Doggie Bag Policy- Page 2

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:30pm

If you bring your own food, how can they sell their grossly overpriced snacks to you?

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:30pm

"I arrived at the Olive Garden at 1 and the show was a 2."

I have no issues with the restaurant choice, I just can't believe someone actually tried having a sit down meal an hour before showtime. If you're that hungry and that pressed for time, go to Sbarro or a deli and grab something quick.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:31pm

A: I find it hysterical that people consider bringing in a doggie bag 'rude'. Bringing in your left-overs isn't rude, it's just odd. Rude is when you crack it open in the middle of the show and start eating it.

B: And all of the talk about getting sick off of food that has been out more than 2 hours is sad. That means you have no immune system. Heck, when I was growing up, we had picnics all of the time and ate food that had been out all day, including things with mayonaise, and never ONCE did anyone get sick.

Maybe eating the paint chips and living with smokers made us stronger...

[Jess03187]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:32pm

I always take my leftover food with me and if I happen to see a homeless man or something I just give it to them but if I dont by the time I get to the theatre I usually throw it out because I didnt think you were allowed to bring it in. When I went to go see Legally Blonde I was about to throw my food away and the guy that worked there told me they have a back room where they can store the food so thats what I did and just picked it up after the show and it was still good. I dont know if every theatre does that but its good to know. I rather go out to eat after the show because for some reason I always end up with leftovers!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:33pm

Once we went to the Roxy deli when we were staying in the city

We could not leave it in the room so we gave our leftovers to a guy sitting out front.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:38pm

Did Joe say "Thank You"?

[LondonSean]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 8:30pm

Long response, as stuff like this is so interesting!

Bringing in hot food to the auditorium is not on, it offends other people. If the food is cold/lukewarm, sealed up, doesn’t smell and is out of sight, that is fine (why would it be offensive? You can’t see or smell it).

I go to the theatre in London most nights, so I very occasional due to strained circumstances have a sandwich and/or apple in my briefcase for the interval. If I’m with friends, I might even bring something sweet (chocolate) for the interval. Having a picnic in a theatre is not on, but discreetly eating non-smelly food at the interval (out of the auditorium) is fine.

On theatre food and drink, I simply never buy it; it is far too expensive, often to the extent that it is a disgraceful rip off. I have the willpower to resist a glass of inferior wine for a few hours, which so many people find impossible (although I think the financial position of those going to the theatre for an occasional treat is vastly different to those of us who go regularly).

Generally any activity during the show is not acceptable for me, that includes eating, unwrapping sweets, drinking (other than water, though try not to be ostentatious), talking, checking phones (I have seen people take calls!), rooting around noisily in handbags, basically anything that is not watching the show.

Agree, going to a restaurant 1 hour before curtain is somewhat silly!

Also agree that those who think food is ‘bad’ after two hours in a theatre is going over the top. I often have half a sandwich at lunchtime and have the rest before the evening show. Let’s have a little bit more resilience people!

I sometimes have to go grocery shopping before the theatre (packaged cold stuff, like a tin of soup for the next day), so I might have a couple of items in my briefcase. I think if a theatre here tried to stop me taking my tin of beans to the theatre (not to eat them!) in my briefcase, I would not be very happy.

Also some people talk about allowing food into the theatre being some kind of slippery slope (people will eat it!). Well, I have a knife in my kitchen, but I’m not going to stab anyone! There are social rules and norms that people should abide by, not eating at the theatre is one of them (common sense and common decency), allowing food to be taken into the auditorium (like my tin of beans) is absolutely not giving permission for that food to be consumed. This is a very interesting point actually, we seem to be too scared to enforce rules like this (I would tell people in no uncertain terms to desist eating!), so prohibiting things that might possibly lead to social rule infringement becomes a more popular option. To me this is a restrictive viewpoint; I think prohibiting people carrying guns or combat knives on their person in a city is a good idea for example, there is a different level of risk and public safety there. But stopping someone bringing in leftovers, secured and wrapped up, not smelling and out of plain view (i.e you don’t have to see cold lasagne) is slightly over the top, JUST in case people decide to eat them. Tell the ushers who presumably search the bags (and bag searches are not universal here in London anymore, it changes) to tell the patrons no to eat their food. Throw them out/tell them off if they do!

www.seaninthestalls.blogspot.com

Updated On: 5/19/08 at 08:30 PM

[cello_dude]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 8:37pm

I work as a FOH employee and food is NOT allowed inside. No matter if you plan to eat it or ship it to China later, it is not allowed. I hate it when people ask us what to do with it. Honestly, if I tell you that you cannot bring it in what do you think your options are? common! This policy is effective at all broadway theaters but sometimes is not enforced. There are many reasons for it

-people eating food at their seats, which is annoying and distracting and messy
-leaving the food in the coatcheck and forgetting about it causes gnats (those tiny little fruit fly things in garbage)
-gnats=health dept inspection

[LondonSean]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 8:39pm

Also interesting, doggie bags seem popular and routine in NYC. They are the exception in London, I have never seen anyone asking for one, or anyone with one, nor has anyone I know ever asked for one (as far as I know…). I think that take out and proper restaurants are more clearly defined in London than in NYC; in New York you can get take out from so many proper restaurants, that would not be so normal here.
Updated On: 5/19/08 at 08:39 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/19/08 at 8:44pm

It does surprise me how many people in NYC get them...especially tourists. Do that many hotel rooms have microwaves and fridges in them??? What do you DO with the leftovers?? It would never occur to me to get a doggie bag when I'm traveling. Gross!

