Your knife at the restaurant...

I use my Busse Skeleton Key to cut meat and check color when I am grilling. I have used it at restaurants recently and haven't gotten any looks, but I was conscious of the other patrons. When you live in a "police state" like NYC you have to be careful about EVERYTHING. I am not about to struggle to tear my food apart with dull instruments but I don't need some paranoid getting me arrested either.
 
stoffi said:
He denied u another knife. He said no. Surely that isn't restaurant policy? If he can't accommodate that basic need for me, I'm outa' there.
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how is "no, i'm sorry, we have nothing sharper" denying him anything? he asked, they answered, end of story.
 
directed towards the contaminated knife comment:

maybe you forgot but human beings are animals as well. our bodies can handle pretty bad situations regarding food. besides dogs eats off the floor. geese eat their own poop, etc. why would you expect less from humans?

but am i worried about my contaminated knife? no, i clean it properly after using it for something abnormally gross. but today when i was sitting for 3 minutes to eat my salad i cut my chicken with it after using it all morning and afternoon opening boxes, scrapping, and slicing during the extreme rush of food prep work for the 3000 visitors we fed today. and I'm pretty sure i have have never contracted strange diseases from eating from my contaminated blade before.
 
Luis G. said:
Same way they can deny service to anyone as long as it doesn't have to do with basic discrimination laws then yes I do have to ask for permission or consent. Their property, their establishment, their rules. It's how restaurants can have a No tie no service, or a no shirt no service, or no shoes no service policy. This was a rather expensive restaurant, it's called common courtesy.
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My question is what made you think they would deny you service? Would they get insulted that you felt the need to use a different knife? They certainly couldn't get offended or threatened by you using a knife, they gave you one already. I just don't see the need to ask. What logical argument do they have for denying you service, as long as, and as the manager said, the knife is legal? I can't even see how sanitation could be a concern, they ought to wash the plate you ate off of after you're done. And what do the prices at the restaurant have to do with common courtesy? If it was a cheap franchise establishment you would have spit on the waiter before pulling out your EDC?

Excuse me, am I allowed to use a better version of a tool you handed to me for the exact same reason you gave it to me? No? Oh, okay, that's completely logical.
 
hardheart said:
My question is what made you think they would deny you service? Would they get insulted that you felt the need to use a different knife? They certainly couldn't get offended or threatened by you using a knife, they gave you one already. I just don't see the need to ask. What logical argument do they have for denying you service, as long as, and as the manager said, the knife is legal? I can't even see how sanitation could be a concern, they ought to wash the plate you ate off of after you're done. And what do the prices at the restaurant have to do with common courtesy? If it was a cheap franchise establishment you would have spit on the waiter before pulling out your EDC?

Excuse me, am I allowed to use a better version of a tool you handed to me for the exact same reason you gave it to me? No? Oh, okay, that's completely logical.
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When one is in a place of business they are under their rules as it's their house, their property ect.

They can refuse anyone service and have anyone removed if they choose too at any given time if they deem it necessary to do so.

Businesses aren't public parks or sidewalks or even free public domain.

As for knives they can tell you that you can't use it in their restaurant, they have that right to do so and it's their choice, there is NOTHING that the person can do about it.

Customers tend to conveniently forget those things when they enter a business and they really can't do anything that they want at any given time ect.

Some however are reminded of those things the hard way.
 
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Of course, to remove me, they would have to need to call the police, which wouldn't work when the knife is legal and I made no threats to anyone. But I would love to see a place in town try and then be lucky enough in the timing to have my godchild's father or someone I used to work with on the same shift come down to kick me out for cutting food with a knife.

Anyway, it's almost entirely irrelevant to any consideration of reality, as so far I'm averaging about once per decade of the need to use my own knife at a restaurant. And every single time, not a single person away from my table has noticed. I don't make any grand gestures, I don't say anything. I use a knife to cut my food. It isn't a weird thing to happen in a restaurant. Calling attention of it to the staff seems unnecessary.
 
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hardheart said:
Of course, to remove me, they would have to need to call the police, which wouldn't work when the knife is legal and I made no threats to anyone. But I would love to see a place in town try and then be lucky enough in the timing to have my godchild's father or someone I used to work with on the same shift come down to kick me out for cutting food with a knife.
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One would still have to go by the businesses policies and rules in the end and they could be you removed or anyone for that matter.

Legality of the knife doesn't really have anything to do with it if they say they want you out.

But then I know you aren't stupid so I doubt that would ever really be a problem.

I have had people removed before by the Police and or physically thrown out the door (Always on Video and plenty of Witnesses ect), more than a few over the years..... And Trespassed so I know it's not all that difficult to do.

Management will only take so much until that line is crossed, whatever that line is and that will change depending on the business and Management ect.
 
Wow this thread has really went down a rabbits hole haha.

To the original poster. I have used my knife in a restaurant once. The Waitress didn't seem to mind and there was hardly anyone in the place anyway.
 
Yeah, I just think I could/should be able to deal with it through a brief convo, if it ever came up. Though honestly, if a manager felt the need to come to my table and ask me to put away a 3" folder, I'd probably just leave anyway. They can serve who they want, and I can be served where I want. If I have to crush my bread instead of cut it, then I don't need to eat there.
 
Steel130 said:
Wow this thread has really went down a rabbits hole haha.

