"How does someone carry a 5-gallon punchbowl out of a Christmas party?" muses the hotel's senior sales manager.

Let's just say she wasn't 9 months pregnant when we arrived at the party...

"But in earlier times, hotels expected - and even encouraged - pilfering by embossing their names or logos on objects"

I never got the memo saying otherwise.

Banquet chairs? Jesus Christ. But if you did have a nifty chair like that, why'd you ever want to return it? What's the incentive here?

My mom used to take silverware from hotels that she stayed at. I don't know why. But now I have all her old silverware and it includes several pieces of Red Lion, as well as the old pattern that we'd had since I was a kid. Honestly, I like these (both the old pattern and the Red Lion) because they feel nice and they don't rust. I received a set of nice stainless steel flatware for a wedding present and it was rusting within a few months.

@samurailynn: My dad regularly steals the steak knives from Outback because he says they cut better.

@MercuryPDX: Tell him to try JA Henckels - I think their knives are amazing. Of course, they don't come with a steak from the Outback.

If people want restaurant cutlery just go buy some at a restaurant supply store. Most sell to the public and all that cool last forever stuff is cheaper than anything even near comparable in the big box or department stores.

For about the same price we got pub glasses at the restaurant supply store as we paid for them elsewhere. The ones from the restaurant supply store are super thick and have an inner subtle texture to resist things from sticking. They are nearly indestructible because they have to go through commercial dishwashers. Our regular store ones are half gone due to breakage.

I don't get stealing stuff out of hotels either. Beyond the small toiletries (only if they are really great stuff) and maybe the pens and note pads why would anyone steal stuff. I do think some of the hotels have found a way to profit off of this both Hyatt and Hilton now have better stuff in the rooms and have the stuff for sale on their websites. I think if you do pilfer something they are going to just call it an onsite purchase and charge your card.

This is about they only hotel item I would ever ponder swiping but they have them for sale on their web site, I need to remember to finally buy one.
[www.hamptonhomecollection.com]

Wow. I must be weird. The closest I've ever come to that type of theft was giving a waiter a couple of bucks to look the other way when I lifted the restaurant's private label chili pepper sauce (and only after asking if they sold them, which they didn't).

The pens from Residence Inns are "free," right? Got me a good collection of them, and the paper pads. They're like soap and shampoo as far as I can figger.

Back in the olden days, hotel towels were actually well-manufactured, fluffy affairs that were worth stealing. Stealing them now would be akin to taking a roll of paper towels.

When I was younger, I used to take some amount of joy in "pilfering" the hotel toiletries - shampoo, etc. I guess it's not really stealing when you put them in your suitcase, and the next day they give you more. Eventually the appeal wore off though.

@bohemian:

If people want restaurant cutlery just go buy some at a restaurant supply store. Most sell to the public ...

@humphrmi:

I can't help myself, but I always take the soap and shampoos. I got into the habit when I was like 7 and didn't even realize that I was saving money for my parents by doing so, I was just weird and liked to see how much soap they would give me if I kept asking for it and then combining them into one huge ball of soap when I got back from the trip.
Now I take them to save myself the 99 cents for a bottle of shampoo. Also, those little bars are nice for hand soap in the kitchen/bathroom.

I tried to take a cheese grater from Olive Garden, but someone from my party beat me to it.

Actually, the mini-toileteries at hotel are perfect for flying, they're all under the ounce request.

i've got news for you. if you're missing crap like punch bowls & banquet chairs, you need to start combing thru old employee listings. patrons may get away with glasses & silverware, but punchbowls only disappear when they're empty & that's usually after the guests leave.