Bringing ice into an Indian restaurant? OK to do?

[powellrj]

We have a local Chinese restaurant that we eat at several times a month that also doesn't offer ice. They have a pot of hot water you can make tea with or you can get a bottle of water from a shelf. We just always get carry-out so its not an issue with us. We love the food and so we have to do carry out to get it isn't that big of a deal.

 

[Planogirl]

This is one odd thread. I wanted to say something witty but this is all so off the wall that I don't know what to say.

I guess that I did say something though didn't I? I'm outta here!

 

[Luv'sTink]

The OP owns a BB! restaurant? If so, then I love your analogy.












First he is not forced to eat at this restaurant. Second I love Indian food and grew up in an Indian area and ate lots of really hot Indian food. I eat at Indian restaurants often and the regular food is NOT hot. They tone it way down. I have to ask them to heat it up to what I am accustom to.


An analogy between somebody who has a medical problem and a ice demanding customer is .

It's tacky and rude to bring in ice but it's OK to tell them they prepare their food wrong? Now we can all

You just made his point, you like your food hot and feel nothing in asking them to make it hotter because it is what you are "accustom" to but he is rude AND tacky for wanting for his water colder?!?! Thanks for clearing that up! Yes, I know you are not bringing in your own heat, but it is the same you both want what you are "accustom" to.

 

[Beastlover]

Wow...Im sorry, It was a joke. Really...

 

[MushyMushy]

It's tacky and rude to bring in ice but it's OK to tell them they prepare their food wrong? Now we can all

You just made his point, you like your food hot and feel nothing in asking them to make it hotter because it is what you are "accustom" to but he is rude AND tacky for wanting for his water colder?!?! Thanks for clearing that up! Yes, I know you are not bringing in your own heat, but it is the same you both want what you are "accustom" to.

The Indian restaurants I frequent would be tickled to death to add more heat to a dish. They cater to people with more sensitive palates. I ask them to make mine as mild as possible (not because I don't like things hot, but because I suffer from Barrett's esophagus). They are more than happy to oblige.

 

[diznygirl]

Papa - is this mainly for your daughters? We've been to some restaurants that don't serve milk, and have brought our own in sippy cups. I haven't had anyone say anything to us - maybe they are all talking behind our back or posting on a message board - but nothing to our face!! And I know people who carry around their own natural sugar whenever they eat out.

Go ahead and take the ice. It's really no big deal.

 

[Papa Deuce]

No, not really. You expect that when customers come into your restaurant you expect them to eat your food you make with your sauce, just like the Indian owners would expect their customers to drink their drinks the way they make them, which is sans ice.

But regardless, if you don't want to respect what may or may not be important to them culturally, then so be it. Me, I would choose not to possibly disrespect them. I could live through a meal without ice.

No. That is what YOU believe. I do not. I would be FINE if they brought their own BBQ sauce if the laws allowed for it.

 

[Papa Deuce]

papa, just do what you want, dude. you probably knew you would get both answers on both sides of the aisle here. and i would bet anything that you already have your mind made up about what you are going to do.

Not really. But leaning towards doing it. I will ask them the next time I stop by. I pass it about 3x a week.

 

[mum4jenn]

I don't see anything wrong with it at all. You asked about a small thermos of it and not some big jumbo cooler you would have to drag in.

I also like ice in my drinks and would probably do the same thing if I ate that kind of food. I remember back in 1977 my youth group went to Washington DC for a week and every single place we went had NO ice in the drinks. They were chilled however but no ice. We wanted ice so badly we loaded up our vans and drove into Maryland and hit the first McD's we could find and we all went in and got the largest cup of ice we could get back then and we all just sucked on our ice all the way back into DC!!!


For the ones that think taking a small thermos of ice is tacky:
What if the restaurant had no salt of pepper on the tables and you wanted to add more of either or both? Would you find it tacky to pull out your own packet of salt or pepper? Would you offend the cook if he saw you changing the way the food was prepared???

 

[Pooh67_68]

Thank you corrected it.

It's "lose".
Sorry but that drives me crazy.

 

[wdwfan16]

It's tacky and rude to bring in ice but it's OK to tell them they prepare their food wrong? Now we can all

You just made his point, you like your food hot and feel nothing in asking them to make it hotter because it is what you are "accustom" to but he is rude AND tacky for wanting for his water colder?!?! Thanks for clearing that up! Yes, I know you are not bringing in your own heat, but it is the same you both want what you are "accustom" to.

Do you get out much?

Have you ever been to an Indian restaurant? They ASK how hot you want it. They make it mild unless you tell them "Indian hot". They have the spices in the back and are happy to use them.

I am not bringing in my own spices and then adding them to what they served me.

