How much is too much? And, when does it become stealing?

It kind of depends. If I'm sitting down eating, then I just use what I need for that meal. I don't ever take extra packets of anything just to take home, unless I have some kind of leftover that needs something. But if I'm getting take out, then I grab a handful of everything because I never know how much we'll need. For example, my daughter and husband could live on ketchup, I think! I use very little. And my husband uses real sugar in his tea, while I use sweetener. So, my answer would be, if you're sitting, its stealing. If its take out, then take what you think you'll need, not enough to supply the whole neighborhood!

I have heard so many people who boastfully said that they got something from the place, restaurant or hotel. Some will have spoon, fork, priority numbers, napkins, or anything just for fun while others do it because they wanted to. For me, this is not good. I think we should behave properly . I think getting is not good especially we have no permit to do it. If, incase getting too much from what we needed I think it is also not good to do it. I think helping saving, is also like we save for ourselves.

As a people watcher, it's always interesting to me to see how different people react to items not nailed down, or given a specific price. Condiments, Napkins; plastic knives, spoons, forks and (gasp) Sporks. These are pilered openly because people think that if it is "free" they can help themselves to as much as they want. Now, few managers are going to press charges against anyone or taking more than they need for the meal... even when they take so many it requires pockets and purses to carry it all. Some people even justify filling their pockets, reasoning that they were charged for the condiments in the price of the food, so why not take what they've already paid for? So, go ahead, take all you want, let the price of the food keep going up... leading to people taking more... pretty soon we'll see hamburger "value meals" costing $5, 6 or even 7... oh yeah.. Thanks thieves!

I don't usually bring home condiments, unless they are included in the meal. Like maybe 5 sachest of sugar is included when I order tea, then I'll bring them home if there is any left but most of the time I use them all up. ketchup and mustard I never bring them home. I prefer to buy at grocery store for some reason. Since a bottle of ketchup or mustard is around $ 2 to $ 3 and it lasts a long time, I don't think I can call someone thrifty for filling out their pockets with condiments. I think they are awfully running out of money and no job yet, or they do this on purpose at the restaurant's expense.

If it is a sit-down restaurant I don't take anything home with me, but for tae-out I always get something. Napkins, salt, and sauce for my kids chicken nuggets =) I dn't ask for more than I think we will use though, even though we do have extra's, I admit we have a drawer full of ketchup (becasue they throw it in the bag before asking if you want it), extra dipping sauces, salt and pepper. Not because I took more than we needed but because we don't always use what they give us =) I don't think it is really stealing to take a few extra's though =)

I have to admit to not being one to take things from restaurants as it's not particularly crossed my mind to do so. If I get a takeaway they usually stick a few sachets of salt in the bag so I ask for ketchup or barbeque sauce if I know I'm going to use it. Otherwise I would end up taking them home and leaving them on a shelf and having to throw them our after some time as the date would have gone. I don't drink tea or coffee so never use or take these from hotels but I do usually pick up the biscuit packs left with the tea and coffee. I figure I'm not wasting the tea or coffee, but I will eat the biscuits such as last week we went to a theme park and stayed overnight in a hotel. We basically just slept in the hotel and used the shower/toilet and I knew I'd be fancying a mid morning snack with all the walking I would be doing, so I took the small biscuit packs and didn't feel at all guilty about it. I know people take things like towels, pillows, hairdryers, etc. What on earth do people do with so many hairdryers? LOL

That is funny- I can’t imagine taking enough packets so that I don’t have to buy any for home. What a pain that is- ripping them open and using them- I hate it! I do grab some extras and extra napkins as well- for the car- I always need napkins in the car- but I don’t take tons. I would think a couple each time is fine- especially if you got them to use and didn’t use them- It’s not like they can put them back and reuse them- I’ve seen people grabbing a lot of them and taking them- I just chuckle- I know the workers are told only so many per food item ordered – like through drive- thru. Unless they are asked for more.

When we are eating in a restaurant, if they give us individual sauce packets, we do take home what we don't eat. But we don't grab more than we need if it's a place where you help yourself to some. If we are getting it to go, we might end up grabbing a couple more than we need, but only because we overestimate how much we will need. Some days my son wants ketchup on his chicken nuggets, other days he doesn't. That's usually the reason we end up with more than what we need. We don't grab a bunch so we don't have to buy it, though. That's crazy. It just causes food prices to go up, and you don't really save all that much money. Ketchup is much cheaper to buy in a big bottle than in individual packets.

I usually dont take any condiments only what I ask for.Like barbeque sauce for the nuggets or chicken sandwich.If I eat inside I get what I need and go back if I need more.Now if the drive through people put to much condiments in the bag then it is thier fault becuase I have asked them to only give me 6 packets of ketchup and I have ended up with more than that.But people taking and stealing more than they need is probably why food prices go up.

If you eat in at a restaurant or cafe, and you help yourself to the ketchup, chilli, sugar, salt, pepper and napkins, that's fine because the eatery is providing these for your enjoyment to accompany your meal. But if you take more, put them in your pocket or handbag and bring them home, then I feel that's a bad practice. I don't want to call it 'stealing' but that's a practice that should not be encouraged. If you do a takeaway, and you ask for extra sauces or napkins, and the eatery gives it to you, that's ok because you had their permission. But for eat-in, all these condiments and napkins should be consumed within the restaurant, and not outside.

Hello beautyqueen26, I seldom bring the free condiments with me. Unless I have some leftovers, I will ask the waiter to pack the food for me and I will bring those freebies too but it is not till you can fill up the whole plastic bag! One or two will do for me *laughs* Reading your discussion made me remember a situation. I was having a meal at a fast food restaurant. A lady, who just paid for her take away food, stood near a table, next to me. She was searching for something. Out of sudden, without feeling guilty she took two bottle of chilli sauce on the table into her plastic bag and just walked away. Few of us, who sat nearby saw her doing that. All of us staring at her dumbfounded...