Why do some people think it's ok to waste food while on the Dining Plan?

[Tiger926]

I know this is probably going to be controversial, and that isn't my intention, but as an at-risk teacher of students who don't get much, if anything to eat on a daily basis, this is really bugging me. I am really tired of reading posts about people ordering all of the food that is available to them, regardless of whether they'll eat or not, because it's the only way to make them feel as if the meal plan is a good value, or, because they paid so much for their vacation, so they can justify the waste. I don't understand what these have to do with one's eating habits while on the Dining Plan? You should only be ordering what you can eat - if you can't eat but one bit of your entree or appetizer, then don't order it, unless you plan on boxing it up and eating it later. The thread about the food wastage while on the meal plan is so true. Sometimes we don't order any desserts or appetizers at all because we aren't that hungry - it doesn't matter if we 'paid' for it or not.

As someone who gives away a ton of stuff, gives to many charities, and buys students food, etc., it insults me to read of how many people on here seem to think it's ok to waste food. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone, but that's all I seem to be reading as of late on lots of different boards - I just read a few posts that said when they are not on the Dining PLan (paying oop for food), they make their kids always clean their plates, only orders certain foods, etc., yet when they are on the Dining Plan, they don't have a problem with taking a bite out of an appetizer just to try it, ordering dessert they aren't going to eat, etc. Do people not realize that this lack of respect and wasteful behaviour is going to cost us all one day - perhaps it already has with the changes to the regular Dining Plan?

Tiger

 

[suzimar57]

some people just feel that since they've paid for it (or it's free) they're entitled to waste it away, if they want....

DH and i are good eaters - nothing goes to waste! (and i'm no stranger to doggie bags, even in disney - not about to leave that dessert behind!!)

 

[sjaakie]

I don’t think this is only a Disney problem.
I saw it on several vacations, the so called all- in vacations. Everything is paid for ,food and drinks.
I always was very surprised that so much food was wasted. Just for the fun.

You could eat and drink the whole day ,ice-cream included. They just grabbed all they could carry to there “nest”. I can’t describe it more sophisticated.

Children taking 10 ice creams at a time and nine of them melted away in the hot sun. The adults were just as bad. Five six beers at a time and nobody drank them up.
We always told our son to take one, taste is and then get ONE more. Not only ice cream but everything.
It is such a waste.

 

[DizzDoll]

Blech. We don't tolerate waste. My son's developing a more mature palette, and while at LeCellier ordered the maple glazed pork chop. Not only did he not care for it at all, he ate every bit of it BECAUSE he ordered it. His decision. Every time he tries something new, he'll finish it, even if it turns him green, with the exception of the time he ordered squab (at a New Jersey shore restaurant) and all but tossed. I have to admit that no one volunteered to finish it for him so 2 dead birds bit the dust. I'm in the group that says "Take what you'll eat but eat what you take".

 

[itchin2go]

Politely dissenting.

I don't think it's ok to order food you have no intention of eating (and can't imagine the circumstances under which sane people would do this), but I also don't think that you should overeat just because "it's there." I understand the concept of "if you put it on your plate, you eat it", but that, to me, applies more to family dinners where the diner actually chooses the types and quantities of food. At restaurants, you don't really *know* what the portion size is going to be. If it's too much food for me, I don't feel as though I *should* eat it. If I really enjoyed something but just can't eat it all, I always take it home with me, but on vacation, that's not always so easy. I did read something on these boards the other day about a family who ordered meals for all their kids and no one touched their food. Assuming those facts, those people are (a) stupid and (b) wasteful. Why on earth would you use up your DDP credits (or spend your $$$) if your kids were not going to touch their food? What purpose does that serve? So, I understand being appalled at that kind of conduct, but hey, those people are shooting themselves in the foot. I have yet to figure out what can be done about all the stupid people around me (joking, but you know what I mean, I hope). By way of example, last year at xmas time I saw a little boy licking the railing at the mall while in line for Santa. His mom saw him too and did nothing. Gross, but what can you do?

