Is it appropriate to ask the waiter for a take-away box at a restaurant in the UK?

Jon

Do you mean for taking away left-over food? That is not normally done here, so you might have to explain what you meant: the waiter might well think you meant you wanted to order a take-away meal. Unless it was a restaurant which also sold take-away food (as many Chinese, Indian and pizza places do) they would be unlikely to have any suitable containers available, because it would be very unusual for anyone to ask for them. If you wanted to bring your own suitable container along you could presumably put left-overs in it, but be prepared for other diners around you looking puzzled and possibly laughing at such an unusual sight.

Billybean

Much less so than in the USA. They might not have any such boxes. Your local Indian or Chinese will usually pack up your leftovers for you to takeaway.

Tavy

Very few have boxes, they might find you a paper bag. UK

Anonymous

Restaurants that are owned by ethnic minorities will provide you a takeaway box

armouror

I usually taker my own because i am a small eater even a childs portions is too big

Maxi

Only if you are eating at one of those Americanised places.....

Land-shark

Dog people simply carry dog poop bags and surreptitiously put the leftovers for the dog in one of those. I'd only ever ask an ethnic restaurant with its own take-away for a container. Its not done in classy restaurants at all.

sunshine_mel

It's not a problem - but you may find they're not prepared for such a request (it's not standard in the UK)

Siddhartha

They will say we don't do that or that there is a charge.

John P

As others note, in Britain the expression "take-away food" is what Americans call "food to go" - as purchased at MacDonald's or at a fish-and- chip shop, etc. And indeed, though I do not eat out much, I have never seen people in British restaurants departing with what is often called a "doggie-bag". Possibly that is because in Britain we do not get served with the monstrous-sized portions which seem common in the USA.

Mercury

Never seen anybody do that.

Anon

I would never do that.

Sukrit

Shouldn't do anything that cause shame. May all be so well and be restored.

The 90 Year Old: Homeless, Unemployed, Virgin

Yes even the Queen does it