Please, people. Just stop it.
Why do people go into a restaurant and insist upon bringing their own food? Do they not understand that the restaurant has food in it that is there for the sole purpose of being ordered by customers? I mean, that’s what the restaurant was built for: so people could come in and have food. That doesn’t seem to get through the thick skulls of some customers who see absolutely no problem with stopping by Whole Foods or Piggly Wiggly on their way to a restaurant.
A couple of weeks ago, a reader sent me a photo of an empty can of chicken salad resting comfortably on a plate that once held a simple house salad. I was told that the woman who ordered the simple (read: cheap) house salad was having lunch with a friend and informed her server that she “isn’t very hungry.” The server takes her for her word and brings the simple house salad only to later realize that the woman had a protein hidden away in her purse.
Customers: don’t do that! If you want to put food into a bag and then carry it somewhere else to eat it with friends, that is called a potluck dinner or a fucking picnic. That is not what you do when you go to a restaurant. However, you would be surprised how very often it happens. I recall a woman who once brought in her own grapefruits and asked that we squeeze them for her Greyhound because she wanted fresh-squeezed juice. The bartender did it for her, but it took all my restraint to not fresh-squeeze the last breath of air out of her lungs. Another time a woman brought her own bread and asked that we make a sandwich for her. It wasn’t gluten-free bread or anything like that, she just liked it better than what we normally served. Ummm, then maybe you should be at home making your own damn sandwich, lady. I have even seen a parent bring in a can of soup and ask that we heat it up for their child as if our children’s menu of chicken fingers and peanut butter and jelly isn’t good enough.
I truly do not understand why people do that. It seems to me that if you go into a restaurant knowing that you don’t like the food that is served there, then you are wasting your time. With all the technology that is at out fingertips, wouldn’t it just be better to Google a restaurant that offers what you want rather than going into one and setting yourself up for disappointment? Very often, a restaurant is not going to allow you to bring in food because it’s kinda sorta against health code violations. And it seems that restaurants are the only places that people do this type of thing. Or is it?
Imagine, if you will, this same woman stepping into JCPenny’s with a bag full of clothes she bought the day before at Target.
Sales clerk: Can I help you find anything?
Woman: No, thank you. I’m just looking around. But do you have a changing room? I wanna try on these clothes I brought from another store and if I like them, I’m going to wear them out.
Sales clerk: We do have a dressing room, but why would you do that?
Woman: Because I’m an annoying fuck of epic proportions and i don’t know any better. Also, if I give you two grapefruits, can you freshly squeeze them for me?
Sales clerk: Get the fuck outta here.
Me
And believe me, if I could stop eating out altogether, I would. But eating out is tied to things like job outings, conferences and networking. I’m neither going to skip professional opportunities nor poison myself.
Me
Start understanding what celiac is and respecting it (rather than spreading the “glutenfree” label on cross-contaminated items) and I’ll stop. As a rule, I cannot trust the safety of recipes at a restaurant, even if they have dedicated menus and/or I contat them beforehand and ask. Most of them don’t understand/ give a fuck about my condition.
JD
I never knew about this until recently. My friend and I bought something to drink at Starbucks and walked around a bit but decided to have lunch early. I was surprised when the host asked for our drinks. It was an expensive restaurant so it wasn’t like we were not going to order food. He did offer to hold the drinks since he noticed that they were still pretty full, but we passed on that. Who’s going to drink something after an hour+
This post, how it’s written along with the comments from other servers, lives up to the blog’s title.
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Jay
I can definitely see not bringing your own food to a restaurant. However, people should be able to bring their own unopened bottled beverage, provided it is not alcohol. This is especially true if the restaurant also serves bottled beverages. If I like a restaurant’s food, but they only serve Coke products and I don’t like Coke, then what’s the harm of bringing a Pepsi?
Olivia
A lot of this website is hilarious… However, I have worked serving/catering jobs so I understand the frustration, but I also happen to have food allergies so I can see it from both angles. In most states it’s actually illegal (under ADA) to refuse to accommodate a customer with food allergies by allowing them to bring in (reasonable) food for themselves. I don’t eat out much and avoid places without allergy friendly menus. Occasionally it’s not possible and I am forced to go somewhere for family gatherings and other events. Its truly unpleasant to watch everyone around me eat, while I sip water. There aren’t many restaurants out there that are friendly towards those of us with allergies. I would never ask for them to heat my food or take it back to the kitchen though. I think that’s a bit unreasonable and also would just put me at risk for contamination.
