No More Plastic Straws In Restuarants?
By DB
@dgobucks226 (34356)
January 18, 2018 4:36pm CST
DMK restaurants, a Chicago based chain has decided to eliminate using plastic straws. The Great Lakes and oceans have increasing been polluted with single use plastics, like straws according to environmental groups. Americans use an estimated 500 million plastic straws daily! DMK states they can no longer be a part of this, and will no longer offer these straws in their 14 national restaurants.
Many other restuarants are deciding to follow suit. Some restaurants follow an offer-first policy asking customers if they want straws with their drinks. It seems when given a choice more than half of them decline.
Do you use a plastic straw in your drinks when eating at a restuarant or fast food establishment? Is eliminating straws a good practice to follow or do you think it might be seen negatively by customers? What other options would you suggest for restaurants who want to be environmentally responsible?
Summarizied from online article - Extra Crispy (by Catherine Zhang)
Photo- google images/dmkrestaurants.com
17 people like this
18 responses
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
19 Jan 18
that's the way it should be too @LadyDuck .1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Yes, every establishment I have ever eaten at provides a straw with you beverage.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458085)
• Switzerland
20 Jan 18
@nanette64 People usually drink from a glass here, sometimes directly from the small water bottle, nobody asks for a straw, sometimes kids.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Jan 18
The bay area (San Francisco-Oakland) does not have plastic lids on drinks in the name of the environment. So what did I witness? Nasty things falling into beverages.
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Good point! Especially an issue in fast food and convenience stores like Quick Check.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Jan 18
Yes, I sure do use the plastic straws. I wonder if there is any other material a straw could be made from. For a one time use? . Didn't they used to make them with paper.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Yes, you are correct about the paper kind. Some places are now substituting paper straws for the plastic.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Jan 18
@dgobucks226 .....I would think most places would want to have an alternative for their customers.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
21 Jan 18
@celticeagle I agree. It is just good business to do that 
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Many eateries are starting to do this now. Or they will ask if they need a straw instead of just providing one. When offered half say I don't.
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
20 Jan 18
@dgobucks226 are they going to bring back the paper one?The reason for the straw as many people do not trust the cleaness of the glass.I for one.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
21 Jan 18
@amadeo I feel the same way about the glass being germ free. Some restaurants are bringing back the paper straw, Alfredo.
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
19 Jan 18
We would have to eliminate so many things in the production of products simply because the barges that take all of the cities trash from the east coast alone take them out into the Atlantic Ocean and dump them. Right now there is an island of garbage the size of Texas out there @dgobucks226 .
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Jan 18
@dgobucks226 A lot of things 'can' be recycled; it's just a question of whether or not they get to the places that do the recycling. There is too much recyclable material being thrown on the city streets, along highways and dumped into rivers, lakes and oceans.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
20 Jan 18
@nanette64 Oh yes I agree with you completely. I find some people are either to lazy, don't care or are completely uneducated when it comes to recycling. And many companies are also to blame!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
If I am following your argument you are saying that is not possible to cut out all recyclables is that right? Due to the expense to do so and the amount of garbage already in barges.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Definitely a good idea. Some restaurants are now providing paper straws and replacing the plastic.
@FourWalls (62118)
• United States
20 Jan 18
Ah, so we’re reverting to the days of cloth diapers, paper straws, paper grocery bags, and deposits on soda bottles. Everything old is new again.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
19 Jan 18
That is a ridiculous amount of staws! We are all so wasteful and this has to stop. We are destroying the planet and killing ourselves aren't we?
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
21 Jan 18
Agreed Pat! Amazing something so simple as a straw can be overused to the point of being a hazard to the planet 
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
20 Jan 18
@dgobucks226 , same here, there is always a straw supplied with a glass of soda, David. Guess it will be up to us to not use them.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Yes Catherine, I have used straws about half the time, maybe I should not use them at all. In the U.S. they always provide you with a straw whether you ask or not.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79708)
• United States
27 Jan 18
They should go back to paper straws . I really don't like to drink directly out of a glass in a restaurant
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
28 Jan 18
That would solve a lot of environmental problems and let us enjoy our drinks.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
20 Jan 18
@JudyEv I did too! After researching alternatives online I saw some eateries are using this method to combat pollution.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Yes I could see that. Plastic straws could be replaced with biodegradable paper ones as some eateries are doing.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129470)
• Israel
12 Oct 18
@dgobucks226
We have plastic straws here in Jerusalem and I have at home and they are great to use with drinks I may spill on me so I can put a straw in to drink it fine.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
12 Oct 18
There is a big concern over plastic winding up in our lakes and oceans. This is why there is a push to use paper straws instead. It is more environmentally friendly and biodegradable.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129470)
• Israel
14 Oct 18
@dgobucks226
I see and it makes sense. I am glad we still have straws here to use.
1 person likes this
@Daelii (5619)
• United States
26 Jan 18
I would like to see more reusable cups.
One place here offered them for a short promotion. Bring the cup and get a cheaper drink!
I easily didn't mind getting a reusable coffee mug from church for 10. It is better than the reusable one to save environment!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
27 Jan 18
Reusable cups would definitely be a good idea. Stores did it with plastic bags in the U.S. They would for at time take 5 cents off your grocery total. Unfortunately, they discontinued the practice, but I return them anyway.
1 person likes this
@Daelii (5619)
• United States
27 Jan 18
@dgobucks226 over here anyone can bring in cloth bags for bagging their own stuff. No discount is given though and some places even have you ring up your own merchandise!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
I agree. Many of these eating places are trying to do that by offering alternatives like paper straws.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
19 Jan 18
i don't use them-but my mother does-she has a coordination problem,it's easier than trying to sip without spilling.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
Using a straw is definitely convenient. Probably the reason eateries offer them to customers. Interesting fact, when people are asked if they need a straw rather than just giving them one, half say no.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
19 Jan 18
I do use plastic straws in restaurants.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34356)
•
19 Jan 18
I have many times. Since I read how the plastic straws have been polluting our lakes and the extreme number of them being used I am reconsidering.
1 person likes this
@rina110383 (24495)
•
19 Jan 18
No, some establishments here don't provide plastic straws anymore. I don't use straws when I'm outside.
1 person likes this