Back on topic, if I eat a bit of dessert, but don't finish it, who is that hurting? If I order something and I don't end up liking it, why on earth would I finish eating it? Whether I'm on DDP or not? I don't know. Wastefulness in the extreme is gross, but is overeating better? In a perfect world, you'd know just how much and exactly what to order to get you to the optimum degree of fullness, without going over, but how on earth can you accomplish that?

Again, politeful dissent.

 

[fumipappa]

I know this is probably going to be controversial, and that isn't my intention, but as an at-risk teacher of students who don't get much, if anything to eat on a daily basis, this is really bugging me. I am really tired of reading posts about people ordering all of the food that is available to them, regardless of whether they'll eat or not, because it's the only way to make them feel as if the meal plan is a good value, or, because they paid so much for their vacation, so they can justify the waste. I don't understand what these have to do with one's eating habits while on the Dining Plan? You should only be ordering what you can eat - if you can't eat but one bit of your entree or appetizer, then don't order it, unless you plan on boxing it up and eating it later. The thread about the food wastage while on the meal plan is so true. Sometimes we don't order any desserts or appetizers at all because we aren't that hungry - it doesn't matter if we 'paid' for it or not.

As someone who gives away a ton of stuff, gives to many charities, and buys students food, etc., it insults me to read of how many people on here seem to think it's ok to waste food. I'm sorry if I've offended anyone, but that's all I seem to be reading as of late on lots of different boards - I just read a few posts that said when they are not on the Dining PLan (paying oop for food), they make their kids always clean their plates, only orders certain foods, etc., yet when they are on the Dining Plan, they don't have a problem with taking a bite out of an appetizer just to try it, ordering dessert they aren't going to eat, etc. Do people not realize that this lack of respect and wasteful behaviour is going to cost us all one day - perhaps it already has with the changes to the regular Dining Plan?

Tiger

can't agree more. I've been in this country more than 15yrs. I am still not used to see this behavior. It does not matter buffet or dining plan or course meal. If you cannot eat, do not take/order it. That's how I was taught.

It is so wrong that You order because you can't guess the portion.
You can always order extra LATER if you did not get enough.

>>if I eat a bit of dessert, but don't finish it, who is that hurting?

By wasting, you are creating VERY MINOR environment issue. To clean up the left over food, you need extra detergent, electricity, etc, etc. Yes it is very small, but if you compile the amount of food wasted at WDW, I am 100% sure it costs A LOT. Our waste is contributing the environemnt issue.

 

[itchin2go]

It is so wrong that You order because you can't guess the portion.
You can always order extra LATER if you did not get enough.

If I order the vegetarian entree, how do I know how much food it is going to be? I see all kinds of reviews on these boards saying, I can't believe how small this dish was, or I can't believe how much food that was. Sure, if I order a Big Mac, I know how much food to expect. But if I go to a restaurant I've never been in before (which describes most Disney restaurants in my case), how can I be expected to know?

Purposeful waste makes no sense to me, but if something is more food than I anticipated, or if it turns out to be something that's not my cup of tea, I'm not going to eat it all on principal. That makes no sense to me either.

Is the US a wasteful country in general? Absolutely. Should I eat all of my entree on principal even though I'm stuffed to the gills? Absolutely not. Is it my fault that a dish turns out bigger than I expected it to be? Nope. Should I eat it all on principal because, hey, I ordered it? Nope. Should people order meals they KNOW their kids will not eat, because, hey, I've got the CS credits to use up and by golly, I'm gonna do it? Nope, that's stupid.

I think it's all a matter of degree. Purposely wasting food to use up credits is non-sensical. Requiring somebody to eat everything that they order regardless of the portion size or whether they're enjoying it? That's non-sensical too. Just my 2 cents!

 

[kirbydog48]

A parent doesn't necessarily know ahead of time that their child is not going to eat their meal. Sometimes they're too tired or overstimulated, but you don't necessarily know that ahead of time. Believe me. I abhor wasting food as well, but to judge others in a morally superior way isn't always helpful.

