I understand that not finishing your food at restaurants is frowned upon in Japan. Is it rude to ask the waiter to pack the food that you can't finish for take-away. It's quite normal to do this at some restaurants in my country. As in you go to a restaurant, order something, eat and then realise that you can't finish the whole portion, so you ask the waiter to pack the remaining for you to bring home. Do people do this here?

Question

catsland · Answer

Restaurants which are conscious about compliance and risk management would refuse it.
In Japanese food hygiene law there is no sentences prohibiting to let customers take away leftovers. However if the customer gets sick because of the food it must be very difficult to make it clear who is responsible for it. As long as they serve only inside of the restaurants it's impossible for customers to eat their food after 30 hours passed.
There was an attempt to reduce leftovers in a prefecture but the local government had to make a guideline for it.

消費者の方へ あくまでも自己責任の範囲で持ち帰っていただくようお願いします。
To customers: be aware it's your responsibility to take food away.

【基本的な注意事項】
• 清潔な箸などを使って、清潔な容器に入れてください。
Use clean chopsticks and put it in a clean package.

• 容器へは食品ごとに分けて入れてください。汁気のあるものは汁気を切ってから入れてください。
Don't mix up food in the package. Food with soup should be dried before putting in.

• 刺身、サラダ等の生ものは、持ち帰らないようにしてください。
Don't take away sashimi, salad and so on.

• また、十分加熱されていない食肉料理、玉子料理も同様に持ち帰らないでください。
Don't take away half cooked meat and egg as well.

• 暖かいところに置かないようにしてください。
Don't leave food somewhere warm.

2
営業者の方へ 料理の持ち帰りを認めるときは、料理の取り扱いについて次のような注意書きを添えるなどして、消費者の方へ食中毒予防のための注意喚起をしていただくようお願いし ます。
To restaurant owners: indicate warning below to make consumers careful about food poison.

• できるかぎり早めに食べてください。喫食可能な時間や保存温度は、お店の方に訊 ねてください。
• 加熱可能な食品は、再加熱してから食べましょう。
• 臭いや食感に少しでも不安を感じた場合は、食べないようにしましょう。
【例示1】
• 料理のお持ち帰りは、お客様の責任においてお願いします。 • 早めにお召し上がりください。
• 暖かいところに置かないようお願いします。
• 生もののお持ち帰りはご遠慮ください。
• 再加熱してお召し上がりください。
【例示2】
• 料理の持ち帰りは、お客様の責任においてお願いします。
• 長時間、暖かいところで保存することにより、食中毒の危険性が高まりますので、十
分注意してください。

catsland · Answer

@AlexiaFoster Hmm, is there any reason you can say "there isn't risk of poisoning"?
I read an article about food poison which killed 48 people and made 4000 people sick in Europe several years ago.
There are risks always unless you live eating plastic and metal.

catsland · Answer

Asking if your order is too much to the waiter/waitress is also a good way. I always do it at restaurants I've never eaten at not to waste food. They look around the number of your group, men or women, how tall you are etc. and give you a reasonable answer.
Ordering dishes little by little is also recommended way.

Blackey_1014 · Answer

Some restaurants have the service like this.
But many restaurants don't have this service because they have a responsibility to avoid food poisoning.

Bikila · Answer

Personally, I haven't. But I’m sure that there are some restaurants which offer such service:)

-Alexia- · Answer

In Spain it's possible to do that!

-Alexia- · Answer

In Spain we don't have that type of laws, there isn't risk of poisoning nor anything. We just bring the food to our home because nowdays so many food is wasted, and it's so bad to throw food to the bin when a lot of people in other places have malnutrition and can't eat almost anything because of poverty.

-Alexia- · Answer

@catsland

I correct myself: "there isn't almost any risk".

Utente eliminato · Answer

"you go to a restaurant, order something, eat and then realise that you can't finish the whole portion"

Lol... This is why I always order things I know I can finish eating.

Yugotk · Answer

In Brazil they don't care if it's you who ask to pack the food, but if the owner in the end of the day give food to beggars he can sue him because of it.

Personally, I haven't. But I’m sure that there are some restaurants which offer such service:)

In Spain it's possible to do that!

Some restaurants have the service like this.But many restaurants don't have this service because they have a responsibility to avoid food poisoning.

@AlexiaFoster Hmm, is there any reason you can say "there isn't risk of poisoning"?I read an article about food poison which killed 48 people and made 4000 people sick in Europe several years ago.There are risks always unless you live eating plastic and metal.

@catsland I correct myself: "there isn't almost any risk".

In Brazil they don't care if it's you who ask to pack the food, but if the owner in the end of the day give food to beggars he can sue him because of it.

"you go to a restaurant, order something, eat and then realise that you can't finish the whole portion"Lol... This is why I always order things I know I can finish eating.

Fai domande a utenti madrelingua gratis

Some restaurants have the service like this.
But many restaurants don't have this service because they have a responsibility to avoid food poisoning.

@AlexiaFoster Hmm, is there any reason you can say "there isn't risk of poisoning"?
I read an article about food poison which killed 48 people and made 4000 people sick in Europe several years ago.
There are risks always unless you live eating plastic and metal.

@catsland

I correct myself: "there isn't almost any risk".

"you go to a restaurant, order something, eat and then realise that you can't finish the whole portion"

Lol... This is why I always order things I know I can finish eating.