Know any restaurant thieves?

[Big Cuddly Bear]

I always take an extra straw- more than once we've left a place and someone's straw had a hole in it. I take plenty of napkins too- because kids are messy and well, so am I.

I do that too... but what I'm talking about is not that. I think I said I have relatives that take stuff... like if you need ketchup for something at their home, they have a box of ketchup packets. They never buy ketchup. I once saw this box, and between ketchup and mustard packets, I bet I could count 500+ packets, maybe even a lot more.

And when you go for a straw, they have a canister filled with wrapped dunkin' donut straws.

 

[momof1princess]

we don't eat fast food much, but when we do, i'll usually grab a few extra napkins, as we always end up needing them. any leftovers go in the glove compartment for those occasions when we go through a drive-thru and there are no napkins in the bag.
in my former office, we used to put all of the leftover condiments from our take-out bags into a box in the break room, so anyone could use them if they needed them. little did we realize, the cleaning lady was stealing our stash and taking it home with her, a handful at a time.

 

[okeydokey]

I had a friend once who took everything not nailed down from the Yacht club room we stayed in. Her excuse was that she paid for it. Um, no you didn't. Never vacationed with her again. She brought an empty suitcase just for towels.

 

[Mixie]

A good friend of ours used to take the cloth napkins you get at sit down restaurants home. He had a drawer full of them and used them at home.

Not sure if he still does that, with a wife and 2 kids now. Maybe I'll ask him next time we go over ...

 

[nmmom95]

My grandmother used to do that. She just passed away 2 weeks ago at the ripe old age of 93. She would take sweetener and crackers. Her purse was full of them. lol

 

[Mickey527]

I don't take the condiments but I do save the ones that I don't use for a later time. My take out place always puts way too many ketchup or dipping sauce packets in the bag at the drive through, and don't get me started on the sweet and sour or teryiaki sauce packets.
I also have 3 straws and some napkins from Mc'D's in my glove compartment and they really come in handy when I have my grandson in my car.

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

We now have 5 people who say they purposely take way more than they need. I would love to hear why it isn't stealing.

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I had a co-worker years ago he used to send his kids to get a thing of fries and grab as many packets as possible. They never went out for dinner as per say but send the kids all the time.

 

[tlbwriter]

However, no hotel wants you to keep larger items than the soap or shampoo packets or tissue box (they don't mind the tissue box because when you leave a half used box, they cannot give it to the next inhabitants of that room anyway. ).

Really? I often check into a room that has an already-opened box of tissue. This must be someone's policy, not a law that applies to all hotels.

This is all stuff a friend of mine told me who is a manager for a large resort. She told me they want people to take the soap, shampoo, etc but that SOME people try to steal towels, the hair dryer from the bathroom, even the bibles that come in the rooms! (if you're going to steal a Bible, then, well, you probably need that Bible lol)

If it's the Bible that was placed there by Gideons International, I don't think it's stealing. I'm pretty sure they want you to take it if you feel you need it, and they'll be happy to replace it.

"To our guests, please feel free to retain any of the complimentary soaps, bath products, and other amenities in your room. As for large items like our bath towels, we have noticed that these seem to be very popular with our guests, and so we now give you the option of purchasing our luxury bath towels. In order to make the purchase as easy as possible, you do not need to call or come to the desk to purchase. Instead, we will simply take note of which items you have selected for purchase- i.e., which items are not in the room at the time of your check out, and simply add them to your bill."

Yes, I've seen this is lots of hotels. Some also mention lamps and radios.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I worked at an Outback Steakhouse for awhile and the steak knives were CONSTANTLY stolen. A few salt and pepper shakers here and there too.

I love to go into 7-11 to get a hot chocolate or coffee and see the person LOADING their purse ('cause it's almost always women ) with the individual flavored creamers.

I was also a bank teller for several years and would hide my basket of suckers and hand them out individually if someone asked for them. The other tellers would leave their baskets out and people would take handful after handful. There was one guy who would bring a bag and go to each basket grabbing handfuls to give out for Halloween to the trick or treaters . Each box of suckers was $75 and if our branch spent too much money we didn't get bonuses at the end of the year so I was stingy with the suckers!

I've never been a taker of stuff. Mainly because I hate carrying a lot of extra stuff (and storing it) or the console of my car filled with packets of every sauce imaginable. I've had friends that fill their suitcases with toiletries from hotels, get home and dump the stuff in a junk drawer, forgetting about it or not using it, and then end up throwing it all away in a few years. My brother stole a cloth napkin from Whispering Canyon Cafe when he was 16-17 and my Mom is still mortified when he brings it up. He's 32 now .

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

I just thought of this. I was at a BBQ joint that used to put their sauce in squeeze bottles. Last time I went in, they served it in those little plastic ups. As I knew my waitress, I asked her why the change to the cups. She said people were stealing the squeeze bottles - up to 20 bottles a week!

