Article

Pretty in plastic

Move over metal, disposable tableware is stepping up.

March 14, 2007

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, United States aviation authorities banned metal dinner utensils used for in-flight meals. The quick solution: replace metal with plastic.

 

Similarly, when the Ritchie County Commission of West Virginia declared a drought-induced state of emergency, P&H Restaurant in Pennsboro switched from using glassware and stainless steel to Styrofoam plates and plastic tableware. The dishwasher went on vacation, saving thousands of gallons of water over the course of a few weeks, and according to store management, business remained brisk despite the utensil downscaling.

 

Emergencies haven't forced fast casuals to adopt disposables, however. For those concepts opting for one-time-use utensils, the choice is a deliberate one.

 

"We've gone back and forth over the years about the quality of our plastic wares," said Scott Hughes, vice president of marketing for Burlington, Vt.-based Bruegger's. "We've gone from extremely cheap to high end, experimenting with pretty much the whole spectrum of what's out there."

 

Adopting disposables isn't always an easy decision for fast casuals aiming to appear more upscale than their quick-service counterparts. Plus, either way you go, costs are involved. "Real" tableware requires dishwashers and machines, and the cost of disposables — like the polypropylene pieces themselves — never goes away.

 

Manufacturers of disposable tableware have created their own answer to that question by producing flatware, plates and cups whose looks and user-friendliness rival the real thing. In their tests and trials, Bruegger's found quality in plastics definitely makes a difference.

 

"There's a minimum standard you need to have," Hughes said. "We're actually watching folks like Panera and Quiznos and others that are using actual silverware and ceramic cups. There's probably something to using those traditional wares, but our challenge is, how do we integrate that into our concept operationally? Using high-end disposables has proven to be the best way to go."

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Since plastic does not biodegrade, many operators are concerned about the permanent impact of sending it to a landfill. But according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the publication "Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States Facts and Figures for 2003," about 0.6 percent of solid waste disposed of in the United States is polystyrene packaging. This includes both foodservice packaging and protective packaging — shaped-end pieces used to ship electronic goods and loose-fill "peanuts." By comparison, food waste accounts for more than 10 percent of landfill mass.

 

Durable disposables

 

The ongoing cost of disposables versus comparably fixed costs of handling reusable dinnerware has been debated for some time. While china and melamine plates break, and silverware is stolen or thrown in the trash, the percentage of those expenses overall likely represents less money than that spent on disposables. But throw in the cost of a dish machine, the utilities and the personnel required to operate it, and you've got expenses eliminated by disposables.

 

Disposables are not only more attractive visually than ever, the sheer number of options boosts their value. Polycarbonate drinkware and disposable barware are great for outdoor seating and locations where glass is not permissible. The glassware, made from rigid styrene plastic, is durable, shatterproof and dishwasher safe. Consider the latest disposable stemware – think wine glasses with fragile stems – that are as elegant as their breakable cousins. (One downside voiced by beverage connoisseurs, however, is plastic's poor temperature retention.)

 

Durability is another modern-day attribute of disposables. Dixie's Ultralux plates are available with either a patented three- or five-layer construction with a "soak-proof shield" that gives the plate a rigid strength. The company's Superware line touts a pressed-paper construction, also with a moisture barrier, that repels grease and holds up to knife cuts.

 

"There's somewhat of a culture shift in how people look at quality and what they want in a disposable," said Jon Riethmaier, account coordinator at Brand Resources Group, an affiliate of Dixie Foodservice. "Obviously we're way out of the age of Styrofoam containers. People want something that feels more like permanent ware, something that people can put their knife down to without cutting through."