Just a friendly reminder. We’re not all assholes. 🙂
Jill
I work in an upscale, foodie central city on the west coast, and this happens all the time! Food allergies are a serious thing, and no server takes anaphylaxis lightly. But, if you are a grown ass adult, and your restrictions are that serious, please advise the restaurant when making the reservation or upon arrival. Please do not surprise us with a loaf of bread from your purse, (this actually happened), and ask us to make a special sandwich with it for you. Please do not pull out a special lunch for your child over the age of two, and serve it up at the table. Please bring goldfish or Cheerios for your infant, but if your kid can sit in a big kid chair, they can eat the big kid food from the menu.There are definitely health codes against bringing outside food into a restaurant for a reason. They vary state to state, but are all there to prevent cross contamination and are meant to protect the consumer! Not to mention the purpose of coming to a restaurant is to enjoy the food they prepare. If u need something that special, have a picnic.
Destiny X
Yes, I’m one of your “thick-headed” customers that sneaks my own salad dressing into restaurants. I am a vegan and I LOVE salad, but most restaurants don’t serve vegan dressings. Since my dressing contains no eggs, milk or fish (and indeed, does not even require refrigeration) there is ZERO chance of getting food poisoning from it. I simply slip out the container when the waitress is not looking and cover my salad with dressing. It only takes a few seconds and I have never been caught. The restaurant doesn’t lose a penny because the dressing is already included in the cost of the salad (in fact, since I order the salad without dressing they actually come out ahead.) Everyone is happy and no harm done.
kathy
im torn on this. i think for severe food allergies, its somewhat ok. lets say the only thing you can eat on the menu is salad but all of the dressings have allergens. then it would be ok to bring your own dressing but order their salad. or if you have an infant who cant eat real food yet. bringing a cup or bottle or some jarred food would not be bad. i can even see bringing some goldfish or fruit snacks with you for impatient toddlers while the food is being cooked (better than the whole restuarant hearing them scream..).
its when its taken to the extremes, its rude. bringing in a whole meal for someone who can physically eat regular food is ridiculous. if its a breakfast place, they generally will have atleast some applesauce or banana you can smash for babies. i went out to a restuarant with a relative and her five year old. she had the gall to buy the child a happy meal to bring in the restuarant cause he wouldnt eat any other chicken nuggets. seriously…
this child was not special needs, just spoiled. i have also seen grown adults bring plates of food and ask the chef to reheat it. this is beyond rude. if you cant eat off the menu for allergy reasons at all, you really should just not go. if your child is big enough for table food, there is almost always something you can order for them. most menus have grilled cheese, mac n cheese, corn dogs etc available. unless they are still on baby food/formula, theres no reason to bring your own full meal with you.
i have even fed my infant mashed potatoes and broth from soup at a buffet. with his formula of course.
Ok
You may offer to pay a fee to the eatery for permission to eat your own food. Perhaps $10
is satisfactory.
lindsey
I worked at a hot wing restaurant for a while and we charged .25 for EXTRA ranch.
There were multiple occasions where the customers were so cheap that they would pull those value sized bottles of ranch out of their purses and use at the table.
NiceCustomer
Dear “Bitchy Waiter”,
I absolutely agree with you that customers should not bring their own food (except in case the restaurant encourages it for whatever reason).
Ciara
I had people bring bread rolls, cheese and ham onto our deck and start to make their own sandwiches. I told them they couldn’t bring their own food onto the premises and their response was “we’re booked in to eat here later tonight…” I had to explain how they were occupying a table that could be sold to PAYING customers and their booking later that night didn’t change that or make it ok
Travis
You dumb fucks chose to be waitresses. Did you get a tip? Were you also paid for the hour wage? Was you establishment so packed that you could justify having this attitude? What about your education and skill sets? Are you only qualified to bring me my damn…..whatever the hell you’re being paid to bring me? Maybe your stupid ass salad Is cheaper than going to the store for a whole head of lettuce. So what she brought in a $.45 cent can of chicken or tuna or a hot can of aids for that matter. What if the last time the customer come In she ordered a simple chicken salad on lettuce and she walked out with a 20$ debt. She came to your business and paid something you bunch of greedy self serving fucks. Next you assholes will ask for $15 an hour plus tips and hopefully your less than stellar establishment will become shut down and all you little “I want more but don’t find myself valuable enough to do something better” Asses can be right beside the recently unemployed McDonald’s employees. Point is,.shut the fuck up and do your shit job because that’s what YOU chose.
