When dining in Europe, is it frowned upon to ask to have food wrapped to take with you? I usually can't manage a full meal at a restaurant, and in the U.S. feel comfortable asking to take home half of it. Is this OK to do in Europe?

I live in the Netherlands and was *very* embarrassed when Canadian relatives asked for a doggy bag in a restaurant. It is just not done here. I suspect it is the same in other European countries, but am not 100% sure.

ciao nelly <BR> <BR>here in italy you can aks for it, in switzerland as well, as far as i know even in germany but the rest? could be very possibly that french wouldn't do it. i hope for you that there's someone who will know it exactly. <BR> <BR>the thing is, that normally here nobody is practicising this, we leave the rest on the plate and it goes back to the kitchen. it was invited by americans, as far as i know it was even done by the poor people 10 - 20 years ago. today they woun't do it because no one wants to seem poor. <BR> <BR>comunque! <BR> <BR>tanti saluti! <BR> <BR>christina

Nelly <BR>I think you will find that portions are smaller in European restaurants. <BR>In my experience, doggy bags are just not done.

oh! i forgot something: here in italy, switzerland, germany, france it is very very easy to order the 1/2 meal. if you order this, you can eat everything without worrying to be strange. <BR> <BR>christina

Thanks for your kind and informative responses. I have heard that portions in Europe are smaller, which might help. Most restaurants in the States serve such huge portions, and I hate wasting all that food. Thanks for your advice, and if anyone has any other thoughts on this I'd appreciate it.

Nelly, <BR>On the other hand . . . <BR>Once in a nice restaurant in Switzerland, I was quite full but still wanted one of their luscious desserts. I asked the waiter if I could order one of their wonderful selections "to go." He smiled most kindly and answered, "Well of course!" He wrapped it in a standard small folding box and sent me on my way. I did not feel awkward or ill at ease at all; in fact, I felt rather happy to be able to enjoy the dessert some time later in the comfort of my hotel room. I really think the restaurants & the waiters only want you to be a happy customer; don't fret it. Eat, ask, be happy. <BR> <BR>s

In France and French speaking part of Switzerland, the idea of a doggie bag is really shocking. We are taught to order only what we can eat ("don't have eyes bigger than your stomach" is a common admonestation by mom), and then finish our plate. Most European over 50 have lived through scarce times during and after the war, and wasting food is seen as a capital sin. <BR> <BR>As Christina said, you can order a smaller portion, tell the waiter you have a small appetite, etc. In case you really cannot finish your plate, the waiters and cook will expect you to say something like "it was very good, but there was a bit too much for my appetite". Depending on the kind of restaurant and food you had (happens in pizzeria mostly), you might then be offered to take the leftovers home. <BR> <BR>However, everybody knows American are used to doggie bags, and if you ask nicely ("it was so good, I'm feeling ashamed to be unable to finish, could I take the rest with me ?"), you might even make a lifetime friend of the cook ... <BR> <BR>

I often order two appetizers (a salady one and a protein one) rather than an appetizer and a main course. And I always carry ziplock bags in my purse for sneaking food, but usually that is the half sandwich I didn't want to finish or the yummy patisserie I'm taking back to the hotel. I would never blatantly put food in a bag in a restaurant.

A friend of mine visited the US from Paris or 10 days. The issues/things that were her biggest surprise in the US were in this order. <BR> <BR>1)squirrels---She wanted to pet them and had no idea what they were. <BR> <BR>2) Doggie Bags----As she said, "You would never see that back home." <BR> <BR>3) The idea that while on a long road trip, I would stop at Taco Bell and eat a taco while contiuing the drive. She said that in France, they would set aside 2 hours in the trip to eat. <BR> <BR>In my travels, I have never seen doggie bags and since very few or any Hotels have fridge's, it may not be safe.

I'm a waitress at an upmarket restaurant in Yorkshire, England. It is perfectly acceptable for customers to ask for a 'doggy bag', but it actually happens quite infrequently. <BR> <BR>The only thing I would say is, be BLATANT about it. Don't sneak leftovers into your handbag - ask the waiting staff to have it wrapped for you. <BR> <BR>When customers leave half their food on the plate, it's a worry to the chef and other staff (we think, didn't they enjoy it? Were they just too polite to complain?) We would always prefer customers to say that they'd like to take half home. <BR> <BR>We call it a 'doggy bag' (also known in Portugal as a 'pussy packet', no sniggers please) but that's really a polite fiction - everyone knows it gets warmed up for the next day's lunch for humans!

How awful ! Taking food with you out of a restaurant ! You can't really be serious about doing this ?! Aggghhhh!

Wow oncee again ths board has been very informative. I am a very small person (110lbs) and I eat only a little at a time but eat often. I think nothing here of going to a resaurant eating less than half of my steak dinner at 6p.m. and taking the rest home for when I get hungry about 9 or 10 that night. sometimes I'll get dessert to boot. I like variety and so I ususlly order an appetizer, a soup, a salad, and an entree. I eat less than half of eachbut always enjoy the other half later! I never knew that this was an American thing to do! I have a question in a similar vein, would it be considered rude to got to a restaurant in Europe and order one appetizer, one one entree, and one desert with extra plates so tht my husband and I can split everything? I do this quite often in the finest restaurant here and am never questioned. It gives both my husband and I a little taste of everything wihtout all the leftovers, could this be an alternative to doggybags?

Little, <BR> <BR>asking one portion for sharing with your companion is perfectly OK in French and Swiss (and Japanese) restaurants, we do it all the time. If you're with a small child, you will often be offered a spare plate for him to share some of your meal instead of ordering a menu.

Florence, sharing is considered ok in French restaurants? I had read in Sandra Gustafson's intro to her "Cheap Eats in Paris" that "le doggy bag" and splitting dishes between two people were both things that just weren't done in France. <BR> <BR>

Gina, <BR>My mother, who was born and raised in Paris and has a dim view of sloppy table manners, would certainly disown me if I asked for a doggy bag, and was utterly shoked when I told her about it on returning from my first trip to the USA. However, she and her friends are used to order one entrée or one dessert for two when they think having one each would be too much. <BR>Obviously, she hasn't read the proper guidebooks about France ...

Dear Nelly, <BR> <BR>Though a common practice in the U.S., asking for a doggy bag is generally regarded as bad manners and a huge faux-pas in Europe, except in some Asian restaurants. But portions are much smaller than in the U.S., more quality than quantity.

I must admit, I find the whole idea of a doggy bag completely bizarre. I eat out in restaurants a lot, and enjoy good food. I can't imagine wanting to take home half a meal and heat it up later on - what food even tastes good like this (let alone any health concerns)? Still, each to their own. I think most smarter restaurants in London (where I live) would be horrified at the idea, although ethnic restaurants (Indian and Chinese, where you can get take-out) would be more amenable. By the way, if on holiday, hotels are unlikely to accommodate reheating food.

Think it depends on what type of restaurant you go to. Speaking as bit of a pizza aficianado, Pizza Hut will provide you with either a box or one of those foil bags for your slices you couldnt finish. Can't vouch for the posher end of the market, nearest I get to them is pressing my nose against the window (that's where those weird marks on the glass come from!)

I live in Munich and often take leftovers home with me. I just ask if I can take it with me and no one has ever responded like that was a ridiculous question. I don't have a huge appetite and can't always eat a whole meal and don't like to waste it. Besides, my husband likes them for breakfast. Often meals here are as big as their American counterparts. From the responses I've gotten, I'd say it's not a huge faux pas to take leftovers home here.