okay. i have been following these posts on this board for a lontim and i usually know who is tounge in cheek and who is serious. but mabel, really, please tell me whether or not you are serious. please!

I started to chuckle at Able Mabel's lighthearted response until I remembered how many people actually did this at my own father's restaurant. I remember seeing some customers try to pocket everything from all the creamers and sugars on the table to the butter packets and silverware.<BR>People, it adds up for the owner and consumer and that's how menu prices increase so please think twice Ms. Mabel - though I do think you are pulling our legs.

I am sure that most of you indignant souls are the biggest secret breakfast food snitchers around!

Hi Fred -<BR><BR>Thanks for your comment.... (yours also Sally).... I have always gotten helpful information from this forum and so I always try to give back the same. I thought my post on the original thread about "How do you people afford to take these trips" was to the point and "concise" as you say... and I thought my explanation above was to the point. And yes, it seems that there are people on some of these posts who just want to "throw food at each other" as you say. <BR><BR>I think it is self evident that there is a world of differnce between "cramming your bag full of food" and fixing a small lunch with the staff's knowledge, consent and assistance.<BR><BR>It is also always interesting to me that some of the most critical people put up some bogus e-mail address. My name and e-mail address are the real thing and anyone may feel free to e-mail me at any time; I will always try to respond and be helpful.<BR><BR>And Mabel, I'm like Sally... I love to know if you are truly being serious?<BR><BR>And Fred, BTW, that was a great and obscure referrence ;&gt;)<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Barry

Most days, I can get a decent meal at St Vincent de Paul or the Salvation Army for free - all that money I could have wasted on food now goes into the vacation kitty. Hey, they offer the food, why shouldn't I take it?<BR><BR>If I see somebody putting sample boxes of cereal or trail mix on people's doorknobs, I take them all. If they didn't want people to take them, they wouldn't have left them just hanging on the doorknob.<BR><BR>And at Christmas, bonanza! All those big barrels of food at the supermarket for the "homeless"...phooey. I just take what I want out of there; if they didn't want me to take it, they shouldn't put the barrel near the door.<BR><BR>Let's face it - there's lots of free food out there if you just know where to look.

my pleasure barry, it's refreshing to see somebody at least attempting to be rational and polite on this board.

I think Barry and Fred are the same people. <BR>Eat, Drink and Eat and Drink some more especially when it's free.

lazybones, the last time i was in zurich my very small room was $240 a night. so i hardly think the breakfast that was included was free. and maybe that is the point here.

Is this the Barry that suggested Ireland was a third world country on a different thread?<BR><BR>Bill

Hi Lazybones ([email protected]) -<BR><BR>Well it's quite obvious that you and Mabel are "the same people" since you both have the same e-mail address ;&gt;)<BR><BR>Barry<BR>

Barry, <BR>I hate to disappoint you but I'm not Mabel. Your conclusion of our e-mails being the same are way off. <BR>Don't go into the detective biz.

Just following your lead Lazybones... just following your lead ;&gt;)<BR><BR>Barry

I look at it this way. If a guest in my house packs up his leftovers to take home, I might consider him strange, but provided I served the food to him, either via buffet or personal wait service, I would not object. I wouldn't serve my guests cream in creamers or sugar in packages, but if I did, and they took them, I still wouldn't object, provided I'd set them out in the dining room.<BR><BR>On the other hand, if my guest took more from the buffet than might reasonably be expected to be consumed at a single sitting by a hungry diner; or if he starts ransacking my cupboards or refridgerator, I'd be peeved, at the very least. If he packs up my silverware, or any other nonconsumable item on the table, I'd call the cops.

Touche. I respect everyone's opinion here even though I may disagree. <BR>Just a little banter but let's stick to the topic. Thanks Barry.

Sue,<BR><BR>Of course you can take a croissant from a bistro since that is what you paid for. Order a cup of coffee and a roll and an apple and what you do not eat you can take him in a doggy bag if you like...you are taking home exactly what you ordered and paid for.<BR><BR>That is entirely different from getting "breakfast" in your room price or going to a breakfast buffet where you can eat all you want....and then taking more with you...you didn't pay for the more, you paid for breakfast when breakfast was available...not lunch or dinner from the breakfast buffet!<BR><BR>US

Okay, I'm really cheap, but I had not thought of this before!!!<BR><BR>When we flew to Italy, we saved the cheese and crackers from the plane. Good thing, because my husband had his wallet stolen on the bus (64) to the hotel, and we had no cash, and it was Sunday. We had the cheese and crackers and duty-free Bailey's for supper until we could change some money.<BR><BR>I have also seen with my own eyes ladies with Ziploc bags in buffet places (similar to Old Country Buffet), they overload their plates, then take half home.<BR><BR>In Turkey we were given a lot of fruit for dessert one night and when we said we were full, they said to take it to the room... good thing, as we left before breakfast the next day. I guess this does not count.<BR><BR>Take an insulated lunch bag with you if you want to steal breakfast. A good cheap lunch consists of shopping at several stores for bread, cheese, and beer, and then carrying it with you to your destination.<BR><BR>A warning... more and more public squares disallow bag lunches in favour of the local restaurants! St. Mark's in Venice, for instance.

Thanks Lazybones... I totally agree!<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Barry<BR><BR>(P.S. - All this food talk has made me hungry... I think I'll go throw some chicken breasts on the grill (had enough pork and beef on our trip through Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic that ended Tuesday) and check back in on this thread tomorrow :&gt;)

barry,<BR>Don't forget to include a stale breakfast roll that you brought back from your trip. Seriously, have a great dinner.

Uncle Sam, you are nuts! If I don't eat breakfast in the hotel, the hotel doesn't charge me; if I do, the hotel charges me 6 euros (or 8 or 10 or 20). How is that NOT paying for breakfast?

Carol, how could you balance a bag<BR>lunch at St. Marks Sq. there are no seats except at the restaurants. You mean people take bag lunches and sit at the restaurants tables? Now that is cheap and illegal too.