To the original poster. I have used my knife in a restaurant once. The Waitress didn't seem to mind and there was hardly anyone in the place anyway.
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That's the main point right there. ;)

It depends and can vary on the place and the people working there, and don't forget the other customers.
 
hardheart said:
Yeah, I just think I could/should be able to deal with it through a brief convo, if it ever came up. Though honestly, if a manager felt the need to come to my table and ask me to put away a 3" folder, I'd probably just leave anyway. They can serve who they want, and I can be served where I want. If I have to crush my bread instead of cut it, then I don't need to eat there.
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Not really a situation I would ever want to be in personally.

My biggest complaint at a restaurant has been my drink got empty and not refilled..... Or they sit a bunch of screaming kids or loud people next to me (Can't stand that)......

But then the tip goes down dramatically and they get one more shot after that, if it happens again I never come back.

But then I don't go out anymore since the smoking ban, I order take out or have it delivered.
 
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Ankerson said:
That's the main point right there. ;)

It depends and can vary on the place and the people working there, and don't forget the other customers.
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I think that reactions would be at a zero if you were to use a slipjoint or something small. I can understand whipping out a Recon 1 not really being appropriate. But then that is my opinion.
 
hardheart said:
Of course, to remove me, they would have to need to call the police, which wouldn't work when the knife is legal and I made no threats to anyone. But I would love to see a place in town try and then be lucky enough in the timing to have my godchild's father or someone I used to work with on the same shift come down to kick me out for cutting food with a knife.

Anyway, it's almost entirely irrelevant to any consideration of reality, as so far I'm averaging about once per decade of the need to use my own knife at a restaurant. And every single time, not a single person away from my table has noticed. I don't make any grand gestures, I don't say anything. I use a knife to cut my food. It isn't a weird thing to happen in a restaurant. Calling attention of it to the staff seems unnecessary.
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No. But they get you for trespassing, as much as i don't agree with Ankerson's argument here, he is right that technically if they ask you to stop something and you don't, they could ask you to leave, or make you. But his ideas on NEEDING to ask to use a knife as the only decent way are flat out strange, IMO. Unless you are at some crazy twelve servings with twelve expensive wine pairings type place, where you are going to spend five hundred at the minimum, I can't think of many places that would mind unless you were waving it around, or otherwise not using it as an eating utensil.
 
goodeyesniper said:
But they get you for trespassing
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Perhaps in the right jurisdiction. My particular area defines criminal trespass in a way that says a person can stay if they have a legal or implied right to stay. Without breaking the law, and after being invited onto the premises as a customer, they would have a slight issue in forcing me out before I have had a chance to finish the transaction we are engaged in. Again, the issue would be that they are trying to force me out for possessing a legal knife, after they also gave me a knife. Someone could complain that they don't feel safe because I have a knife, but someone could also complain that they don't feel safe because of the way I dress or the color of my skin. If my appearance and utensils don't violate the law, then I can't quite be forced to leave after I have entered into a business transaction, and without violating it. Now if they have a sign on their door stating no outside cutlery, then maybe there's an issue. But coming up out of the blue in the middle of my meal to move the goalposts isn't going to work, I'd wager.

Anyhow, I think I've gone too far into the weeds with this, an it isn't about the knives any more.
 
I have used my knife at a couple of restaurants before. Once, it was a place with service so bad I almost had to cook the meal myself. First and last time I ever went there. I have also used it at my a restaurant my brother works at. I find it amusing when he comes out of the kitchen to talk with me about the food and he sees my knife next to the plate. I know how well the food is cooked and he damn sure knows how well the food is prepared since he's the one that made it. Sometimes, the tool I keep sharp is better than the utensil that is neglected and abused by other patrons. As far as others noticing, they have. Have they cared? I don't know, I never bothered to ask them as it didn't seem important enough for them to bring it up to me or the staff. I think a lot of that has to do with living in a knife friendly society. Viva KNIFE RIGHTS, and knife rights for all!
 
viva la said:
So you like to contaminate your knives before using them on the food you are eating. That's really using your brain :)
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My man, you seem to be extremely afraid of a few germs. The garbage I breath in every day at work will kill me faster than the cardboard residue that may be left on my knife when I cut my apple or my sandwich in half. You're point is moot anyway because I keep my blades clean and wipe them down before I use them to cut food. Yeah, that's using my brain. You go ahead and keep on with your japes though, you're surely impressing the masses.

Edit: You all realize this thread is ridiculous, right? If I used my knife in a restaurant and a waiter or the owner told me I couldn't then I would get up and leave. If I was in a restaurant using my own knife and a patron of the restaurant approached me about it I would tell them to mind their own business. You are in an establishment that has knives on the tables, knives at the waiter stations, and knives in the kitchen. I can't see anyone getting in a huff about me pulling out my 3" pocket knife to cut my food up. I can't believe the pretentiousness of some of the people posting in this thread.
 
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Tony8179 said:
<snip>I would get up and leave. <snip>I would tell them to mind their own business. <snip>I can believe the pretentiousness of some of the people posting in this thread.
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Pretension, thy name is Tony.

I have never eaten somewhere that hasn't provided an adequate knife.

I think most people here that say they would use/have used their own knives do it for one simple reason. They want to use THEIR knife. And I'm sorry if I disagree with you, but I think its pretentious to whip out your own knife and use it at a restaurant. Yea, its sharper than a steak knife, but that steak knife has always been more than adequate for everyone else but you. yakno?

Maybe you should bring your own flatware also, and dishes...can never be too safe.
 
It's fine to use a personal knife in an eating establishment as long as you holler, "I've got a mad sharp knife, yo!"--thereby giving any bystanders or wait staff ample warning. I'm fairly certain this is what Miss Manners recommends. I find that I get much quicker and more polite service. YMMV.
 
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