And seriously...what local would a) go to Olive Garden and b) go anywhere sit down 1 hour prior to curtain?

Updated On: 5/19/08 at 08:44 PM

[Esparzafan]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 9:26am

Cello Dude, I'm happy to hear it's a policy at Broadway theatres. I've encountered the doggie bag situation in many off-Broadway theatres where it isn't enforced well and honestly, the smell at two different shows was enough to permeate the entire, not so tiny, space. It's just not fair to the people around them to smell these leftovers all night.

Slightly off topic, but I went to Town Hall to see Joe Jackson a few weeks ago. We were near the front of the mezz and the usher was being vigilant about not allowing food or drinks from the bar on-site inside. She would make people return to the lobby area to finish them. It blew my mind when the woman in front of me proceeded to eat an entire container of very pungent soup and a package of crackers the minute the lights went down.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 9:41am

"If you bring your own food, how can they sell their grossly overpriced snacks to you?"


Why do people need to eat, period? I mean, can't folks sit for two to three hours without eating?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 9:42am

When I saw Grease I ate at the Olive Garden before hand.

Typical.

[KrissySim]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 1:45pm

This thread kills me. First the title. I thought "doggie bags" were the plastic bags you use to clean up after a dog.

In many countries you never take food out of a restaurant.

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 2:09pm

If I eat at a restaurant before a show, I usually have a smaller meal. A salad and a side or some carpaccio. Just enough to hold me and then I have a bite after the show. If it is a matinee, I grab a slice of pizza or a hot dog and then I am fine until dinner. I never take leftovers into the theater. I did once here in Denver and what they will do here is keep it in the coat check if you ask them to. But not many people bring food in.

[NDR]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 2:17pm

A little off topic, but I had a lady serve lunch to herself and her husband during Les Mis! Thanks for chomping on a ham sandwich during On My Own. It was so rude. She even proceeded to hand out drink boxes, unwrap cookies, etc.
All while the performers were singing their hearts out.
I wanted to turn around and shove her food down her throat so she would shut up and stop making noise.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 2:18pm

The St. James clearly does not have a policy since during Gypsy the woman behind me enjoyed a stinky shrimp salad out of a take out container during Act One and the woman down the aisle busted out a McD's bag and ate fries out of it.

I think it all depends on how crafty you are. I am sure the St.James staff would not have let a styrofoam take out container or a McDs bag make it in, but these woman had huge sachels which I am sure they stored the offensive grub.

[heathurrr]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 2:20pm

As I always say,
a Broadway (or any other that plays/musicals preform in) theatre is not a movie theatre. Do not eat in one.

I find eating in a theatre extremely disrespectful to the performance.

Updated On: 5/20/08 at 02:20 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 2:20pm

Honestly, when I saw CHICAGO, so many people were being so rude, getting up in the middle of the show to go to the bathroom, talk on their cellphones, etc.....if this is the new Broadway audience, maybe they should just set up a f**king buffet in the lobby.

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 2:25pm

"leaving the food in the coatcheck and forgetting about it causes gnats"

And that's why if it isn't picked up in a certain amount of time after the show, it gets tossed.

"And seriously...what local would sit down 1 hour prior to curtain?"

I've seen it happen all the time in San Francisco, and the servers don't even bat an eye. If it's a restaurant close by the theatre, I've even heard them ask patrons if they are seeing the show.

It's all about customer service when you think about it. I've made suggestions to theatre patrons all the time whether they bring in coffee/tea/food, etc. Either you can watch the show from the monitor until you're done and then I'll seat you in the back for the remainder, or I can keep it for you until at the end of the show.

[winston89]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 6:04pm

I remember getting student rush for Les Miserables. I was sitting next to this nice young girl around my age and we started talking and whatnot. During What Have I Done She takes out this onion bagle and starts eating it. I quietly reminder her that she shouldn't be eating in the theatre and that what she is eating smells and that smell is bothering me. She turned to me and said. I am not making any noise I don't see why I can't eat it.

My head went into my hand and I just sat there thinking "Oh my god."

I usually go to the theatre on my own and rush or use TKTS. I always eat beforehand. And, if I am not hungry I wait until the show is over. I never have been at the point of me being so hungry that I had to buy a candy bar normally priced at a buck fifty for five bucks. I realize I can wait a couple of hours its not a big deal at all.


If I am going to the theatre with my family and we go out to dinner before at a restaurant I don't think that we have ever had a situation where we would get a doggy bag. This is because we know that we are going to the theatre and we don't want to carry it around the entire time. The same thing goes for us if we are seeing a concert and going to dinner before the concert as well.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 6:22pm

I had once had a sitdown dinner about an hour before a show started but I sat at the bar and my food was out within 10 minutes. I usually don't eat before I go to the theatre(mostly for fear of getting sick during the show). I will drink some water or eat a candy bar at intermission though. If I would have some leftovers I would just let them at the restuarant.

As for the people that said you can't get sick from eating leftovers after they have been out for a certain amount of time are WRONG. I worked in food service for 12 years and you can definitaly get sick on food left out for over 2 hrs. Especially meat and seafood.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 7:25pm

sorry double post

Updated On: 5/20/08 at 07:25 PM

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 5/20/08 at 9:54pm

Some food won't go bad quickly and some food will. Some food won't smell too much and some will.

Honestly, shrimp will both start to smell and will go bad quickly, though it might not smell if it's packed in a plastic container. But in what you usually get for a doggie bag, yeah, I'd think that your neighbors in a theatre would probably smell it.