Stealing from Restaurants

[hungry prof]

I read things like this Young and Hungry piece by Jessica Sidman and wonder, "What the hell is wrong with people?"

[FunnyJohn]

Once when having cocktails at Harry's Bar in Venice, I was tempted to put one of the ashtrays (cheap paste in the shape of a seashell, but had "Harry's Bar" molded into them) into my date's purse and abscond, but my conscience got the better of me, so I asked our waiter if I could buy one -- thinking they would simply charge me their cost.  Wrong!  The waiter after asking his manager, came back and informed me that I could have one for 15,000 lire (about $22.00 at the time).  Too embarrassed to decline the offer, I coughed up the cash.  Soon after my visit to Venice I was transferred to Kuala Lumpur and I thought the ashtray would be a cool accoutrement on my desk.  When my stuff arrived I unpacked it brought it to the office and it slipped from my hands and broke since it was basically a cheap (yet pricey) piece of clay.

[DaveO]

oh lordie.  these articles spark memories:

While in college I recall hanging out at a cabin at a beach resort with some friends.  The ladies who lived there all worked at a local restaurant and we feasted on their stolen lobsters.  hmmm  surprisingly tasty.  During that period I recall being in the Florida keys, stealing lobsters from the lobster pods in the shallow water, roasting them up on the beach.  tasty again.

I wish you hadn't sourced this article.  

[ktmoomau]

I don't think I have ever stolen anything from a restaurant before.  I didn't even steal a tray from the dining hall to sled in college.  I had friends who had mugs from Denny's, the dining hall, etc.  But I have pretty good online search and find capabilities.  If I really like something I will make a note on my iphone of the brand, sometimes take a picture. Hubby liked certain silverware at a restaurant and we got a similar type of the same brand at Crate and Barrel.  If there was something I really liked that was personalized- like there is a KT's bar, but I didn't go in- I would offer to buy it.  

[Pat]

I liked those little flashlight magnifiers they have at Proof, so I asked about buying one several years ago.  It didn't cost that much.  Now I have my own, though I don't use it as much as I thought I would.  (I haven't been to Proof in a while, so I don't know if they still have them.  I'm sure the theft rate on them must be high.)

Offering glasses, cutlery, etc., for sale might be one way to cut down on theft, but for some people (especially the copper mug thief featured in the article), the stealing is a key part of the appeal.  But, for people who say they'd never shoplift, it might be a disincentive to walk out with something if there's a placard on the table that lists a price for it.

I saw in one of the comments on that article that one place required a $25 credit card deposit on the Moscow Mule mugs, refunded upon return of the mug and payment of the bill.  That's probably the way to go for an item like that, especially since they cost the restaurant that much.

[DonRocks]

Man, I thought walking out with the occasional cheap paper menu stuffed into my pocket (so I can write a review) was bad. (It's also pointless because I don't think anyone has ever said "no" when I simply ask.)

The Darwin Awards have been announced, and this year's winner is Peter Ogburn.

[DaveO]

Man I feel so dirty fessing up to something I did back in my college days.    OTOH at some point in the last decade I purchased a set of six of what I thought were very neat ladle like soup spoons from a restaurant.  That was a first.  It was something that had never crossed my mind previously.  I do recall thinking that I could have stolen them while making payment.  ...but stealing six would have involved a lot of visits, coercing fellow diners into joining my thievery, etc.  not easy.  not worth it...and lo and behold...I would have felt still dirtier with this article.

But the scope and costs of all that theft in the article above.  Mind blowing.

[Barbara]

Peter Ogburn is the producer for the Bill Press Show, which is broadcast from a studio on Capitol Hill. He's on from 6 to 9 am on several radio stations around the country--but not in this area (we listen to his show on The Mic 92.1 from Madison on the computer) and is also on at the same time on Free Speech TV, if you have cable and can get it. Ogburn subs for Press when he is away and also chats with him from time to time. Tomorrow's show is likely to be very interesting.

[jiveturk21]

I never stole anything from a restaurant, but I had a friend that did it a lot when we were in college and for a bit once we graduated.  The crap he stole was terrible and, if I were him, I would have been embarassed to open my kitchen cabinet and have 50 random glasses from random restaurants.

Once I seriously considered stealing a sign from Denny's that said "Mom's Cherry Pie."  It was a big sign that stood on it's own (pop-out style).  I decided against it because I couldn't deal with the thought of my mother wacking me upside the head if I got arrested for doing it.

[DaveO]

I never stole anything from a restaurant, but I had a friend that did it a lot when we were in college and for a bit once we graduated.  The crap he stole was terrible and, if I were him, I would have been embarassed to open my kitchen cabinet and have 50 random glasses from random restaurants.

Once I seriously considered stealing a sign from Denny's that said "Mom's Cherry Pie."  It was a big sign that stood on it's own (pop-out style).  I decided against it because I couldn't deal with the thought of my mother wacking me upside the head if I got arrested for doing it.

The honesty of various members is commendable.  I can't put myself in that category.  Not to assign it to learned behavior from others.....but as a kid I do recall my older brother having ripped up and stolen a parking space sign for an employee at our local library.  He had the metal post and a great big sign with the employee's name on it.  The employee's last name was BLOOD

[SeanMike]

My mom used to steal beer glasses from brewpubs. It always embarrassed me. She finally stopped doing it.

I don't understand why more people just don't ask "hey, I like this, how much is it if I want one?" Then again, I remember that many people are either selfish, thoughtless, or inconsiderate.

[ktmoomau]

The honesty of various members is commendable.  I can't put myself in that category.  Not to assign it to learned behavior from others.....but as a kid I do recall my older brother having ripped up and stolen a parking space sign for an employee at our local library.  He had the metal post and a great big sign with the employee's name on it.  The employee's last name was BLOOD

Oh, I stole a road sign, and a parking meter in my youth with some help-inspiration from friends, nothing from a restaurant.  Apparently one of my aunts favors was pulled, and a check was written, to keep me out of trouble for the parking meter one.  The other sign was being taken down for replacement.

[jiveturk21]

The honesty of various members is commendable.

My life is pretty much an open book (not just on this forum where no one knows me, but in my real life as well).  I am able to do this, for the most part, because I have pretty much done very little in my life that would be considered "wrong."  I'm a goodie-two-shoes, not sure where the hell that came from in my family tree.

[TedE]

My collection of logo-ed bar ware is not insignificant.  Not all of it was paid for, but a very large portion was.  Some of the remainder were gifts or brewery giveaways, the remainder I chalk up to the former contents of those glasses.  And youth.  Mostly.