Do you allow anybody eating with you to waste food at restaurant or home ? Thai wasting food...

[aber]

So many people think that because we live in Thailand we have to become stupid or even just accept the stupid things in their culture. So funny.

What is smart from farangland will always be, and Thai will just adapt when they will get more educated and smarter.

If you think that I am not going to wear an helmet on a motobike because millions of retarded don't wear it here, you are wrong !

Some of you blokes are soooooooo stuck in farangland...........

[aber]

Thank you ! Few of us are able to think and have real ideas without just doing what locals do !

Seems like a lot of replies here attacking the OP but I don't think there'd be any argument anyone I knows live in Thailand that Thais are greedy and opportunistic when the farang is paying. I just think they're hopeless with anything to do with money. When I first met my missus she'd be lucky to scrape together 10 stang change. Money was important then. Now she has 1000, 500 baht notes just thrown in the pockets of her carry bag. Too lazy to put in her wallet. 1000 baht fell out on the ground this morning at Makro. I don't know if it's greedy or what but rural thais definitely have an easy come easy go attitude, more so when it's money they haven't sweated foe themselves

[sead]

Always tell my girlfriend that if she ain't finishing all food she order she is paying

[aber]

Good ! Next time this is what I will do if anybody dare to waste food when I am with them.

So incredible that nobody else here is able to understand that many Thai are not even able to know if they are hungry or not and how much they want to eat.

They order and then start to think that they are not so hungry. So crazy.

The traditional way is to order many plates and for people to share, IT IS NOT A THAI TRADITION TO WASTE FOOD. It only happened once that we ordered food for friends and they then didn't eat it all, I was expected to pay for the food as we invited them. When it was time to pay for the food I deducted the untouched food and only paid for the food eaten. My wife ended up paying for the food, but the lesson was learned that I don't tolerate wasting food. Since then we never had the problem again and she no also order less food and even order a second time rather than ordering too much at first. As to the people who said they can't be blamed if the food is not up to standard, well I also sorted that out with the wife. At the beginning she would never complain about bad food (or service). We one day got very bad food and I complained to her, but she refused to complain to the waiter. So I took the B 60 the dish cost and tore up the 3 B 20 bills. She was shocked but the message got through that if we buy food and its not up to standard and we pay for it we are wasting money. Today there are never wasted food nor a problem complaining about bad food. Most restaurants will deduct the price of the dish if you complain.

[Heng]

Healthwise it'll probably cost a LOT more in the long run if you always finish everything. But yeah, plenty of discarded food around here. Who cares what the tourists and visitors think about it?

[elgordo38]

I don't generally seek to control Thai people's behaviour.

You don't know what you are missing.

Controlling the locals is very important. They cannot live without the rigid teutonic direction of the superior continental European.

Hopefully, this chap doesn't walk along the road to the beach where we are as there are always papaya, mangoes and bananas which have fallen to the ground. I fear he would force the locals walking by to eat them.

I think there is enough "rigid rule" in the country at present also I think the man is trying to make a point on wastage. He does not deserve people jumping all over him. Its my Robin Hood complex shining through again.

[jeab1980]

What a real man the OP is he must be very well liked to go out with a meal with him. How many friends!!!! Can imagine him strict dad figure OH YOU Thai eat those noodles. For goodness sake, you need to get out more or as thai police would say come in for attitude adjustment.

[Gecko123]

Who are all these people you are wining and dining, that's what I'd like to know? You said they're not bar girls. Who are they? Whoever they are it doesn't sound like you have a whole lot of respect for them, or know how to communicate with them. Why are you eating with them, never mind picking up the tab?

[laolover88]

Op has a couple of strange comments:

I am the one who control what they order anyway

and this

I also often see Thai going to restaurant, ordering 1 dish, eating 3 spoons and leaving,

I can barely think of an occasion in decades where I have seen that.

and as for controlling what people order; the only time I do that is if I was the one who cooked the food!

Of course here is different from western countries in several notable ways.

Thais have a quite rigid attitude to their regimen. 3 meals a day should be eaten. The requirements of work mean that people sit down, on their own to eat rice soup or whatever for breakfast, or they order something like Moo Ping to take away. Not many people sitting at restaurants at 06.00.

Lunch should be eaten at 12. The pattern of eating is different. Many workers, again, eat on their own or with office colleagues. Some attention should be paid to the size of dishes like Duck Noodles or Kao Ka Moo. The are very carefully calibrated to be sufficient. If a noodle shop holder thinks they can enlarge the portion at a profit that is done. While you see people eat together there are not many "lunch parties". The evening is again different people go out to eat together and everyone has a menu and order what they want,especially with consultation all round. If we eat together as a family, I pay. If however my friends or my wife's friends come they invariably contribute generously. The only exception would be if we actually formally invited some people to join us.