 

[Tiger926]

A parent doesn't necessarily know ahead of time that their child is not going to eat their meal. Sometimes they're too tired or overstimulated, but you don't necessarily know that ahead of time. Believe me. I abhor wasting food as well, but to judge others in a morally superior way isn't always helpful.

This is not morally superior, but being genuinely flabbergasted and disgusted when people purposefully waste food because they have 'paid' for it. If you're new to a restaurant, then you should ask about portions, or look around at the other tables to get a sense of what the portion sizes are. Re: Children - Sometimes kids change their minds, become picky or won't eat, and so I'm not suggesting that this is a controllable problem, but when parents order big portions that they know their kids aren't going to eat, or, let their kids continuously load up their plates at buffets with food they aren't going to eat, that is very wasteful, indeed. Many posts I read are people being excited that the Dining Plan has allowed them to eat at places they normally wouldn't eat at, or, couldn't afford. Many of these same people though, love to brag about taking one bite out of their food because they are too full, and then have no problems with seeing it thrown in the garbage. They also brag that they would never do this if paying out of pocket - this is the problem that I am speaking of. These people have morally justified their wastage based on finances, and this is plain wrong. More specific, I read a post the other day of someone complaining about the absence of appetizer for 2008 DP - he said, we don't really eat our appetizers that much anyway as most of it goes in garbage, but by golly, Disney should offer it to me anyway! That is so wasteful and ridiculous!

My point and hope is that people will become more conscious of how and what they are eating in terms of a wasteful sense (but I bet those people aren't reading this thread anyway) - your examples don't fit into what I originally pointed out. I am speaking of the legions of posters on here and the WDW guests I share the parks with who think it's fine to waste food for very selfish reasons. Sometimes food waste is inevitable, but in many cases, it is not, and that is what I and the other posters above are speaking about.

Tiger

 

[Cleokitty]

"My point and hope is that people will become more conscious of how and what they are eating in terms of a wasteful sense (but I bet those people aren't reading this thread anyway)"

If "those people" aren't bothering to read your thread, then why bother to post?

If someone pays for the dining plan so that they are able to try new restaurants and menu items, they are entitled to order what the plan covers, whether you like it or not. If the posts disgust and insult you, don't read them.

We have the meal plan so that we can try new items. It doesn't mean we will order every item available to us, just that we like the option. On the other hand, if I eat at a restaurant and I don't like the food, I'm not going to eat it no matter what.

And a half a piece of cheesecake contributing to the downfall of the environment??? Good grief!! Oh yeah, I forgot . . . The United States of America is the root of all evil and is polluting the entire world. Give me a break folks!

And by the way, it's not my intention to be controversial either. We all have our pet peeves. I respect your opinion but if you don't like the posts, don't read them.

Ok. I'm finished being non-controversial.
(And by the way, "smiley" does eventually finish that bag of popcorn!)

 

[fumipappa]

If I order the vegetarian entree, how do I know how much food it is going to be? I see all kinds of reviews on these boards saying, I can't believe how small this dish was, or I can't believe how much food that was. Sure, if I order a Big Mac, I know how much food to expect. But if I go to a restaurant I've never been in before (which describes most Disney restaurants in my case), how can I be expected to know?

Purposeful waste makes no sense to me, but if something is more food than I anticipated, or if it turns out to be something that's not my cup of tea, I'm not going to eat it all on principal. That makes no sense to me either.

Is the US a wasteful country in general? Absolutely. Should I eat all of my entree on principal even though I'm stuffed to the gills? Absolutely not. Is it my fault that a dish turns out bigger than I expected it to be? Nope. Should I eat it all on principal because, hey, I ordered it? Nope. Should people order meals they KNOW their kids will not eat, because, hey, I've got the CS credits to use up and by golly, I'm gonna do it? Nope, that's stupid.

I think it's all a matter of degree. Purposely wasting food to use up credits is non-sensical. Requiring somebody to eat everything that they order regardless of the portion size or whether they're enjoying it? That's non-sensical too. Just my 2 cents!