She also said that it wasn't cheaper to use the cups, but when people would steal the bottles, sometimes they wouldn't have enough bottles for the tables.

 

[melissapealo]

Really? I often check into a room that has an already-opened box of tissue. This must be someone's policy, not a law that applies to all hotels.

I used to work at a hotel and the tissue boxes weren't changed out unless they were empty or near empty. I agree this must be the policy at the specific place she was referring to.

Also I voted that I never do this, however I had forgotten about coffee creamer. I used to stop at a convenience store every morning before work and buy a cappuccino before work. I always took 2 of the flavored creamers with me to use when I refilled my cup with regular coffee at work.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I have done it. One of my sons always orders a plain hamburger when we do fast food. I sometimes take a mustard packet and take it home because I like to put it in my other son's lunch (who loves mustard). I figure my other son could have used it for his hamburger. Yes, it isn't used at the restaurant, but it reasonably could have been. I wouldn't take more than that one (even though he could reasonably even use two or three on his hamburger).

Now what level of Dis Hell am I going to be sent to?

 

[bookgirl]

I put I do, because

1. I like the Taco Bueno spoons (they are shaped like soupspoons) so every so often I steal a couple and keep them at home to use in my lunch since I take soup about 3 times a week (I wash them and reuse them but plastic has a limited life for being washed and reusued).

2. When I go to a certain self service place they don't use lemon slices they have those little packets of lemon juice. I always take two extras and keep them in my purse.


I'm totally unrepentant. Just call me Bonnie.

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

I have done it. One of my sons always orders a plain hamburger when we do fast food. I sometimes take a mustard packet and take it home because I like to put it in my other son's lunch (who loves mustard). I figure my other son could have used it for his hamburger. Yes, it isn't used at the restaurant, but it reasonably could have been. I wouldn't take more than that one (even though he could reasonably even use two or three on his hamburger).

Now what level of Dis Hell am I going to be sent to?

But again, this isn't what I am talking about. I'm talking about people who take 20 packets of ketchup, or take every packet of sugar, or 20 straws when they only have one drink.

 

[Eliza32]

I too am a sinner. I take a few extra ketchup sachets from BK or McD's so that we have some for when we go camping (in a tent not an RV, so space is at a premium) I'm also quite partial to Subway Straws because they fit my Disney Refillable Mugs so well!!!

 

[cluvsdisney]

If I am eating in the restaurant, I don't take anything home. There's one place that I go to with my mother that has excellent Irish soda bread that is served in a basket. She'll sometimes take an extra slice for a snack later but the waitress told her to go for it since it's going in the trash when they clear the table and it's included with the price of our meal.

If I am getting take out, I'll take what I think I'll need whether it's napkins, ketchup, etc. Sometimes there's extra and I'll keep them for the next time. I don't purposely take more then I need but sometimes I am not sure what will get used and would rather have more then less.

If I am eating in a fast food place, I'll leave extra packaged condiments on the table but I'll usually take the napkins (usually 3 or 4) since they will just end up in the trash.

I just thought of this. I was at a BBQ joint that used to put their sauce in squeeze bottles. Last time I went in, they served it in those little plastic ups. As I knew my waitress, I asked her why the change to the cups. She said people were stealing the squeeze bottles - up to 20 bottles a week!

She also said that it wasn't cheaper to use the cups, but when people would steal the bottles, sometimes they wouldn't have enough bottles for the tables.

I wondered why so many restaurants are switching to little cups of ketchup. That (sadly) makes sense.

 

[Liberty Belle]

But again, this isn't what I am talking about. I'm talking about people who take 20 packets of ketchup, or take every packet of sugar, or 20 straws when they only have one drink.

Well, you can discount one of the "I do's," then. Oh wait, I forgot...I usually do take some salt packets when at Wendy's (which is maybe three or four times a year), because I LOVE their salt. If I could find extra-fine salt in my grocery store, I'd gladly buy it, but I can't.

 

[Acklander]

But again, this isn't what I am talking about. I'm talking about people who take 20 packets of ketchup, or take every packet of sugar, or 20 straws when they only have one drink.

If that's what you're talking about, then no, I don't take the extras. Actually, beyond the infamous Lobster bib, I don't think I've taken anything. As far as at fast food, I just have what they put in my bag, and if there's any extra, I just throw it out with my empty bag. I don't grab the soaps/shampoos etc... from my hotel stays either, since I like my own brand. I'm not much of a hoarder.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I always take an extra straw- more than once we've left a place and someone's straw had a hole in it. I take plenty of napkins too- because kids are messy and well, so am I.

I use a toothbrush holder to keep straws in my purse for this reason. Plus, it is very irritating when you are on a road trip and a fast food restaurant forgets your straws!