The Plastic Red Flag We Just Can't Ignore At Restaurants

Is there anything that can convince you to stop going to a restaurant when it's not technically a bad place? Most of us have some red flags we are on the lookout for. They don't have to be as overt as poor hygiene or improperly prepared food. Red flags can include things like not being greeted when you come in, uncomfortable seating, or a massive, unfocused menu. Lots of things can indicate that the restaurant experience may not meet your standards. One that's tough to overlook is how your food is presented — it's hard to take a restaurant seriously if they use plastic plates, cups, and utensils.

When Tasting Table caught up with expert mixologist Julie Reiner at a Nature Made x Tenspace pop-up, we asked her if she thought using plastic in a restaurant was a red flag. "Yes. Well, I mean, it's just that it's very lowbrow in a way and, to me, that sort of says that it's the quality level," Reiner explains. "I equate the quality level with what the service is. And if it's paper plates and plastic cutlery and plastic cups, that's certainly not the dining experience I'm seeking out."

Context is key, of course, and Reiner isn't dismissing serving food on paper plates or with plastic utensils out of hand. Whether this is appropriate just depends on where and when you're eating. It's the difference between a fast food restaurant and a fine dining establishment, for instance. You'll have different expectations of both. Reiner adds, "I don't want to sit down in a restaurant and have a plastic fork."

According to Reiner, plastic utensils are perfectly reasonable somewhere like a barbecue spot on the side of the road, or from a street food vendor. This is because part of the appeal of those places is that they are relaxed and casual. Plus, you're probably taking the food to go. In those cases, you shouldn't expect glassware or metal cutlery.

However, plastic cups and cutlery were among our red flags that indicate you're at a bad pub – though this can apply to any restaurant. One of the main problems with using this type of tableware at a sit-down restaurant is that it seems like the establishment doesn't care or couldn't be bothered to buy nicer items to serve diners. As a customer, it also makes you wonder if the eatery doesn't care about the food they're making. This "cheap" representation can make everything seem low-quality and suspect. Seeing disposable items instead of proper dinnerware can even make customers question hygiene practices in the kitchen.

Not only are disposable items a bad idea environmentally with the extra trash they create, they also make the dining experience less pleasant. We all know plastic forks and knives don't stand up well to a lot of foods like a medium-rare grilled steak. Broken and bent tines, difficulty cutting, and plates that soak through are just some of the problems. If you think plastic utensils are a red flag too, know that you are not alone. This is one small thing any serious restaurant should know better than to do.