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I feel like its rude to take it home. ( although when people take stuff home that they brought to my place I don't mind.)

Some people I know that host pot lucks put out ziplock bags so that the guests can take home leftovers

It depends. Sometimes we will and sometimes we won't, depending on what the host has to say about it (like "please take the rest of your cake with you, I can't have it laying around my kitchen or I'll eat the whole thing!" or "Oh wow this cake was so good"). In the case of the second one, we'd leave it.

I would almost always leave it. The only exception is when there is a lot left and they are saying they won't eat it all, etc. Otherwise, I consider what I brought to be a gift whether we eat/drink it or not.

That said, I wish people brought home the beers they brought to our house yesterday! We have SO many left over, and they are all cold so have to stay in the fridge now, which is almost half full with beer. We enjoy a beer now and then, but with just the two of us it would be months before we can get through it all!

I usually don't use disposable dishes... so I take mine with me when I go. But I always ask the host if they would like to keep the food, I just want my dish back. Usually the host wants you to get the food out of the house so they don't eat it all : ) If we bring drinks I always leave the extras behind.

Depends on what it is, drinks we usually leave, especially if put in a communal cooler, but food I usually take just because I don't want to lose the container/dish. I never use disposable dishes for that stuff, unless it is a LARGE potluck and we know we will be leaving earlier than most guests or some situation like that.

Unless the host asks us to take it home with us, I always leave it.

I leave it, unless the container is mine. Then I kind of play it by ear - if it's someone I know I'll get it back from (family, close friend) I'll call them that week for the container. If it's an acquaintance or someone I don't see often, I will ask them - "Want me to scoop this X into tupperware for you?" etc.

Depends upon what it is and how much is left. If I am particularly fond of the item I'll take it with me, however I often bring items that I may not be thrilled with but I know other people enjoy in which case I'll leave it. As for drinks, I usually take those with me.
We host an annual "clam bake" and I hate having to deal with leftovers/return dishes so I am all the more happy when folks take their leftovers with them.

I think it really depends. Most of the time when we get together with friends or family EVERYONE brings WAY too much food and if we left it all for the host they would literally be eating for a week. In those situations everyone takes home some of everything - that's just how it is in our circle.

If we are getting together with people who we aren't that close with, I leave it with the hostess unless she asks me to take it.

I leave it

I take if on a case by case basis, depending on the type of party and who is hosting. We went to a beach party at a friends house last weekend and everyone brought their own cooler of drinks, we took our cooler home and whatever was left in it. In a situation where I went to a friends house for dinner, or a more formal party and brought a few bottles of wine, I would leave them behind if they werent consumed. I always leave the leftover food situation up to the host. Based on their cleanup protocol, I'll either take it home, scoop it out and leave it, or whatever seems to be working. I've also started to make and bring things in throw away dishes or ziploc tupperware so that I don't have to worry about getting it back.