Doggy-bag etiquette

[steve76]

We're on the Deluxe Dining Plan on our upcoming trip so we know we're going to be eating a lot of food. I know that you can doggy-bags at some table service restaurants. As a foreigner who is not aware of the general etiquette of asking for doggy-bags, can someone enlighten me please. Can you ask for them at any table-service restaurants (obviously not buffets)? Or is it a no-no at some of the nicer / more expensive restaurants? Is there anything you cannot get packed up?

If I get to the end of my entree and cannot eat another bite, can I ask for the dessert to be packed up straight away? Or do you have to at least try and eat some?!?

Apologies for the slightly pathetic questions!

 

[cnorth]

Congratulations on your upcoming trip! To answer your question-
1) You cannot get a takeout box for any buffet
2) Other than the buffet, you can ask for your items to be boxed to go. You don't have to attempt to eat the dessert if you are full. We have taken desserts back several times to eat later.

 

[swift]

Not a problem even at the fancier restaurants. I have taken half a flatbread away from California Grill in a box.

 

[topmonkeygirl]

Most restaurants will even ask if you would like to have the rest of your food boxed up, even the nicer ones.

 

[eaj1228]

This is such great news. I rarely finish my entree when I go out to eat and can't imagine eating dessert most of the time. It is nice to know that this is an option.

 

[DisneyGrampa]

Is there anything you cannot get packed up?

The Silverware!

 

[natalielongstaff]

The Silverware!

 

[Tuta]

The Silverware!

I thought that was what the Mickey ears were for??

 

[Sleeping Becca]

You can get anything boxed, if you don't have room for dessert, just order it to-go. There really isn't a point to getting any other leftovers boxed if you are on the Deluxe plan.

 

[bytheblood]

You can ask for a to-go box anywhere and they will gladly oblige.

 

[WDmommyof4]

On the deluxe plan in March with my boys, I had the rest of my entree boxed up to take with me at Yak and Yeti. Not because we did not have plenty of food the rest of the week, but because I could not bare to throw away the rest of my skirt steak and jasmine rice. Yummy!!!! I chose to eat less of the entree and more of the dessert because the ice cream would have melted and the wontons would have been soggy. They had no problem bringing me a box to put the food in.

Had no problem letting any other entrees go the rest of the trip, but this steak was to die for and I could not let it go .

 

[inkkognito]

If they can see you are getting full, many restaurants will even ask you if you want a box before you request it. I don't know if they do that so much at Disney since a lot of people are in hotels and can't easily keep the food. But they do it at many of the nicer/fancier restaurants throughout Orlando. No stigma attached at all.

 

[Shannon12]

You can get anything boxed, if you don't have room for dessert, just order it to-go. There really isn't a point to getting any other leftovers boxed if you are on the Deluxe plan.

I have to disagree with this a bit. Since I have been pregnant I can't eat a lot at once, but am starving about a 1/2 hour later. So I will take what I can't finish back to the room to pick on during the night.

 

[steve76]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[clanmcculloch]

Keep in mind that if you're not heading back to your resort, you have to carry around this box. If you have a stroller with you then it's easy (though if it's perishable then you have a problem) but if you don't then you have to carry the food with you everywhere you go.

We've gotten to go boxes when we're planning to head back to our resort anyway.

 

[ccgirl]

Something similar...I know you can't take a to go box from the buffets but is taking an apple, or another piece of fruit, "legal"? Thanks and sorry to hijack.

 

[Wants2Live@WDW]

Technically, you cannot box anything up to go form buffets, but the CMs were sweet and didn't have any problems with me snagging a few pieces of fruit from the buffet (I was in between cancer treatment rounds, so I wasn't eating much at once, but we had the DDP and my little sisters wanted to see Mickey). I remember asking for an apple and a banana...but then again, I didn't eat any bacon, etc. So I don't really know what the party line is with regard to fruit from a buffet. I know that I probably was an exception and not the rule.

 

[DisneyGrampa]

I walked out of CM with a banana a few weeks ago-Mickey tackled me and Pluto stomped on my head.
Seriously-I can't conceive of them having a problem with a piece of fruit, and I did take the banana!

 

[aubriee]

There really isn't a point to getting any other leftovers boxed if you are on the Deluxe plan.

Sorry, but I disagree. I work night shift (11pm-7am). I'm usually asleep in the evenings, but want my dinner about 2:00am (even on my nights off). To me 2:00am is dinner time. Even on vacation I usually wake up in the middle of the night wanting a little something about that time. In May 2008 I was on the DxDDP and got a cheese plate to go as my dessert a couple of times. They made a great snack in the middle of the night. I'll be there in just a couple of days (Sept 26th-Oct 4th) and will again be on the DxDDP. I plan on doing the same thing.

 

[B-Ride]

You cannot get a takeout box for any buffet

True, but that doesn't stop some people. A couple of years ago we saw someone back 8 cookies into her purse at Crystal Palace. To make matters worse she wrapped them in one of the restaurant's cloth napkins.

As for the DxDP, the only problem with take out is finding a time when you will ever be hungry enough to eat the food. Remember, if you get hungry later you still have those two snack credits to use.