Why can't we order food less than we want to eat at the beginning and order later if you are still hungry? so that you don't have to waste. Psychologicaly, people want to eat A LOT when they are hungly, meaning when they order dishes. Actually I truly believe that it is the customer's fault if a dish turns out bigger than customer expected, because the customer could not control the appetite when he/she orders.
That's why it is better to order "less than you want to eat'. It is not good idea to order how much you want. it is not only waste of food, it is also waste of money based on my point of view.(again, I am not forcing my idea to anybody, I am just posting how I fell about the topic.)

One point.

Is the US a wasteful country in general? Absolutely.

Actually US is the worst country about this issue. Among economicaly superior countries (ex. EU, japan, Korea, etc. note: I am purposely excluding China ), Americans are the worst about wasting food.

 

[melomouse]

Originally Posted by kirbydog48
A parent doesn't necessarily know ahead of time that their child is not going to eat their meal. Sometimes they're too tired or overstimulated, but you don't necessarily know that ahead of time. Believe me. I abhor wasting food as well, but to judge others in a morally superior way isn't always helpful.

This is not morally superior, but being genuinely flabbergasted and disgusted when people purposefully waste food because they have 'paid' for it. If you're new to a restaurant, then you should ask about portions, or look around at the other tables to get a sense of what the portion sizes are. Re: Children - Sometimes kids change their minds, become picky or won't eat, and so I'm not suggesting that this is a controllable problem, but when parents order big portions that they know their kids aren't going to eat, or, let their kids continuously load up their plates at buffets with food they aren't going to eat, that is very wasteful, indeed.....
Tiger

But Tiger - if you are "flabbergasted" and "disgusted" and looking around at other tables, there IS, indeed, an implication that you are judging others, therefore - I'm guessing that "moral superiority" is but a heartbeat away.

Parents actually do not even KNOW how much their kids will eat. Kids have hungry days and not-so-hungry days. Sometimes a good lunch, a smaller dinner. Sometimes my 11 y/o eats like a bird, other nights she'll down a steak no problem. No parent can actually do what you are asking, which is, I think, what kirby was suggesting.

And while I applaud your passionate protests on waste and the state of our country vs. others, and wasteful vs. poorer communities, almost every social issue of the day is observed on some level in the microcosm know as Disney World - and I betcha there's a thread here on the DIS to talk about it!!!! This just happens to be YOUR hot button.

That said - the waste of food doesn't personally bother me so much as the other pressing issues I've observed - namely folks in the parks and resorts dumping all their food/paper/container wastes for a CM to clean up or parents actively abusing kids as they traipse thru the Happiest Place on Earth

 

[Tiger926]

"My point and hope is that people will become more conscious of how and what they are eating in terms of a wasteful sense (but I bet those people aren't reading this thread anyway)"

If "those people" aren't bothering to read your thread, then why bother to post?

If someone pays for the dining plan so that they are able to try new restaurants and menu items, they are entitled to order what the plan covers, whether you like it or not. If the posts disgust and insult you, don't read them.

We have the meal plan so that we can try new items. It doesn't mean we will order every item available to us, just that we like the option. On the other hand, if I eat at a restaurant and I don't like the food, I'm not going to eat it no matter what.

And a half a piece of cheesecake contributing to the downfall of the environment??? Good grief!! Oh yeah, I forgot . . . The United States of America is the root of all evil and is polluting the entire world. Give me a break folks!

And by the way, it's not my intention to be controversial either. We all have our pet peeves. I respect your opinion but if you don't like the posts, don't read them.

Ok. I'm finished being non-controversial.
(And by the way, "smiley" does eventually finish that bag of popcorn!)

Thanks for opinion, but you missed my point. Nowhere did I say a half eaten piece of cheesecake is contributing to environmental disasters - but 10,000 half eaten pieces of cheesecake add up to a lot of wasted food - food that could go to feeding my at-risk students, for instance.

By the way, this isn't a U.S is the root of all evil thread at all, but about people being more conscious and respectful of how and what they eat. Eat something because you are hungry for it, not because you want to screw Disney, you paid for it, etc.

Tiger

 

[Praying Colonel]

Why do some think it's OK?

