Wasted food in Korean restaurants

Here’s this week’s tip on Korean language and customs:

Q:
My family and I have enjoyed many lavish Korean-style full course meals since our arrival earlier this year. Because there are so many dishes served and thus a lot of leftovers on the table, we asked a number of times if we could take them home with us in a doggy bag, but it seems that such a practice is not common in Korea.

Every time we go out to Korean restaurants, we feel that so much food goes to waste and wonder when Koreans will adopt habits to save food.

A:
One of the oldest Korean customs is to show generosity during meal time. Thus, Koreans are used to being treated with a lot of food, and to display appreciation, diners are supposed to finish everything they’ve been served. In reality, though, such a tradition has brought forth a phenomenal amount of food waste in Korea.

Some of the leftover food is collected and sent to farms or fertilizer companies. But for years, local non-profit organizations have campaigned for restaurants and households to cut down on food waste.

Doggy bags are not yet common in Korea, but if customers ask, some restaurants do wrap up leftover food to be taken home.