Why am I expected to box my own food when I go out to eat?

Question

I've noticed that servers will hand you a box when you request your food to go? What happened to the days of the server serving you (duh! Hence the title, food server)? And should this reflect on their tip, since they don't want to do the work they're expected to do? After all, I go out to eat to relax and be taken care of, not the other way around.

Also, is there is some new policy within the food industry about boxing food, please let me know because I'm really disturbed by this trend. I don't think it is very classy to hand the people you're serving a box. It ruins the experience. Thanks.

Excuse me boycat but I've been eating at fine dining establishments as far as I can remember. I don't have a primadonna attitude as I am always cordial to the server, give them the benefit of the doubt, and tip over twenty percent.

As far as I can remember, the server ALWAYS boxed your leftovers for you. They never just handed you a box! Hence the question.

Answer 1

I've been a server for 20 years and I don't box guests food for them.
One reason is that I may not be sure that they want everything on the plate.
Two...Servers should never bring partially eaten food back to the kitchen and set it on a counter to box up. The reason is that you never know what could happen to it.
I have seen these things happen when a server does bring the food back to the kitchen to box.
A. The server sets the plate down, turns to get a box, and another server throws the food away not realizing why it's there.
B. The server sets the plate down, turns to get a box, another server starts eating it. I know it sounds gross. But the server eating the food doesn't know it's from a guest...they think it's what is called "dead food". In the restaurant business, "dead food" is food that is cooked by mistake and given to the serving staff to nibble on in the kitchen. It is not a good practice but has happen at all the restaurants I've worked at...Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Applebee's, Chili's....it happens everywhere.

So don't be mad that the server doesn't want to box your food. Instead, be thankful that they care about your food and don't want anything to happen to it.

Answer 2

My wife and I use the left over food from Parrot's bowls. We dump their left overs into a tub, and when it's full we take it out and fill up our wild bird feeders. Some days there must be a 100 birds out side eating or waiting to eat. We get all kinds of wild birds, doves, sparrows, robins, quails, just name a few. We also set up feeders for hummingbirds. They are the fun ones to see and watch. We used to just toss it all out, in the trash. But we get about 15 pounds a week, so we went with feeding the wild birds. They really seem to enjoy it.

Answer 3

At all the restaurants I have worked at as a server it's a health code violation. Also once the food has touched the table and a guest as eaten it the plates cannot be taken back to the kitchen without being washed it's considered unsanitary. Every restaraunt and state is different.

Answer 4

First of all, most servers WILL box your leftovers for you if you ask them to.

Unless it is a fast food joint, I do believe that "boxing the leftovers" is not on the menu, and is done as a "courtesy"....you are not charged anything extra for the box and/or other supplies that you put in it.

If you want to take your food out in a box, you should go to McDonalds. Otherwise you should be glad for the courtesy of a box to go.

Answer 5

Please understand that if a server has 4 tables with 4 people at each table, that's 16 plates of food. Estimate that at least 10 of those people would like their food boxed up. Granted, it only requires a moment to do, but for 10 people... that's 10 minutes gone. Now how fast did you want your refill, how hot do you want your food? Unfortunatelly, consumers want everything like it used to be (boxed food) but faster. They can only do so much in a reasonable amount of time. They are your SERVER... not your SERVANT.

Answer 6

It's really not that big of a deal if you look at that in the grand scheme of things ... they did run around for you for the past 45 minutes to an hour ...

Maybe they cant read your mind to see what you want in the box .. somethings just arent good for leftovers

Answer 7

Customer service as we have known it in the past is over. I hate it, but it's true. Establishments hire people needing a job at very minimal wages, without adequate training or seasoning. I have been horrified by some of my experiences- blatant rudeness, lack of caring about giving you the correct order, unclean restaurants, you name it.

Answer 8

i work at carrabbas, and we are supposed to box our food. we do this so people won't steal silverware/sugar caddies/plates.

but me, as a customer, i can't stand it.

i want to put my food in the box how i want it. what if i want my chicken, and not my zucchini? or what if i don't want to bring it all home?
this is me as a picky person and i feel that servers would rather you do it on your own to how you like it.



why did you even ask a question about this in the first place????

its just bagging up your own food. it shouldn't ruin your dining experience and its not that big of a deal.

Answer 9

I have noticed that too. I feel stupid sitting at the table and boxing it up myself. The worst is when you have half a steak, half a baked potato and some appetizers left over and they bring you a box made for a hamburger.

I have been to a few places lately though that do it for you and quite nicely too. I really appreciated that.

Answer 10

i know that some places where i go will box your food for you but where i work it is against health code to box food but alot of people do get an attitude about it. i think it all depends on where you go