Video: New York restaurant owner shares story of 'garbage plates'
Fran Basile, owner of Dogtown restaurant in Rochester, New York, explains why bowls of macaroni salad, meat sauce, and hot dogs are such a popular menu item.
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As inflation tightens wallets, some restaurant customers are squeezing too much out of condiments—a trend now called “pocket stuffing”—and restaurants are feeling the pinch.
Customers who “pocket pack” at restaurants or fast food establishments carry excessive amounts of items such as plastic utensils, straws, napkins, and condiments, including sugar and ketchup packets.
Victor Carvalho, owner of the first Dunkin' Donuts in Massachusetts, recently told Boston's WCVB that he saw people taking huge amounts of items every day.
“People remain people. Their habits don't change depending on where they are,” Carvalho told the channel.
While Carvalho said there is no set policy limiting how much people can take, he said businesses ultimately pay for it.
Diners, embracing the “pocket food” trend, are stocking up on free restaurant gifts like ketchup packets and straws. (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)
Carvalho said he once saw a woman take a Dunkin' sugar packet out of her purse and say it was “for emergencies.”
A Maryland resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital that he likes to carry extra napkins in his car and is also known to carry extra Chick-fil-A sauces.
California etiquette expert Rosalind Randall says most business owners want to be sure their customers won't take advantage of them, although some do.
Some go too far.
“A business owner has to have faith in people to have a 'take what you need' policy, to have faith that only a few will take more than they need,” Randall told Fox News Digital.
“As a customer and community member, remember that nothing is free, like a shopping cart. It's a courtesy provided by the company to make your experience more enjoyable.”
“A business owner has to have faith in people to have a 'take what you need' policy,” etiquette expert Peter Burke told Fox News Digital. (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)
Some go too far, Randall said. She cited examples of people filling a personal 16-ounce thermos with coffee creamer or using an entire jar of stir sticks for a child's school project.
She said businesses could take steps to discourage pickpocketing by posting signs that say, “Take what you need.”
Some people go too far in “packing their pockets,” according to an etiquette expert. (iStock)
Establishments could also dispense items, allowing customers to order more as needed.
For those who take pocket stuffing to the extreme, Randall said she'll ask, “How would you react if your guests left with a few rolls of toilet paper and a bottle of wine for later?”
Sourse: www.foxnews.com