April
Aww look everyone! The asshole customer has arrived! The one who doesn’t get that “Bitchy Waiter” is about servers, bitching. The one who chose to come on and cry and whine about servers. Probably the one who tried it once and it was too hard for him. He probably sits at home with his Budweiser can resting on top his enormous beer belly, shouting at his wife to bring him another beer. Isn’t he cute? Or something….
johncyalater
Travis you are a brain dead leech on the world. You are nothing and you will always be nothing and the fact that you have such hatred for a basic common sense policy such as “no outside food” tells me that you work a shitty dead end job because you have no business sense at all. Do us all a favor and find the nearest cliff and jump
Michael
Wow that’s the most ignorant post I’ve ever read. Clearly you have both no class or understanding that businesses fail everyday and our entire economy is suffering. Maybe we should impose a service fee for taking up a chair while eating your own food as opposed to filling that chair with a paying customer. It’s not about the tip it’s about the point. Eat your own food in your own space, and join us when you would like to sample the foods that the restaurant staff have worked hard to provide in a professional manner. By the sounds of your post the word professional probably does not exist in your life. But the word “fuck” certainly does.
“Go back to your double wide trailer and fry something”. Possible contemplate that hard working people are trying to earn a respectful living while keeping a responsible attitude in regards to food safety.
You are a discredit to our species, and I hope you choke on bone that you sneak into a restaurant.
duzi
Dear Travis,
May you one day be in the position where you have to serve people just like you, because that’s the only way you’re going to understand what an ass you really are.
Chuck
I left a job with a Fortune 200 company because I was simply tired of the atmosphere. As a server, I average making almost $3.00 more an hour than I ever did working as an educated corporate worker. Don’t just assume that we’re all ignorant knuckle-draggers that simply CAN’T do better. Some people are just better suited for this job type. Not everyone tips, but the non-asshats in our society understand when a server is doing their job well and following policy. Don’t be a hateful, ignorant fuck.
Jewels
I’m serving to pay my way through college asshole. Get the fuck over yourself. I’m making more money as a server working towards a career than you’ll ever dream of bitch.
Kelly
45 cent can of tuna or chicken? Only the best for you!
Veronica
Travis, when the economy crashed and so many people lost their jobs, I still had a job! If it wasn’t for people willing to be servers you would never be able to go out and enjoy a meal you didn’t have to cook, serve and clean up after! I wonder if you’ve ever complained about your job? Next time you do I hope someone says “shut the fuck up and do your shit job”! Also, do us all a favor and never step foot into a bar or restaurant ever again, you don’t respect the industry and we can see people like you coming from a mile away! I wonder how many times someone has done something horrible to your food?!?!
joanie
health code violations…..does that make any sense to you? if price is the problem, eat before or after and have a glass of water with your friends.
Chris
Travis in sure you don’t own a business and with your mouth probably don’t have s job outside of the pot growing industry. You are ignorant and a great example of how our society of failing our children’s education. There are so many reasons you fail as a source for information and guidance. Please until you are able to grasp the full situations it would serve you to keep your opinions to yourself.
Kathleen
What are you even doing here?
John
I totally agree with you brother. Every single year I make sure my weekly reward meal will consist of Redlobster’s Endless Shrimp. I always bring in about 16 ounces of finely chopped grilled chicken breasts to add to by shrimp linguini alfredo. I alsways tip the server at least 20-25 percent. I would say it really depends on the establishment. I will always give this advice. Don’t draw attention to yourself and 10 out of ten 10 times you will be fine. You also have to use common sense..I’m mixing in grilled chicken inside of a pasta dish at all”you can eat shrimp” I will more than likely be in a booth and NO ONE WILL NOTICE. Don’t really care about server’s whining about this. Unless you are in college…18 or below…STOP BEING A SERVER IF STUFF LIKE THIS BOTHERS YOU. LOL!
Amanda
I once had a customer offer the excuse “But you don’t serve a meat and cheese platter here. That was the ONLY THING I wanted to eat, but everyone else in my group wanted to come here.”