I have barely ever seen anything wasted. If it is no good, you don't eat it, even send it back. It can go home. If something got ordered that one person does not like, there will be someone else to eat it! And if there is not enough:order more.

I find the whole process civilized and relaxing. Even in expensive restaurants I don't see people fretting over a menu like in Europe; nor fretting about :"Eat it up".

[Stevemercer]

I hate to see so much good food wasted too.

I told my wife about a year ago that I would not pay for any shared meals (e.g. when there are more people than just my wife and myself) if there were dishes of good food left over because of over-ordering.

I haven't had to pay for a shared meal for a year now.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Stevemercer

[cumgranosalum]

So if they aren't "Thai" that's OK? .... Or do you feel you are not in a position to tell other nationalities what to do?

[anto]

I hate to see so much good food wasted too.

I told my wife about a year ago that I would not pay for any shared meals (e.g. when there are more people than just my wife and myself) if there were dishes of good food left over because of over-ordering.

I haven't had to pay for a shared meal for a year now.

>>I haven't had to pay for a shared meal for a year now.<<

You must be really popular.

[connda]

I'm not my brother's keeper. Basically, it's none of my business. If it makes you feel better, I don't.

[johnno2]

if i'm paying, i take notice of whats being ordered. but i agree that some thais over order, but whats left over goes in a doggy bag, so no big problem

[callaway]

All my family knows the 90% rule. Eat 90% or more of the dish or they pay for that dish. I have never rushed them to eat and always tell you can order more after you finish what you have already and it will be fresh and hot. I work month and month and we eat out probably 5 or 6 nights a week when I am home. Having said that it is only immediate family and occasionally a few friends. All know 90% rule 5555. Never a problem.

Edited May 17, 2016 by callaway

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Strange thread.Ive never come across this problem.But i hardly think,if it angers you to such a degree as this,that you will be able to actually open their traps and force it down them.

Is it me,or are the topics getting pettier every day?

[willyumiii]

Wow!

Are you just a little bit of a control freak?

What do you do,

Hold them down and force feed them if they don't eat as much as you want them to?

You sound like a good person..

to avoid at meal time!

Jai yen!

[Berkshire]

Seems like a lot of replies here attacking the OP but I don't think there'd be any argument anyone I knows live in Thailand that Thais are greedy and opportunistic when the farang is paying. I just think they're hopeless with anything to do with money. When I first met my missus she'd be lucky to scrape together 10 stang change. Money was important then. Now she has 1000, 500 baht notes just thrown in the pockets of her carry bag. Too lazy to put in her wallet. 1000 baht fell out on the ground this morning at Makro. I don't know if it's greedy or what but rural thais definitely have an easy come easy go attitude, more so when it's money they haven't sweated foe themselves

If your wife's attitude towards money has changed for the worse, it's because you have taught her accordingly. Isn't it obvious?

[johninbkk71]

Hello,

I just wonder if any of you still let any Thai waste food as an habit ?

I do not talk about someone not feeling well one time and not finishing his dish.

I am talking about Thai ALWAYS ordering more than they can eat and ALWAYS wasting dishes at restaurant.

This is not acceptable and nobody eating with me is allowed to do it, because I am the one who control what they order anyway.

But I wonder if for some other foreigners in Thailand it is acceptable ?

I also often see Thai going to restaurant, ordering 1 dish, eating 3 spoons and leaving, so why did they go to the restaurant ?

Is it because of the Thai way of not being able to plan anything in their life ? Even a dinner ? Are they really unable to know how much hungry they are and if it is time to go to eat ? Really want to slap them when I see them doing it...

Any idea to help be to understand what some might call cultural difference but that I call stupidity ?

And before anybody tries to explain me that when someone let some food in a dish it means that he is happy and not hungry anymore (full), I know about this, but when this person is eating alone and only eat 3 spoons, what is the reason to order food that he doesn't eat ?

Thai food is cr-p. Two or three spoons is enough.

[billd766]

I pity anyone who has the misfortune of dining with you.

One of my pet hates is control freaks.

Food never gets wasted.

It is normally bagged up and taken home to be eaten later.

Alternatively if the customer doesn't eat it all then mostly the staff will eat it for them.

[billd766]

I like puppy dogs,

But I can't eat a whole one.

Not even BBQ with a nice spicy sauce?

Elephant are a problem, as it is difficult to get the right size of bread for a sandwich.

[Stevemercer]

I hate to see so much good food wasted too.

