With inflation hitting hard and making everyone watch their spending, a quirky new trend called “pocket-packing” is popping up at restaurants and fast-food spots. Diners are grabbing way more freebies than they need—like extra plastic utensils, straws, napkins, sugar packets, and ketchup packets—to stash for later. But this habit is starting to cost businesses big time.
Victor Carvalho, who owns the original Dunkin’ Donuts in Massachusetts, sees it happen every day. He shared with Boston’s WCVB TV that customers load up on these condiment station items without a second thought. “People will be people. Their habits don’t change because of where they are,” Carvalho said. His shop doesn’t have strict rules limiting what you can take, but he ends up footing the bill for all those extras. In one funny moment, he spotted a woman pulling a Dunkin’ sugar packet from her purse, explaining it was her “emergency” stash.
It’s not just Dunkin’—the pocket-packing trend shows up everywhere. A guy from Maryland, who didn’t want his name used, told Fox News Digital he always snags extra napkins for his car and loads up on Chick-fil-A sauces whenever he visits. These small grabs add up, turning a simple courtesy into a real headache for restaurant owners dealing with rising costs.
Etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall, based in California, gets why businesses keep condiment stations open for self-service. “Owners have to trust that most people won’t take advantage,” she explained to Fox News Digital. But some do go overboard, like filling a big thermos with coffee creamer or swiping a whole jar of stir sticks for a kid’s school project. “As a customer, remember nothing’s truly free—it’s a kindness from the restaurant to make your meal better,” Randall added.
So, how can restaurants fight back against excessive pocket-packing? Randall suggests simple fixes, like putting up signs that say “Take what you need” to remind folks to be mindful. They could also switch to handing out items one by one, so customers ask for more if they really want extras. And for the extreme cases? She’d call them out with a question: “How would you feel if your dinner guests left with a few rolls of toilet paper and a bottle of wine for home?”
This pocket-packing craze highlights how tough times push people to get creative with free restaurant condiments and supplies. While a few extras might seem harmless, it’s a reminder for all of us to keep things fair—after all, those ketchup packets and napkins aren’t bottomless.
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