Many years ago, a veteran actress made headlines when a high-end Asian restaurant in Mumbai refused her request for a doggy bag, citing house policy. She responded by scattering the excess food on the floor. The restaurant later clarified that its cuisine was not designed to last beyond the plate, and the refusal was out of concern for quality.
Recently, while paying a neat 50 ‘packaging charge’ for my remaining entree at a trendy Italian restaurant, I was struck by how things have changed since then. Most upper-crust restaurants now provide a complimentary doggy bag, though some bill you for the same. Order online, and three portions of the same dish may attract three separate packaging fees, even if they arrive in a single box. It is no surprise that recent Reddit threads are calling this a ‘sneaky cash grab’.
Rising Costs and Eco-Friendly Materials
Restaurateurs cite rising costs as a primary reason. With single-use plastics being phased out, many have shifted to eco-friendly materials like bagasse, bamboo fibre, and durable, microwave-safe containers – options that can cost up to three times more than plastic. In an industry with diminishing margins, absorbing that increase is not easy. Some also use packaging fees on delivery apps to offset steep platform commissions.
Psychological Deterrent or Unfair Practice?
The ‘packaging charges’ are also meant to be a psychological deterrent. Restaurateurs claim they are often expected to pack everything from one slice of pizza to leftover raita, house condiments to a few pieces of calamari, in boxes that would cost far more than the dish itself. Still, there are some who refuse to pack anything that has already been served. An irate customer, they argue, is better than a sick one.
The law, however, favours the diners. Consumer forums across India have penalised restaurants for unannounced packaging fees, ruling them an ‘unfair trade practice.’ The argument is simple: if you have paid for the food, taking it home should not come at an extra cost.
Grey Area and Consumer Backlash
Going by the chatter on various forums, doggy bags are still in a fair bit of a grey area. While packaging has become an extension of a restaurant’s quality control, ensuring food travels well, customers are pushing back against the alleged lack of transparency or consistency. If you can pack rice, why not the raita?
As for the famous restaurant that once refused the doggy bag – I hear they now provide complimentary packaging for their valued guests.