I told my wife about a year ago that I would not pay for any shared meals (e.g. when there are more people than just my wife and myself) if there were dishes of good food left over because of over-ordering.

I haven't had to pay for a shared meal for a year now.

>>I haven't had to pay for a shared meal for a year now.<<

You must be really popular.

Yes. yes, you are right. The ladies all want to be my 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. etc. wives! They seem happy to pay to eat with me.

[ozyjon]

All leftovers go to the dog

[1BADDAT]

While the OP clearly needs to take a chill pill, go with the flow, and enjoy the moment, yadda yadda yadda, I too have experienced Thais recklessly over-ordering food in a restaurant when I was paying, and I can empathize with him for feeling his hospitality is being abused.

Thai culture does seem to treat an abundance of food as a reflection of prosperity, hospitality, and well-being; a way to create a festive atmosphere and mark an occasion. Just look, for example, at the excesses of food brought to temple on holy days. My wife has a tendency to make excessive amounts of food as a way of showing love and taking care of her family. When neighbors give garden surpluses away it more often is a bag of 20-30 mangoes rather than 2-3 mangoes. That sort of largesse seems to be valued in Thai culture. So it could all be totally innocent.

On the other hand, some Thais may be so unaccustomed to someone else picking up the tab that when the opportunity does present itself, they go buck-wild and exploit the opportunity to the hilt.

I suppose it's also conceivable that people could be maliciously over-ordering and then scarcely taking a bite just to send the message they aren't interested in one's company. If that's the case, the only solution is to pick one's dining companions more carefully.

The only practical suggestions I have would be to discuss beforehand what will be ordered, perhaps channel the orders through one person in order to avoid a free-for-all when the waiter shows up, and consider ordering the food in stages instead of all at once, so people can better judge how much room they have left in their stomachs.

Happy dining to one and all.

yabaa yabaa yabaa?

[katana]

I tend to agree with the OP and while people watching, have seen what the OP describes at restaurants, on several occasions. Typically, a nicely dressed Thai couple will come in and order much more than they can eat. Nicely presented Thai dishes not finished or hardly touched before they shoot off somewhere else without taking the leftovers away in a doggy bag. While not wanting to criticise, presumed it was just some sort of cultural face thing or show of wealth.
If you were brought up in Europe during the war years when they were shortages of food or by parents who were, you were of course always taught not to waste food. Even the vegetable peelings were not wasted by being routinely collected from each household and fed to pigs.

Edited May 17, 2016 by katana

[anotheruser]

if i'm paying, i take notice of whats being ordered. but i agree that some thais over order, but whats left over goes in a doggy bag, so no big problem

Even if it doesn't go in a bag it certainly won't be wasted. At least where I live in Lao all the slop is given to the pigs or it can be composted, I have never seen anything go to "waste" We give big portions and sometimes a guest will say they don't want to waste it and I tell them that isn't and never will be a problem we have.

[richard_smith237]

The Op is getting hammered here... perhaps because of his delivery and alluding to a controlling nature...

So, that aside... the Op kind of makes a point.

Are you going to leave that ????? There's people in Africa starving you know ?????... in the West we've almost grown up with a guilt complex.. perhaps rightly so...

The over ordering here may have something to do with the social nature of eating in Thailand, many dishes vs the traditional single dish per person in the West... However, I have seen plenty of food wasted here. I used to thing it was showing off, then I thought it was because the food is cheap... Now I believe its because the food is good its difficult to decide on one or two dishes...

I find its far better eating in a group of at least 4 because I can try more dishes...

When my Wife and I eat alone, as much as I try its quite difficult to limit the order to 'just enough'.

So, Yes, I do see more food wastage here... thats not a Thai-bash, its a simple observation and it may go against the grain of many who've grown up before the days of plenty and those of us who were reminded regularly that there are people in the world starving... I doubt Thai's have the same global awareness..... eating is something more simple here and there is definitely no guilt attached.

[SoiBiker]

I never really understood how whether i finished my dinner or not impacted on the fate of those starving on a whole other continent. Is anyone able to explain?

[farang000999]

I would imagine that every single farang in Thailand has had the experience at least once of going to eat with Thais who know you are paying and make a fool of themselves over ordering like they hit the lottery for lunch. A cheap lesson about their character.

However, in many instances, it is just personal preference of Thais that they want to eat X number of dish but have no desire to eat all of it or to reheat it later on.. It is wasteful but lots of things people do is wasteful, this is just an example of personal preference.

[farang000999]

I never really understood how whether i finished my dinner or not impacted on the fate of those starving on a whole other continent. Is anyone able to explain?

3 billion people not finishing their dinner certainly leads to higher food prices. Higher food prices leads to more starving people globally.