Ask DB: Should You Take All-You-Can-Eat Restaurant Food Home?
Welcome to DB’s Down in the DM, our weekly feature, where you, humble listeners and readers, get to ask 107.7 The Bounce’s advice guru your difficult questions, and today’s question is from All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Hoarder:
I am writing because I ran into a problem the other night at a local restaurant. My friend and I went to an all-you-can-eat buffet. The restaurant charged us each for an all-you-can-eat meal and then for a third one because my friend brought plastic Ziploc bags and filled them with food. The restaurant manager was screaming at us because he said what we were doing was wrong. There were no signs posted that said we couldn’t take leftovers or food home. ‘’All you can eat’’ means ‘’all you can eat’’. We left without leaving a tip. Is it wrong what we did? Should we be able to take food home from an all you can eat buffet? Isn’t it all you can eat? Was the manager wrong for charging us or were we wrong for stuffing Ziploc bags with food?
Let me bring up a scenario. Say you see a cash register open. There is no sign telling you not to steal. So you can just walk up and grab whatever money you need. Yeah that doesn’t sound right. Why would you think this is ok? It is based on eating as much as you can at the restaurant. If you are taking it to the house that becomes takeout. Something completely different. The fact that you are bringing ziploc bags to do this, you knew you were in the wrong. Very much hoarder behavior. It’s extremely disappointing and embarrassing for you and your friend to do something like this and then not tip the person as if you were the wronged. Food costs are rising and I understand trying to save money anyway you can but you were clearly trying to find a loophole. And you aren’t mad about the rules, you are just mad you got caught and rightfully reprimanded for that.
Despite what many people feel, you can’t just do whatever you want to. This isn’t your home this is a business. And not to mention we all should operate with an air of respect to our fellow man. If you come to a restaurant or any service establishment you should be respectful to the people. If you were wondering if that was an option (some places do takeout but usually with another charge) then ask them. Never assume and just choose to do that. Now if this is the case of you just trying to support your Ziplock Bag Friend Fiend, then you really should have corrected that behavior. I very much don’t play around when it comes to my public perception. I was raised to be respectful and not cause a scene unnecessarily. And a big thing if you are hanging with DB: DO NOT EMBARRASS ME! Especially if it’s one of my favorite restaurants, oh you are never eating with me again.
Now the Manager of this handled it correctly but I would have took it up a notch and banned both of you from the premises. Say cheese, you now have a lovely portrait on our wall forever. Don’t ever do this.
DB’s Down in the DM is a weekly segment on Monday’s on The Bounce Morning Rollout with Minda and DB on 107.7 The Bounce. Ask your questions by texting the studio line at 910-323-5477 anytime, and you might be featured. (Make sure to let us know in your text that you’re asking for advice. You’d be surprised by some of the weird questions we get randomly.)
