'Always ask': The dinner party faux pas 90 per cent of Aussies are united against
By Charlotte Thieme|
With Christmas just around the corner and another sweltering Aussie summer at our doorstep, it's official: dinner party season is well and truly upon us.
When it comes to attendee etiquette, there are countless unspoken rules that almost everyone can agree on; never arrive empty-handed, never hover in the kitchen unless asked and, of course, always flick a 'thank you' text the following morning.
But one particular ?จC perhaps lesser-known จC dinner party faux pas has sparked a surprisingly passionate response from nine.com.au readers: to take leftovers at the end of the night back home with you, or to leave them?
We put the question ?to our wider audience, and the response from poll participants proved overwhelmingly one-sided.
Of 416 respondents, a whopping 90 per cent affirmed any dish, platter or beverage you bring with you should remain with the host at the end of the night.
But while most agreed leaving the leftovers was the most appropriate course of action, there was a seven per cent minority who disagreed?, indicating guests have every right to take their offerings home with them.
For most respondents, leaving food behind wasn't just the polite option จC it was the only option.
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"I leave it to the host. Sometimes they don't want it, sometimes no space for it, sometimes they would like it."
?However for some, there is a clear exception to this hard-and-fast rule; it's OK to take leftovers home provided you ask the host beforehand.
"I would always ask the dinner host first before retrieving an unconsumed food item," one respondent said.
And as it turned out, many others agreed with this sentiment.?
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"If I took something to a dinner party and it wasn't eaten, I'd just ask my friend if s/he wanted it," one advised.
"I hate food waste. If I was confident it wouldn't get chucked in the bin, I'd leave it?."
"It depends if the host wants it or not after the party is finished. Sometimes I would take it home, sometimes I don't," said another.
Overall the verdict, it seems, is loud and clear: the food stays, unless you're told otherwise.
So the next time you're tossing up taking that half-eaten pav home this silly season, just remember the golden rule according to our readers: gifts don't get taken back unless unwanted, and dinner party fare is no exception.
*The nine.com.au poll, which runs once a fortnight, canvases the views of the nine audience on 9Nation, which is an online community of our readers and Nine viewers.
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