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#Post#: 30346--------------------------------------------------
Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: jpcher
Date: May 2, 2019, 6:24 pm
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Our cafeteria at work (and I've seen this at buffets as well)
has serve-yourself soup set in heated tureens. They have two
offerings of soup with two tureens each (one in front, one in
back, with the back one still covered).
I've seen people take the ladle, go down to the bottom, scoop up
all the good stuff then lean the ladle against the side of the
tureen to drain the broth, empty the ladle into their bowl and
repeat. So their cup is full of all the good stuff with little
broth.
Normally I go to lunch early and it doesn't seem to be an issue,
but there have been times when I go to lunch later and the front
tureen is less than 1/2 full of mostly broth, very little good
stuff!
When this happens, I'll pick up the lid on the back tureen and
serve myself from there. Plenty of good stuff! Then I'll put the
lid back on and go my merry way. I'm tempted to do the scoop and
drain, but that takes time when there's a line.
Wondering what you all think . . . is it rude to do the
scoop/drain? or just inconsiderate? Is it rude/inconsiderate for
me to go to the back tureen when there's still broth (but not
the good stuff) in the front tureen? or is that Okay?
#Post#: 30347--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: Lilac
Date: May 2, 2019, 6:39 pm
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All else being equal, I think people should take what comes in a
regular ladle full of the soup.
But given that the other diners are willfully disrupting the
broth/solids ratio of the soup, I don't think you are in the
wrong to help yourself to the ratio you prefer, whatever tureen
it is from.
That said, why not contact the chef or cafeteria manager and
point out this issue to them? Maybe they could come up with
another solution.
Interstingly, I prefer the broth to most soups and deliberately
avoid the solids. For example, French onion soup on a
restaurant -- I don't really want the onions, gratin or
croutons, and have often wished for the nerve to just order the
full bowl of broth. But figured that would be insulting to the
chef. Perhaps they wouldn't mind, though. Same with minestrone,
chicken noodle, etc.
#Post#: 30349--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: browzer11
Date: May 2, 2019, 10:38 pm
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Do not contact the chef or cafeteria manager and point out this
issue to them. Unless you want to be known as "that special"
person.
#Post#: 30351--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: Sycorax
Date: May 2, 2019, 11:04 pm
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What good would it do to report it? They're not going to
appoint a soup monitor, and I'm sure any restaurant that serves
soup like this is aware that people do this.
#Post#: 30354--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: TootsNYC
Date: May 2, 2019, 11:24 pm
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there's no enforcing it, of course (there seldom is with
Etiquette), but I think it's rude to take all the solids of the
soup.
#Post#: 30355--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: Dazi
Date: May 2, 2019, 11:50 pm
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Well, there are the weirdos like me who balance it out...I
prefer the liquid/broth. So, I usually get very little solids
and mostly liquid. 😜
Really though, just get what you want and call it good.
#Post#: 30356--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: TeamBhakta
Date: May 3, 2019, 12:08 am
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I don't see the point in complaining to the cafeteria
management. It's first come, first served. That's the downside
of a cafeteria line. You put out a pan of macaroni, other people
will get the breadcrumb topping first. A pan of fajita chicken =
there's a pile of bell peppers and onions left behind.
#Post#: 30357--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: Isisnin
Date: May 3, 2019, 12:16 am
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Reminds me of the Escarole Tortellini soup a hospital I worked
at served. It was incredibly good. And it seemed like everyone
used a large soda cup instead of the soup bowls as the large
soda cups were about twice the size of the soup bowls. And, yes,
it seemed like everyone served themselves mostly the solids and
very little broth. And the cafeteria didn't seem to mind.
I've always suspected that they threw every leftover anything in
there. But it had to have been the most delicious, most popular
thing they served.
Oh, I miss it.
#Post#: 30364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: cb140
Date: May 3, 2019, 6:37 am
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This made me smile because I love broth and don’t like “stuff”
in it, so I’d be the one carefully putting the ladle in to get
broth while trying to avoid all the icky bits floating in it! So
I’d do fine at your work :)
To answer your question, I think it is a little bit
inconsiderate but I would assume that the catering staff would
be refilling the tureens as required, so I don’t think its any
ruder than any other canteen situation of taking the part you
want and leaving the part you don’t
#Post#: 30373--------------------------------------------------
Re: Rude? Inconsiderate? or Okay?
DIR By: STiG
Date: May 3, 2019, 8:29 am
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Taking the ladle down to the bottom and stirring before taking
your portion? Completely fine. Draining the broth off to only
get the solid bits? That shouldn't be done, IMO. I would call
it rude, as opposed to just inconsiderate. The OP going to the
second tureen when the first is left with just broth? Also
fine.
The cafeteria could go to selling their cups of soup by weight -
weigh an average bowl and then calculate a price per ounce based
on what they currently charge. Those that load up with the
solid bits will have to pay more.
--- Quote from: Lilac link ---
>
> For example, French onion soup on a restaurant -- I don't
really want the onions, gratin or croutons, and have often
wished for the nerve to just order the full bowl of broth. But
figured that would be insulting to the chef. Perhaps they
wouldn't mind, though. Same with minestrone, chicken noodle,
etc.
>
--- End Quote ---
I think you would be fine to order it, requesting that the bread
and cheese be left off but I think it would be a little strange
to ask them to hold the onions. Leaving off the topper doesn't
affect the rest of the batch of soup. Siphoning off the broth
does. Of course, it depends on how fancy the restaurant is and
whether or not their soup is made on site. If they get
individual portions frozen, it might be harder to customize.
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