 

[wdwfan16]

The Indian restaurants I frequent would be tickled to death to add more heat to a dish. They cater to people with more sensitive palates. I ask them to make mine as mild as possible (not because I don't like things hot, but because I suffer from Barrett's esophagus). They are more than happy to oblige.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Actually, if the choice is to have a customer or lose a customer b/c they want to bring their own ice, most restauranteurs would be okay with customer bringing their own ice, especially in this economy.

They don't offer it, it's not their culture, but I'm pretty sure they're aware they're in the US which has a different prevailing culture. The owners may want to provide a more authentic experience or may just have the skeeves about ice. (Really, if you think about it, unless you have a perfect water system, ice IS skeevy.)

One of our local restaurants is fine with parents bringing in their kids' food if the kids aren't up to the spices in their dishes yet. They'll even bring the kids a plate. They offer a child's menu, but it includes only cut-downs of their regular dishes - they won't serve the the typical kiddie menu standards of chicken fingers and hot dogs - but they don't have objections with parents bringing it in, just so long as that sort of dreck doesn't come out of THEIR kitchen, because eventually the kids get older and want to eat what their parents eat, and then they have new customers.

Really, the only way to know is to ASK. "We really like ice in our drinks. Do you mind if we bring a small thermos with ice for our drinks?" The restauranteur may say yes or may say no. We don't know what they'll think or say.

 

[lillygator]

Maybe if the restaurant is a little warm you could bring your own fan. If the table is deemed too short, could you bring your own? I really like a comfortable chair, maybe I'll bring my executive swivel.

Sheeeesh....this is a riot.

exactly.....

if you can't go one meal without, why not get takeout? Is it that big of a deal..?

I think it is bordering on rude...and gee, if you offend them aren't you in the least bit worried what will be going on with your food in the kitchen?

Do you have a bbq restaurant?

 

[Pooh67_68]

And I know people who carry around their own natural sugar whenever they eat out.

That would be me except it is Splenda. A lot of restaurants around here only offer Equal or Sweet'N Low, so I carry my own Splenda and no one as ever said a word or even batted an eye.

 

[clgwli]

No. That is what YOU believe. I do not. I would be FINE if they brought their own BBQ sauce if the laws allowed for it.

I cannot believe I read this thread almost in its entirety and I am honestly curious about something. Why ask if you just put down the people who do not agree with you? It's pretty easy for me to see that you want ice. Were you just looking for justification?

I don't mean to be rude, but I wasn't quite sure what the point was if you weren't looking for opinions really. So please don't take me wrong. I am truly very curious

I am not shocked that they do not serve ice though. Drinking ice cold drinks is considered bad for the body in many parts of the world from a health standpoint.

I personally couldn't fathom bringing ice though. Just not what I consider an easy thing to do. I wouldn't consider it rude or wrong just a little odd to carry a thermos of ice with me. Then again I hate ice in my drinks

 

[snarlingcoyote]

One of my dear aunts brings lemon juice with her EVERYWHERE. My DH has been known to bring his own bottle of Louisiana Red Hot along with him on trips. I keep Splenda in my purse.

It's never been a problem for any of us.

 

[DisneyJules]

All of the east indian restaurants here provide ice water. That's pretty funny,hehe I don't find ice THAT necessary so I think I could do without, but if it's something you really feel you need, I guess you could bring some.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I cannot believe I read this thread almost in its entirety and I am honestly curious about something. Why ask if you just put down the people who do not agree with you? It's pretty easy for me to see that you want ice. Were you just looking for justification?

I don't mean to be rude, but I wasn't quite sure what the point was if you weren't looking for opinions really. So please don't take me wrong. I am truly very curious

I am not shocked that they do not serve ice though. Drinking ice cold drinks is considered bad for the body in many parts of the world from a health standpoint.

I personally couldn't fathom bringing ice though. Just not what I consider an easy thing to do. I wouldn't consider it rude or wrong just a little odd to carry a thermos of ice with me. Then again I hate ice in my drinks

No, she told me what she thinks all people should think, and I don't think that, so why would I let it pass? I fully expected disagreement, but I am never shocked or surprised when some folks on the DIS go too far and get angry over a simple question....

This simple question has actually offended some folks. Righteous indignation almost.

Imagine there's no heaven, no religion too..... ...... Geez, that might have killed some in its day.

 

[wdwmom2]

Papa Deuce, I'm right with you!!! I like my drinks COLD!!!! Just a preference, not in insult to anyone's beliefs or religion.

If it were me, I would take a bottle of water along that was just starting to freeze. When they would take my drink order, I would politely say that I love their food, but I prefer cold water, so I hope you don't mind that I brought my own along.

If they get insulted over that, then they really don't need my business that badly! I understand that they don't drink cold water, but they are in the US where alot of people enjoy cold drinks!! Me being one of them!