"Dave Fossett" <reply@via.newsgroup> wrote in message news:<HjNab.308$SG6.261@news1.dion.ne.jp>...
> Chris Kern wrote:
> 
> > I was recently denied a doggie bag in a restaurant, apparently because
> > they feared I would let the food spoil and then they would be liable
> > for the food poisoning.
> >
> > How common is this?  Tonight at Coco's they let me take home pizza, so
> > it's not universal.
> 
> In my experience it is fairly common and has been for many years, but
> obviously it will vary from place to place. Restaurants at the top of the
> Sogo next to Omiya station all have signs up saying that they are not
> allowed by law to let customers take home leftovers. Presumably they had a
> lot of problems with obasan coming prepared with Tupperware containers.
> The "Judge" programme on TV also covered this a while back. It said that
> regardless of local hygiene laws, restaurants are entirely within their
> rights to choose not to allow customers to take home leftovers. Basically,
> when you order food at a restaurant, this is intended to be consumed on the
> premises in the state in which it was served, so just because you have paid
> for it doesn't mean you have the right to take it home.

If they won't give you a doggie bag, ask them for a barf bag :-)

ann