Ordering Take-out
In conversation with Kimberley, founder of Nimble.
At this point it is well known that eating in plastic should be avoided for environmental and health reasons. But can we escape wrapping food in plastic? Food services spend nearly 24 Billion USD annually on disposables discarding a trillion pieces of single use items! Taking food to-go or packing leftovers from a large meal at a restaurant often results in food being stored in plastic or plastic-lined paper boxes. Let’s hear from
, who routinely carries her own reusable boxes when dining out to pack up any excess food, and I can confirm it’s easily possible to make this change in habit. As more of us become aware of the benefits we will avoid asking for a plastic box at the table. But my question was - “What about take-out?”.Take out the Plastic waste from Take-out
“It is entirely possible to bring your own containers for take-out. Just let the restaurant staff know when ordering that you will be bringing your own containers, whether on the phone or through the note field online”, suggests Kimberley, adding “If they have any reservations about using your containers or don't know what this means for them to do, you can request them to ‘plate the food as if dining in’ so it will be served as it would if you were going to eat there. Then, you can transfer the food to your own containers at the restaurant. I agree, today this works when you are picking up food yourself, but I believe reducing plastic box usage even by half is a big step forward.
Bring-Your-Own Reusable Food and Beverage Containers Law
Kimberley also points out a helpful tip for California residents. California passed a law AB 619 in 2019 for how businesses can accept customers’ own containers in compliance with health regulations, while minimizing single-use containers:
“Either the container should be isolated (basically filled up outside the kitchen) or the serving surface simply needs to be wiped clean to sanitize after transferring food into the customer’s containers”, she adds. If the restaurant doesn't know about this law and how to use your own containers in compliance with health codes, feel free to educate them!
This approach is certainly preferable to generating plastic waste that could persist for 500 years.
Carry reusable boxes for leftovers. It’s simple!
Inform the restaurant either over the call or in the notes section of the online order that you will be bringing your own containers.
Or, “Plate as if dining in”, to indicate to the restaurant that you would like to pack it in your boxes when you arrive.
What can restaurants do?
For restaurants interested in creating a clean environment and catering to eco-conscious customers - there are ways to promote sustainability via your businesses. Boost your eco-friendly brand image and loyalty starting with this minor change. Update your websites to indicate you accept and would encourage customers to bring in their own containers. Set aside space for people to pack up their food before you make any permanent changes in the packing process based on your observations.
It will be exciting to see how individuals embrace these changes and how restaurants innovate to support a growing community of environmentally conscious customers.
About
Kimberley has long been passionate about sustainability, environmental and social justice, and activism towards a world that works for all. She is the founder of Nimble, working to normalize repair of household goods.