Ethical question: Taking stuff from restaurants

[cincinnati chili]

So, I went out to dinner with some friends who I thought I knew pretty well. This is a chain sit-down restaurant, somewhat on par with the "quality" of say, The Olive Garden. In other words, it's not super nice, but it's not exactly paper plates and plastic silverware either.

Anyway, we were having a few laughs, finishing up our meal. We paid the bill and left a good tip. The waitress brought us all our doggybags to take home the thousands of calories we didn't finish.

Then as soon as the waitress left, one of my dinnermates looked both ways, sort of scoping out the area. This dinnermate then proceeded to stuff two of the restaurant's glasses into the doggy bags to serve as souvenirs of the evening.

I, being my stick-in-the-mud self, pitched an absolute fit, told this person that I was completely appalled and embarrassed by this behavior, stormed out of the restaurant and drove myself home.

This person thinks I overreacted, and actually referred to this as a "victimless crime" (because this is a large corporate-owned place) and claims that such restaurants all but expect this behavior.

While I'm not perfect, I'm pretty much hard-wired not to steal stuff. The last thing I remember stealing was some girl's pencil in the first grade. I know that if I owed a restaurant, even a sucky one, I wouldn't want people taking my stuff.

So what do you all think?

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by cincinnati chili

So what do you all think?

Your friend is a thief.

Expected? come on, this isn't a splenda packet.

Good for you on speaking up about it

[GAC]

If he had got caught what do you think would have happened? Would the restaurant be within their rights to have him charged with theft?

[mth123]

Originally Posted by cincinnati chili

So, I went out to dinner with some friends who I thought I knew pretty well. This is a chain sit-down restaurant, somewhat on par with the "quality" of say, The Olive Garden. In other words, it's not super nice, but it's not exactly paper plates and plastic silverware either.

Anyway, we were having a few laughs, finishing up our meal. We paid the bill and left a good tip. The waitress brought us all our doggybags to take home the thousands of calories we didn't finish.

Then as soon as the waitress left, one of my dinnermates looked both ways, sort of scoping out the area. This dinnermate then proceeded to stuff two of the restaurant's glasses into the doggy bags to serve as souvenirs of the evening.

I, being my stick-in-the-mud self, pitched an absolute fit, told this person that I was completely appalled and embarrassed by this behavior, stormed out of the restaurant and drove myself home.

This person thinks I overreacted, and actually referred to this as a "victimless crime" (because this is a large corporate-owned place) and claims that such restaurants all but expect this behavior.

While I'm not perfect, I'm pretty much hard-wired not to steal stuff. The last thing I remember stealing was some girl's pencil in the first grade. I know that if I owed a restaurant, even a sucky one, I wouldn't want people taking my stuff.

So what do you all think?

IMO you didn't over-react. I'd have done the same.

[SunDeck]

Victimless crime? No.
Overreaction? Possibly.
But I'm with you, Chili- it would never occur to me to do such a thing. Instead I would probably have asked for the glasses. If they were labeled with the restaurant logo, they probably would have gladly let your friend take them.

[Red in Chicago]

well, that's one friend that i would never want over at my house...what kind of jerk steals glasses from a restaurant? i bet all of their towels are from different hotels chains as well:

[RFS62]

No overreaction.

Regardless of how they justify it in their minds, they're thieves.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by Red in Chicago

well, that's one friend that i would never want over at my house...what kind of jerk steals glasses from a restaurant? i bet all of their towels are from different hotels chains as well:

Amen. I'd watch my stuff because your friend is a thief.

[creek14]

Originally Posted by cincinnati chili

So, I went out to dinner with some former friends

I fixed the first line for you. Cause that's what these losers should be.

You did the right thing. Stealing is stealing.

[919191]

I used to date a girl in the '80's who was a klepto. Not so much a shoplifter, but other things. Once we left a Hardee's and she lagged behind me. She showed up at the car with a hanging plant that was absolutely huge. She always scared me.

[WVRed]

In this case, yes, I would agree.

I remember going to Cracker Barrel when I was little and my parents would take the leftover jellies that the servers left. There was somebody else in my family who did the same thing and was jumped by the waitress for doing it.

[cincinnati chili]

Originally Posted by 919191

klepto.

That was one of the things I seriously thought about. My understanding of cleptomania is that it's a desire to steal out of psychological need, rather than an economic one. And if someone really had this disorder, I probably shouldn't have reacted that way.

To answer one of the above points - yes, the glasses had the restaurant logo on them.

[KronoRed]

Alright fess up, who's stealing chairs from restaurants?

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I've had friends take things and I overreacted more out of worry that they were going to get us in trouble more than a "hey, what the hell's wrong with you" type of thing.

To me, storming off and going home might have been overreacting, but at least you really drove the point home(pun intended) to them how you feel about such things.

[MrCinatit]

The irony is, many restaurants of the Olive Garden-like ilk sell glasses like the ones he stole. If he so much wanted a souvenir - he should have bought one.
If they did not have a souvenir shop, perhaps he could have asked the waitress if he could buy a cup - if he were so desperate.