I was like “Here’s our rather extensive (especially for a brewpub) menu, which features a variety of locally sourced meats and cheeses in various combinations. But you may not eat your meat and cheese plate in here.”
He huffed out to eat outside, on the curb, alone.
When he came back, he was mad that we only served our brews and could not accommodate his thirst for a Coors Light or any other beer he kept referring to as ‘domestic’. The incredibly light and crisp kolsch was pronounced to be ‘terrible’. I lost patience and snapped: “Can you really get any MORE domestic than having been brewed in the brewery literally right behind you, through that door? Look, you can even see the whole system through that window.’
Veronica
It is against health codes in most places to bring outside food in because of foodborne illness! I love the shocked look on customers faces when I explain this to them, they assume it is because we want to make more money but you know what they say about assuming, makes an ass out of U and Me! Usually I say something like this, “I’m sorry, it is against health codes to bring in outside food because if anyone ever got sick from food poisoning the CDC wouldn’t be able to accurately track where the problem started and the outbreak could get out of control”! Now all of their selfish excuses on why they should be allowed to bring in their own food are immediately not more important than a widespread pandemic! Next time I get one of these asses in my station I’m going to tell them that I will need to fill out an incident report for the safety of this country, I will need all of their personal contact information in this report so they can trace the foodborne illness back to their home. If they do not give the information the police will need to be called! OK, I don’t think I’ll go that far but a girl can dream! Lol
dblynkpt
Where I live and work it is illegal to bring outside food or drinks into a restaurant. It’s amazing how many people try.
trippmadam
I don’t think it is downright illegal where I live, but I’d consider it rude. However, there is one exception (in Southern Bavaria): in a very traditional beer-garden you might still be allowed to bring your own food as long as you buy the local beer. But obviously, when they say ” bring your own food” they are referring to something simple like bread and cheese or bread and cold meat. I heard about a family who asked a waiter to warm up their three course lunch. He told them to fuck off (in Bavarian dialect that sounds a lot worse than in English).
sam
It is illegal according to the health department. The restaurant cannot prove where that food came from and if the health department walked in, the restaurant would be fined.
Kelly
They are in Germany
Adriana Cruz
What state? because I have always been told it’s a health code violation (Oklahoma) yet I can not find the code!
Kristin
Actually according to the ADA it is illegal not to allow it.
Jim
Forgot to say that in both cases I listed above I had permission of the restaurant before we did it.
Jim
Usually I don’t bring my own food into a restaurant but I have on a few very specific occasions. Sometimes I have gone to a restaurant when it is still very new and they haven’t developed a kids menu yet and the food wasn’t very kid friendly, and the restaurant has no problem bringing kids in. As soon as the restaurant got the kid’s menu I stopped. Also went with a group of 4 people including 2 kids to an Indian restaurant. 3 of the people love Indian food, including one of the kids, the 4th hates Indian food including the only kid friendly option on the menu (no actual kids menu.) The restaurant didn’t care that they had one non-paying guest to get the 3 paying guests.
Nicole
Kids don’t need kid menus…just order smaller items or share.
Amaryllis
Ever occur to you that if a restaurant doesn’t have kid friendly accommodations that maybe they don’t want you to bring your kids? Very few restaurants will actually go as far as banning them. They tell you they don’t want you by skipping the kids’ menu, high chairs, booster seats and baby changing tables.
Jim
There is a difference between a place not welcoming kids and one that does. Both restaurants I went to without kids menus are kid friendly and had no problems with people bringing in kids. The first one said they were so new they hadn’t developed one yet and didn’t want to modify their options enough to make them kid friendly since the cooks were still new. They had no problem if we brought something in. The second option is an Indian restaurant. Maybe you know some that have kid options on the menu, not the ones in this area. The restaurant is very kid friendly though (as is all Indian restaurants in this area.) They also said they had no problems bringing in kids and outside for the one kid that didn’t like any of the options. This area is an area where EVERY restaurant welcomes kids because it is a pretty affluent area where MOST families are two income with kid families. Every restaurant that didn’t welcome kids in some way failed, unless they started to. A few restaurants in the area have adult only rooms to allow those that don’t want kids around to have that option, but the restaurant itself is still has no problem allowing kids. That said, MOST of the parents that bring the kids into the higher end places have well behaved kids and/or take them out as soon as they misbehave.