I wouldn't bring a starbucks coffee to a place I was going to eat breakfast, but I would bring a bottled water with me to the coffee house.

I always thought it was a health code violation.

my nalgene bottle is like my security blanket! i don't go anywhere without it!

You shouldn't bring outside stuff into a restaurant; it's just rude. Water shouldn't count, though.

If I've gone for coffee with friends before dinner and I haven't finished it, I sure as heck bring it with me... I'm going to be spending a good chunk of money at your restaurant, I'm not going there to just sit at a table and sip whatever I brought in!

I've never thought this was OK. It seems so rude.

I was visiting Austin this weekend and had lunch at this BBQ place tht encourages customers to bring their own beer. They even pointed us to the nearest place we could buy some to bring back and enjoy with our ribs

Apparently there are several BYOB restaurants there, but I wouldn't do it unless there was express permission from the restaurant.

I said it depends. The only time I can remember doing this was when my friend and I went to Starbucks to get coffee and chat. After a little while, we were ready for dinner and went to a restaurant. I wasn't finished with my coffee so I brought it in, and I was a bit nervous that they would say something, but they didn't. I wouldn't do this at a fancy restaurant, but casual places? Yeah, I will. Just not anything over the top like a full blown meal, but maybe a water bottle or a small snack if I'm studying at a coffee shop.

Absolutely not.

I let my 2 year old niece eat McDonald's chicken nuggets inside of a Chipotle once, but I figured since McDonald's Corp has shares in Chipotle AND she's only 2 years old... it wouldn't be rude, right?

I think it's okay to bring outside drinks into an establishment. Many people casually buy drinks anyways when they're out. I see people toting coffee blends, smoothies, sodas, etc. all the time when they're out. That's the social culture. I think restaurants would be alienating a lot patrons if they enforce this rule. In my opinion, it's unnecessary and over-controlling.

No way, it's so tacky! I mean, having a water bottle or something in your purse that you always keep there is fine as long as you don't whip it out at the table, but bringing in beverages or food from another restaurant - so totally rude.

I would never bring outside food into a sit-down restaurant/diner. I have however brought in my own food to enjoy with a Starbucks beverage and I'll sit in Starbucks and eat my food and drink the thing that I bought from them. I won't go into Starbucks with outside food without having plans to buy something from the coffee shop.

I voted for "It Depends" because I did this over the weekend – we waited 40 minutes to get seated at brunch on Sunday and no one blinked an eye when we went in with the Starbucks we bought to keep us warm while standing outside in the cold.

I had never really thought about it until I went to dinner with a friend (no longer a friend...but for other reasons than this story) at a sushi restaurant. We both ordered water and when she finished her water, she pulled a can of soda out of her bag & poured it into the cup! The waitress looked strangely at her when she came back to fill the water cup and, I guess, she assumed that my friend got the soda from another waiter. When the bill came sure enough, my friend was charged for the soda (rightfully so because the waitress didn't know otherwise at that point). My friend told the waitress that she didn't order a soda (which confused her even more & by now the soda was long gone) so the waitress had to take the soda off the bill. I am sure that that poor waitress was totally confused & thinking she was seeing things. I was so embaressed by it all & wouldn't ever bring any type of food or beverage into a restaurant.

I didn't even know people would bring food into another restaurant! Drink yes, but food?

I'll admit it, I sneak food into the movies mostly because their food is terrible and on top of it the food is way over priced. Also I also think water is fine anywhere. The Starbucks cup is pushing it, however fine as long as you brought it with you to throw away before ordering.

Those are my only exceptions the rest I find rude.

I think it's rude to take food in from outside. Water doesn't count in my mind, though. I carry that everywhere I go.

I will amend that to say that the movies don't count. Until they stop charging $4 for a bottle of water I'll bring my own. I don't consider a movie theater on par with a restaurant though.

It depends entirely on the situation. Water should be ok though...people need to stay hydrated!

i said ti depends. at a fancy place, that's a big NO. rude and disrespectful. for casual dining places water is okay, heck you're going to get free water anywyas, and if you just bought a coffee or tea from another place then yes, finish it at the table.

bringing other food in? i consider that really rude. except at movie theatres because theatre food just sucks and it's overpriced. in that circumstance, bring in a freaking pizza if you can

I think it's rude to bring in food to a restaurant. I was eating in a diner and watched a person bring in Starbucks...to a place that regularly serves coffee to its patrons all day long! They rightly told her to take it to her car or drink it outside.

As for theaters, I think the theater inadvertently encourages it by charging astronomical prices for its concessions. I have no problem sneaking in a bag of candy to a regular theater.