Probably for the same reason some feel comfortable condemning those who do it.

They're not going to let others' opinions keep them from doing what they feel like doing at that particular moment.

 

[Tiger926]

Originally Posted by kirbydog48
A parent doesn't necessarily know ahead of time that their child is not going to eat their meal. Sometimes they're too tired or overstimulated, but you don't necessarily know that ahead of time. Believe me. I abhor wasting food as well, but to judge others in a morally superior way isn't always helpful.




But Tiger - if you are "flabbergasted" and "disgusted" and looking around at other tables, there IS, indeed, an implication that you are judging others, therefore - I'm guessing that "moral superiority" is but a heartbeat away.

Parents actually do not even KNOW how much their kids will eat. Kids have hungry days and not-so-hungry days. Sometimes a good lunch, a smaller dinner. Sometimes my 11 y/o eats like a bird, other nights she'll down a steak no problem. No parent can actually do what you are asking, which is, I think, what kirby was suggesting.

And while I applaud your passionate protests on waste and the state of our country vs. others, and wasteful vs. poorer communities, almost every social issue of the day is observed on some level in the microcosm know as Disney World - and I betcha there's a thread here on the DIS to take about it!!!! This just happens to be YOUR hot button.

That said - the waste of food doesn't personally bother me so much as the other pressing issues I've observed - namely folks in the parks and resorts dumping all their food/paper/container wastes for a CM to clean up or parents actively abusing kids as they traipse thru the Happiest Place on Earth

I never compared the U.S. to other countries (that was someone else), nor do I actively look around to judge others - it's all around us at the parks, especially at the buffets.

I am also a parent, so I know that kids are finicky eaters, but we have a pretty good sense of how our daughter is eating as we enter restaurants, so we are pretty good at judging how and what she is going to eat. Have we made mistakes, sure, but this isn't what I am speaking of. As I stated, I am more concerned with people who blatantly and consistenly waste food from a sense of entitlement perspective.

Good discussion, Tiger

 

[lunabkat]

Not a "moral judgement" just a little news from a person who serves the banquets.

People just take some of everything,then don't finish everything because its too much food. Lots of times they come back for seconds even tho they have a semi full plate on the table they aren't going to finish. We go thru so much food at the buffets, and throw about half of it out because people don't realize how much food they will actually eat.

Lots of food gets wasted in this business and gets thrown out because we are not allowed to send the food to food banks because of the threat of food poisoning from the transport times. Sad but true, teach your kids to get a little and go back for more if they are hungry, throwing out extra food is the norm in this country. Just the way it is.

 

[Slapster]

We were on the dining plan a couple of trips ago and didn't eat every bit of what we ordered. We got an appetizer a piece, enjoyed most of it, then had our entrees. Ate most of that, saved some room for desert. Ate some of the desert, but not all of it. Guess I'm one of the people that disgusts and insults the OP. Yes, I am OK with that.

I give quite a bit to charity. I have money taken directly out of my paycheck that goes to the United Way. I've volunteered at the local Children's Hospital. I've done some work for Second Harverster's food bank. I'm a decent guy.

Tiger, if you could forward the organization for these at risk kids you work with, I'd gladly make a donation. No one should go hungry.

 

[itchin2go]

Why can't we order food less than we want to eat at the beginning and order later if you are still hungry? so that you don't have to waste. Psychologicaly, people want to eat A LOT when they are hungly, meaning when they order dishes. Actually I truly believe that it is the customer's fault if a dish turns out bigger than customer expected, because the customer could not control the appetite when he/she orders.
That's why it is better to order "less than you want to eat'. It is not good idea to order how much you want. it is not only waste of food, it is also waste of money based on my point of view.(again, I am not forcing my idea to anybody, I am just posting how I fell about the topic.)

One point.

Is the US a wasteful country in general? Absolutely.

Actually US is the worst country about this issue. Among economicaly superior countries (ex. EU, japan, Korea, etc. note: I am purposely excluding China ), Americans are the worst about wasting food.

