Have you stolen things from restaurants?

April 4, 2012 1:49 PM

Thieves! Food Lovers! Have you ever taken something from a restaurant after a really amazing meal, or really special occasion? Am I the only one?

I am wondering what people take from restaurants to remember a really special meal. Napkins? Glasses? Once I a boyfriend of mine stole two little bread plates when we were on vacation in Cuba, because the plates were gorgeous and said "Habana" on them. I love these plates and kind of show them off to guests at my house. Does everybody have these little mementos? Do you? I'd love to hear real stories of meals that were so special you suspended your normal ethics and swiped that salt shaker.

posted by aoleary to Food & Drink (19 answers total)

I take menus, but only when that's obviously appropriate (e.g. at fancy restaurants that print up new menus every day, on paper, and will clearly not re-use it), but no, I have never nor have I ever heard of anyone stealing actual stuff from restaurants. I can't imagine thinking that it's an OK thing to do.
posted by brainmouse at 1:51 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]

My mother has swiped at least one menu during her life. At least.
posted by griphus at 1:52 PM on April 4, 2012

From Eater SF: Shit People Steal.
posted by soleiluna at 1:52 PM on April 4, 2012

I steal ashtrays. Don't tell anyone.
posted by puddinghead at 1:53 PM on April 4, 2012

Most people who want a memento from a restaurant typically limit themselves to matchbooks.
posted by deanc at 1:53 PM on April 4, 2012

We ate at IHOP one time and our baby (at the time) was fiddling around with some stuff on the table. Later, once back home, I changed his diaper and found a butter knife in his diaper. It must have slipped off the table and gotten in his diaper. But, I don't show off the knife.
posted by Sassyfras at 1:54 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]

I must say I don't understand doing this, so no, as a food lover I never have. It seems equivalent to taking some of the silver after a lovely meal at someone's home. When I love a restaurant, I write them up on Yelp! and other dining review spots, and I plan to return, and I praise them to others. I wouldn't touch a hair on their adorable heads, much less help myself to their goods as a souvenir.
posted by bearwife at 1:55 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

That said, I once admired a pint glass and asked the bartender if the bar sold them. He wrapped one up in some napkins and gave me one. Not technically stealing, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't policy to hand them out to customers. I still have it. It's a nice pint glass.
posted by deanc at 1:56 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]

No, I don't. I recently ate an amazing meal at a great restaurant that changes its menu every day, and at the end of the meal they presented us with a copy of the menu as a memento (its like brainmouse mentions, just a single sheet printed each day). I had already taken a photo of it, because I am gauche like that, but I thought it was cool.
posted by Joh at 1:57 PM on April 4, 2012

I've taken lots of leftover boxes, but otherwise, no.

It's stealing to take something you didn't pay for, just because it's gorgeous or pretty and one really likes it. Maybe ask the restaurant if you can buy it or of x-objects are for sale, or where you can get them--but not steal them.

I have never known anyone that did something like this.
posted by raztaj at 1:57 PM on April 4, 2012

My wife once stole a fork to remember that special time we "got drunk enough that she decided to steal something."

I wouldn't really recommend it as a habit, though.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 1:58 PM on April 4, 2012

We have a collection of framed menus from our favorite restaurants on our dining room wall. We've only ever taken the disposable type, and usually after we ask nicely.

In High School, friends of mine took an entire place setting from a Chinese place they frequented -- one item at a time over a number of visits -- and presented the whole thing superglued to a cafeteria tray as a gift to another friend.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:59 PM on April 4, 2012

I can honestly say I have never stolen anything from a restaurant no matter how good the meal was or how pretty their crockery was. I know someone with an ashtray stolen from a pub and a friend stole a ketchup bottle from a take-away on a dare when we were drunk teenagers but I don't think I've ever been to a proper restaurant and had a friend steal anything
posted by missmagenta at 2:01 PM on April 4, 2012

As a former server, I saw someone slip a butterknife in their purse. I thought it was a pretty unclassy thing to do -- it's stealing. If you want a souvenir, ask -- most restaurants have stuff for sale, or would at least work out a deal with you.
posted by DoubleLune at 2:01 PM on April 4, 2012

I once stole two forks and steak knives from Outback - I am proud of nothing in that sentence, believe me.
posted by tristeza at 2:01 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

I once, when I was a teenager, took an ashtray from a restaurant because I was so angry with them for ripping me off on my meal (ordered as part of a group outing) and basically treating us all like crap that I wanted to punish the restaurant. THE RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DEFY ME RESTAURANTS.

So I think that was a dumbass 14-year-old thing to do (I am sure that the CEO of that steakhouse chain lost sleep over someone stealing a $2 ashtray and vowed to treat customers better in future) but yeah, I did it.

The idea of stealing something from a restaurant because I was happy with my meal and how the restaurant treated me seems perverse. But I am a weirdly linear thinker, so that could just be me.
posted by Sidhedevil at 2:01 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

When I was a wee teen about 20 years ago I stole a mug from Denny's on a dare. I did leave a ginormous tip out of guilt though.

I actually still have that mug.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 2:02 PM on April 4, 2012

My (now-deceased) grandmother compulsively stole ashtrays from restaurants, and had quite a collection of Trader Vic's tiki-style ones that she had in a display case.
posted by juniperesque at 2:03 PM on April 4, 2012

I loved the simple wine glasses at a restaurant we went to often. I asked the waiter, they gave me a set of six at their cost.

Stealing is stealing.
posted by HuronBob at 2:03 PM on April 4, 2012