I agree that movie theaters are different. I paid $4.00 for a 20 oz. Dasani water at the movies on Sunday. UGHHH

I'm all for bringing my own snacks into a movie theater but I don't bring outside food/drink into restaurants, unless it's a BYOB. I've always thought it was kinda rude, regardless of how nice the place is. Though, I could see myself bringing in a cup of coffee when I order a bag of bagels to go, that's a bit different I guess.

I wouldn't bring in outside food or drink. It compromises health codes, and it just seems tacky. When I was a server, sometimes parents would bring in small snacks for their toddlers, which I consider an exception.

Movie theaters are my other exception. I just can't rationalize paying $5 for candy.

I said other.

The only item I'll bring to a restaurant is my own bottle of wine, since a lot places have crappy wine lists and mark up the price of the wine considerably.

In this area of the country (Bay Area, CA) it's pretty much commonplace anyway. Restaurants will charge you a corkage fee, so they're still getting something out of it!

when i visit my cousin there is a cheese shop right next to a wine bar. Now, the wine bar sells cheese plates, but just doesn't have the variety or quality of the cheese shop. So we will buy cheese and take it into the wine shop to have with wine. Now, we spend plenty of money on their wine, so I really don't see why it should be a problem. But at some places it is.

Dear management,

If you're having trouble with people bringing in outside food/drink, it's likely because your prices are too high or your selection to poor ... or both.

Perhaps it is disrespectful to bring coffee or water into some restaurant but is it really happening enough to warrant concern? There's an economic crisis coming and I wouldn't be spreading discontent among small business owners and customers just for the sake of an article.

I dream of a future United States with beer gardens, free bathrooms, and restauranteers who give patrons something besides a hassle for our money.

I'm with PetSugar... I often get coffee from Starbucks or Peets before going to brunch, in anticipation of a long wait and not wanting to stand outside (or even inside) with nothing to sip on. I suppose if the place offered coffee while you wait I might feel differently? I can't be waiting without a caffeine fix!

Depends really. Right now I'm living in Mexico & where I am - they charge you for water. I bring a bottle with me everywhere. I'm not going to pay a couple dollars for one, when I can go to the local supermarket and get a bigger bottle for the same price. Cheap? Very. I'm a poor college student! I'll save money any chance I can get.

On the other hand, bringing food in - I'm on the fence for. Fancy restaurants - definitely a no. However, fast-food restaurants I don't see the problem. For example: if someone I'm with wants KFC and I want Burger King, but we want to eat together - then whats the big deal? I bought food at the establishment & the other person is acting as a guest.

I think bringing your own wine or beer into a restaurant is okay. I agree with what danielle854 said; if it's a fast-food joint, there really isn't a problem, IMHO, if you want burgers and your friend wants chicken wings.

I go to a University where the block right off campus has at least a dozen different restaurants. Two days ago I was at Chipotle and I saw a table where one girl was eating Chipotle and the other was eating Subway. That didn't bother me--they wanted to eat lunch together, but wanted food from different places. I think that only applies to fast food, though. I think it'd be weird to do that at a sit-down restaurant.

Food no, unless it's a small child and they can't cater to them.

Drink is different, BYOB is just that, and here in New Orleans it's not uncommon to travel from bar to restaurant or reversed with a cocktail in hand.

I said Depends. I would never do it at a really fancy restaurant, but just last weekend I was going out to brunch with some friends and the place had nearly an hour's wait. My friend and I needed to get our coffee fix, so we headed across the street for some Starbucks while we waited. They ended up bringing us in a little earlier than planned and I still had my cup and felt really bad about it- but they didn't seem to care.

It really depends of the place. I can see someone bringing a bottle of water or even coffee but that is about it unless you are going to the movies. I don't think it is right to bring food into another establishment unless it is a fast food place.

I have never brought one bacon wrapped hot dog into a McDonalds......

I agree with caligirl.

I bring my coffee into brunch joints because I usually stop beforehand, not because I don't want to drink the restaurant's coffee. If its busy, I just sip it while I wait.

water is free, so why should they care if you bring your own?

Personally, I would never do this. However, I have seen people bring in food for thier young children, and this does not bother me.

I wouldn't do it at a sit down restaurant, but I routinely buy dinner at a fast food place and take it to the wireless hot spot in my town. I buy a coffee and occasionally a dessert there once I'm done with my food.

I don't do it, and I've actually never seen anyone who did.

Yes, I take a small bottle of water into the movie theater with me because I will not pay $4.00 for one. I have even discreetly pulled a cookie from my purse at a coffeehouse. (My homebaked goods are much better than the mass produced items! LOL) At a sit down restaurant, probably not. I guess it depends where I am.

I would never bring food or drink into a restaurant. Maybe a bottle of water at a fast-food restaurant. Also, I'm like readers above...I sneak snacks and drinks into the movies. $4 for a bottle of water is outrageous!