Have you ever eaten in a unfamiliar restaurant? (fighting the urg to use caps lock) How can you POSSIBLY know what the portion size is before it comes? YOU CAN'T! Sure you can quiz the waiter for 15 minutes (is it about the size of my fist or the size of a soccer ball? does it fit comfortably on a 5 inch plate or a 9 inch plate), but I'm guessing most people ARE SANE and they realize the waiter has other things to do so they DON'T DO THIS.

I KNOW the kind of people that the OP was talking about. I READ all the time on these boards about people using up their DDP credits and ordering entrees for their kids when their kids only ate 2 bites of their appetizers. YES - there is a certain DDP related insanity that some people succumb to - whereby they lose all of their ever-lovin sense in the quest to USE THOSE CREDITS and GET THE MOST FOR THEIR MONEY. I, personally, think this is crazy, but that's just my humble opinion. I think it's equally crazy, though, to suggest that if someone orders some food and becomes full prior to cleaning their plate AND stops eating, then there's something wrong with that. Sane people don't purposely try to order WAY more than they could ever eat. But perfectly sane, normal, kind and law-abiding people order food and then see it come out of the kitchen and go, whoa, I didn't expect it to be that big. I'll never finish that. And if they're smart, they don't finish it.

And about the America being wasteful thing: I SAID America was wasteful. I said it before YOU did. What's your point? That America is wasteful? I KNOW. I said that already. I wish it weren't the truth but it is. I DON'T think the answer to THAT problem is to require that if people cannot be clairvoyant and magically anticipate the portion size of their order and correctly gauge whether that portion size will mesh with their particular appetite at that time OR magically know whether a particular dish will float their boat or make them gag, then they should be required to finish eating food when they realize that they've become full OR they discover that they HATE what they've ordered. I just don't.

Wait. I was politely dissenting. What happpened?

*going to find a glass of wine*

 

[itchin2go]

By the way, this isn't a U.S is the root of all evil thread at all, but about people being more conscious and respectful of how and what they eat. Eat something because you are hungry for it, not because you want to screw Disney, you paid for it, etc.

Tiger

Despite my dissent, such as it was, I am 100%, wholeheartedly in agreement with the above. You hit the nail on the head. And it's not just about eating. I've been thinking (and reading) about what a throw-away society we are. If you have a radio that breaks, it's cheaper to throw it out and get a new one than to have it repaired. And where does that broken radio go? Just food for thought. It is something that we all should think about.

 

[Tiger926]

We were on the dining plan a couple of trips ago and didn't eat every bit of what we ordered. We got an appetizer a piece, enjoyed most of it, then had our entrees. Ate most of that, saved some room for desert. Ate some of the desert, but not all of it. Guess I'm one of the people that disgusts and insults the OP. Yes, I am OK with that.

I give quite a bit to charity. I have money taken directly out of my paycheck that goes to the United Way. I've volunteered at the local Children's Hospital. I've done some work for Second Harverster's food bank. I'm a decent guy.

Tiger, if you could forward the organization for these at risk kids you work with, I'd gladly make a donation. No one should go hungry.

Thanks for your offer of a donation - how generous of you! I teach at a Canadian, at-risk high school though, so that's not possible. I am not talking about you at all, as you said you ate most of your food (just like we try and eat most of ours, but at times, it's not possible), but the people who have no intention of eating most or hardly any of their food (kids or adults) and then brag about it. These wasteful eaters do this all of the time - I forgot to mention that I have grown up in a restaurant family my entire 36 years of life, so I've seen a lot of waste on the part of patrons who specifically and consistently waste because the owners are probably rich so they can afford it anyway! This is the kind of mentality I see here on the boards as many people feel they have to get all of the food that is available or else they feel as if Disney has taken advantage of them.

I am sorry to have implied (I don't think I did though ) that people who don't clean their plates are 'bad' or 'immoral' as I am not a member of the you must clean your plate or else club. Just a contributing member of society who is very conscious of others around her who don't have hardly any food, and wouldn't dare think of wasting any of it for frivolous reasons.

Thanks, Tiger