Hello, I am from Slovenia, and living in the USA. Taking food away in a restaurant is most certainly not an 'American'/US custom; it is common, although not ubiquitous, in many parts of Europe. In Slovenia, you may ask at any restaurant and be graciously obliged. However, I doubt they would ask it of you. In Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, and most of Germany, custom is the same. In other parts of Europe (for example, Balkans), it would not be so customary, perhaps, to ask for this. It is my sense that in less secure places, when people are poorer and perhaps ashamed of being poor, it is seen more questionably and is not so common. In rich countries like France and Italy, I am sure good restaurants also would oblige you graciously. Certainly, all over Northern Europe (Britain, Nederlands, Scandinavia) they will do this if you ask and think nothing of it.<BR><BR>Please, don't be so self-consicous about being 'American' and 'gauche'. Even if in Beograd or Moscow you ask for a bag for your fictional dog, they will at worst think you a tourist - which you are! Enjoy Europe.

Did it start as far back as here?<BR>

Selenia why would you take a dog on holiday to the Uk.It would have to be in kennels for six months.

I remember the dirty looks I got from the waiter when we asked for a 'to go' bag in Florence. My husband & I had picked up a stray that afternoon in the Santa Croce Church. Not a dog, a college student from Wisconsin who was staying in hostels & backpacking across italy on her way to a summer class in england. She had assisted us in the church with her guide book & we spent the afternoon touring together. It was obvious she was travelling on a shoestring (she was living on granola bars & apples) so we invited her to dinner (on us). There was so much pasta & veal leftover, that we asked them to wrap it so she would have dinner for the next evening & could use her money on something else. The hostel had kitchen facilities. This was almost 4 yrs ago, & we still keep in touch. So, please don't jump to conclusions about other people. Maybe the 'to go' food is for a sick travel companion, or to give to a homeless person on the street, or maybe the diner wasn't so hungry at dinner time & will be hungry at 10 pm. Whatever, it is really no one elses business. If the server has an issue, maybe he shouldn't be in the service business.

Oh yeh<BR><BR>We doggie bagged it in St Goar, Germany, were the big meat dishes were too much for us to eat at the moment, and we did not want to hike it down and up the hill later. And oh yeh, we asked the Rheinfields Castle hotel for....forks!

Asking for a "doggy bag" in Europe is quite rude. You don't want to look as a cheap and mean person. Just order that you intend to eat, as we do, and eat everything you have order (leaving a lot of leftovers on the plate is not quite polite). Anyway, portions are small compared to American ones.

What the above poster said is true. Better to look wasteful by leaving extra food for them to just throw in the garbage (or maybe serve to someone else as in rolls, etc.) than to look cheap by asking to have a bag to save the food and eat later. Whatever were you thinking?

Well I'd probably look at the place. But I can never finish a whole meal and if it's the usual tratoria (Italian pizza place), and I've eaten less than 1/2 the lasagne - I might think of asking them. <BR><BR>I have before and more than often, they've done it without so much of a raised eye-brow. I think it's better than it going to waste. <BR><BR>But it would also perhaps depend on which sort of city/place you are in.<BR><BR>BTW I know there was some talk in Australia about banning doggy bags because of the food's quality.

It's a major no-no in Paris, people. It's one of the surest ways to identify yourself as an American of the sort most people don't like, esp. Parisians. <BR><BR>But on the other hand, I doubt if the portions will be so large as to leave you too full to clean your plate.<BR><BR>If you absolutely CAN'T STAND to leave something behind, you might wrap it in a handkerchief (carried for such occasions) as _discreetly_ as possible and put it in your handbag. <BR><BR>I really can't stand the crude, bold, "tough on you if you don't like it" attitude of Maria et al here -- they embarrass all Americans and just prove true all those criticisms that make Americans so disliked. You don't get points for that "it's your money, do what you want" thinking, people. You lose 'em, big time.<BR><BR>

Why are Americans so afraid of being seen as Americans or, god forbid, Tourist. Trust me, everyone knows your a tourist. So what? Go, enjoy, have fun, and leave all your false pretensions at home. Guess what? The people living in Europe are just like the people living in the states. Some stink, some don't. Some are frugal, some aren't. Some waiters are snotty, some are wonderful. Fortunately, you will rarely run into the type of people who spout off on this board. If you are unable to finish a meal, there is nothing wrong in asking for a box to take the remainder home. Do you really care if the pretensious people around you are offended? It is there problem, not yours.

XXX,<BR><BR>Congratulations, you make a lot of sense. BTW, you're not one of those that "spout off" are you?<BR><BR>Kalandra, according to many posters on this board, Americans are unliked regardless, some just more than others.<BR><BR>Answer...try to be nice, appreciate the differences, treat people with respect and respect their culture and.... it still won't matter much to many...they'll still dislike you because you are American.<BR><BR>But be yourself and if American, you will never pass as a European so do what XXX says and get over it!<BR><BR>In case you haven't noticed Europeans that come ot the US do not look like or act like they are americans...guess what?<BR><BR>they aren't, so why should you be concerned about being European two weeks of the year or of every other year?

I think asking for take-away is almost always a bad idea. If the restuarant doesn't offer, they probably don't have the packaging needed, in the US or abroad. I'll take the leftovers from my local Mexican place home, but I would never think of asking a nice restaurant to wrap something up. I do think it would be very gauch to take your leftovers from say, Le Cirque, home. Most really great food doesn't keep well anyway--day old steak frites anyone?

Why don't you share pizza, lasagna, whatever. If it's not enough you can always share something else afterward. I can't eat a whole order of pasta, so my husband and I would order one pasta and one veal dish (for example0. If he eats 2/3 and I eat 1/3, we are both happy.

<BR>I was shocked one day in Austria to see how doggie bags should be filled in the Tyrol. I went to lunch with my distant relatives, call them uncle Herman and great aunt Ida, near Innsbruck. Since I wasn't too hungry I ordered the cheese board thinking that I would receive a small slice of several cheeses as in France. Well, the waitress brought out a plate full of different cheeses and left it on the table. I cut off what I wanted and enjoyed my lunch. Before leaving, Ida used some house napkins to wrap up all the rest of the cheese and put it in her purse. Gosh, for my $5 lunch we walked out of there with at least $30 worth of cheese. It tasted better over the next few days. I agree with the consensus on this board that doggie bags are not generally to be had in Europe, but there are exceptions. Don't make a big deal out of it and just pack your own goods.

Well I'd probably look at the place. But I can never finish a whole meal and if it's the usual tratoria (Italian pizza place), and I've eaten less than 1/2 the lasagne - I might think of asking them. <BR><BR>I have before and more than often, they've done it without so much of a raised eye-brow. I think it's better than it going to waste. <BR><BR>But it would also perhaps depend on which sort of city/place you are in.<BR><BR>BTW I know there was some talk in Australia about banning doggy bags because of the food's quality.