When you EAT OUT at a RESTAURANT do you PICK UP YOUR TRASH and throw it away??
@texasclassygal (5305)
United States
February 7, 2007 9:19am CST
When you eat out at a restaurant (fast food) do you pick up your trash and food after you are done or do you you just leave it on the table for those that work there to clean up? Myself, I always clean up my mess, although my boyfriend says they pay people to do it, I see no need why I can offer my assistance to clean up my mess, what about you?
17 people like this
48 responses
@cwgrlsarefun (1581)
• United States
7 Feb 07
I am very guilty of doing this when we go out especially to those fast food places. My husband always tells me that I am supposed to be taking a break and that they will get to it but I feel what happens if they get buisy and can not get to it. It does not take a lot of effort from me to pick up so I do it and I make sure that my children also pick up after themselves. I am sorry but these poor people work for so little that it is not a big deal for me to help them out a little.
@_hope_ (3902)
• Australia
7 Feb 07
I`m te same as you it must be a female thing to clean up after ourselves but thankfully in cleaning up each time it has taught my children to do the same for now they actually clear the table when we are finished eating . I think it just shows a bit of respect for others
2 people like this
@mirage108 (3402)
• United States
7 Feb 07
I alway pick up our trash when we eat out at a fast food resturant. I have seen some that have someone walk around and pick it up for you. and they do this even while you are eating.
2 people like this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
7 Feb 07
I always clean up after myself. They do not earn enough money to clean peoples trash. it is very easy to lift your tray and throw it away in the bin.
My bf is the same and I am glad that he is =)
2 people like this
@XxAngelxX (2830)
• Canada
7 Feb 07
I too clean up my mess. I don't feel anyone should have to pick up after me, even if I am at a restaurant. I believe this is why the trash cans are made available to the public, so we can put our garbage where it belongs. And I am raising my children to be the same way. It take two seconds to pick up your garbage and dispose of it.
2 people like this
@CRiley27 (983)
• United States
7 Feb 07
I always do. My husband laughs at me, but finds he does it as well. I can't stand it when ignorant people go out to eat with kids,let them act like animals and leave a complete mess, including garbage on the floor. (Ok, I have been in a bad mood for going on two days now, and my posts have been a little blunt, so in advance, I am sorry) Being pregnant, I am blaming it on hormones. LOL
2 people like this
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
9 Feb 07
here in the philippines, most restaurants' staffs do the cleaning for the customers. after having dinner, we just leave the table and the staffs quickly attend to cleaning up our mess. even in ordinary fastfood chains, it's the same. however, if there are signs like "be responsible for your trash", it obviously means that we are the ones who should clean up the table after using it. but not a lot in here.
i heard from my boyfriend that in sweden, they usually clean up their own tables and not just let the staffs do the cleaning. and he was amazed when he came to the philippines to visit me. amazed with how filipinos do thier jobs efficiently and quickly.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157462)
• United States
8 Feb 07
One particular fast food place even puts its trash bins out of the public view. They want to do it themselves. At all of the others, you bet we do it. They pay people to WASH the tables, not necessarily to clear it.
@defeated (141)
• United States
9 Feb 07
A big THANK YOU GardenGerty - from someone (NO teenager either lol) who works in fast food - and you are right - there is person who's "assigned" to the dining isn't there to pick up after patrons - their job is to keep things stocked (napkins, straws, ketchup etc.), keep tables and floors clean and the trash emptied - NOT as so many seem to think - to clean up after people TOO LAZY to take a few seconds to put their trash in the trash can. Really gets my goat to watch a group of adults (who are the worst) make a mess. I'm not talking about a napkin falling on the floor and not picking it up - I'm talking about knocking over a cup of pop and then sitting there and actually LAUGHING about it. Have actually had customers come up to me while I was sitting in the dining room (while I'm on break) and laugh and say - btw I made a mess and YOU need to go clean it up. More than once I've looked them straight in the eye and told them No, it's NOT my job, I'm on break....why don't you clean it up since you made the mess? Have yet to ever have anyone call the manager and complain LOL
At the fast food place I work, during "carry over" (2-5 PM), there isn't anyone assigned to do the dining room, he who has time goes to check it. Been many a time I have came out of drive-thru between cars to try and get it caught up since we work with a skeleton crew during carry over.....sometimes it doesn't get done until 5 o'clock gets here and the night crew gets there - just noone to do it.
