from the buffet line. [b]!!Happy Halloween!! ~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
26 Aug 09
Personally, I wouldn't take anything home from any restaurant, as I'd be concerned whether it would be safe to reheat. You have no way of knowing how many times your food has been reheated, after all. While I can understand the restaurant may feel frustrated that people take food home with them, I don't see how it can be classed as shoplifting - obtaining goods and services by misrepresentation is nearer the mark, but not so catchy on a notice. Then again, that's just me being picky.
• Philippines
26 Aug 09
Maybe they've had previous experiences where customers still piled food (to take home, probably) on their plates given all indications that they've already finished their meal. I can only presume that this caused an undue loss on their part which required putting that sign-up. But I must admit, this is a bit far-fetched; it should have been good marketing for a restaurant for their customers to do so. Or is this a function of culture perhaps? Where was this restaurant located and to what demographic do they usually cater to?
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
26 Aug 09
Located in Pennsylvania state, but it really famous so a lot of people outside the state will go to this restaurant when they visit Pennsylvania. The restaurant is Huge, probably can seated about 500 people.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
25 Aug 09
I think that this restaurant has a valid point. We don't get to visit all you can eat restaurants too much any more because there really aren't any around here that have a really good quality. That said, when we do visit an all you can eat restaurant I know that I've paid for all of the food that I care to eat in one sitting. I typically fix several small plates because that way I'm not wasting food. Because of the fact that all you can eat is considered to be for that one sitting, I really think that the restaurant has a good point and is well within their appropriate rules by stating this.
@ibuemma (2953)
• United States
25 Aug 09
you might be right too. If everybody allow to bring their leftover, how they going to control "how much" is the left over that being paid.