There are honestly some customers that truly make me wonder what their houses look like if they have such disregard for a public place - think about that one for a minute. I guess to sum up my little tangent....fast food workers aren't necessarily there to clean up after you - if you take it to the table....YOU put it in the trash can....a little courtesy goes a LONG way.
*climbs off her soap box now*
@pinklilly (3443)
• Australia
7 Feb 07
I Clean up my mess I feel more comfortable doing that then leaving it there for someone eles to do, it makes me feel dirty and disrespectful if I don't....
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
8 Feb 07
Even if you have a watier. that's there job. except for fast-food i will clean up My mess.
@missyd79 (3438)
• United States
12 Feb 07
i always throw my trash away and put the tray on top of the trash canister. i can't believe people when they just leave it lay on the table. i also wipe the table off after i am done eating too for the next people that need to sit there.
1 person likes this
@sunnypub (2128)
• United States
7 Feb 07
I clean up everything too, and not just at fast food restuarants. I have this weird habit of stacking up all the dishes and wiping the table when I am at a sit down restuarant also.
For the fast food place I figure I am going to be walking right past a garbage can on my way out so what is the big deal to grab my garbage and throw it away.
For the sit down restuarant, I generally sit a while and talk after eating and I guess I like to have a clean area to sit at. the waitstaff love it because all they have to do is grab the stack of dishes and they are off. I get a lot of thank yous for doing that.
Either way, it really is no big deal, I mean I am there, and it takes only a few extra seconds to do it.
1 person likes this
@potatobutt87 (348)
• United States
7 Feb 07
oh im the same way. i pile the dishes up leaving the last one with all the garbage. stack the forks on top of that. i used to work at a pizza place.. so i know what is helpful to others, and i try to do that. my bf hates it..
@goldjay (465)
• United States
8 Feb 07
When you eat at a fast food restaurant, I think you are supposed to throw away your own trash. That's why they have big trash cans with tray return places on the top. I always clean my own trash.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
9 Feb 07
maybe in some places, yes. but here in our country, even fastfood chains hire lots of crews just to keep up with the cleaning. here, most of the customers are very well pampered and taken cared of.
1 person likes this
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
9 Feb 07
I always pick up after myself. I think it is disrepectful to the workers to have to come pick up after you, especially when you have the garbage cans all around;
Plus I think it helps the other customers not to have to sit and eat next to a messy table, since I am sure the workers can not pick up any mess immediately -- usually they have clean up rounds where they check the facility at different times.
Leaving a messy table also may delay the next customer from having a place to sit down.
Heck, even when we eat out at a regular restaruant I'll stack the plates or try to clean up the table a bit before we leave just to make it easier on the server.
Good question!
1 person likes this
@lisa101 (1362)
• United States
8 Feb 07
I always gather up all the trash and i will even take a napkin and wipe the table off with it. I think people who work in these places have it hard enough without having to clean my mess. I have worked in them before and you will run yourself ragged trying to keep up. So yeah i like to help them out all i can.
1 person likes this
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
8 Feb 07
If I am at a fast-food resturant I will. like mickey D's or or one of those place. anywhere else no. they have waitress.
1 person likes this
@nehakalley4 (1918)
• United States
7 Feb 07
No I and my husband always pick up the trash and even clear the mess that we have created while eating on the table and throw it in the dustbin.
1 person likes this
@magikrose (5429)
• United States
7 Feb 07
My husband and I clean up our messes. We also make our kids clean up there messes since they make the most mess. To me I treat it like my own home.
1 person likes this
@calamansi (8)
• Canada
7 Feb 07
If it's a self service establishment, like mcdonalds or any other fastfood place, you should clean up your own mess. If it's a restaurant with waiters/waitresses, then it's there job to do it for you.
Just look at it this way... If you were the one who brought the food to your table, then you should be the one to clean up. If your food was served on your table by the waiter/waitress, then they should be the one to clean up.
