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We want food to be served on plates, like normal, civilized Pandas. Don’t give us grub in avocado shells, slop on bits of wood, chips stuck in rocks, or sushi served in bonsai trees. We can’t take it anymore! We deserve to be treated properly, not like Dr. Frankenfood’s guinea pigs.

Thankfully, there’s an entire online community that’s dedicated to shaming truly egregious examples of restaurants serving food on stuff that makes us go, ‘Seriously, what the heck were they thinking?’ The ‘We Want Plates’ subreddit is home to 795k folks who have declared war on plateless food and drink presentation. We’ve collected the most horrifying recent photos to show you just how bad things can get when the people running things no longer have any link to reality.

Scroll down for the crème de la crème of ideas that shouldn’t be repeated, ever. We guarantee that you’ll start respecting places that use actual plates far more from now on. In the meantime, try not to lose your appetite. And if you’d like some more awful plateless pics, here’s dessert in the form of Bored Panda’s most recent articles about r/WeWantPlates here and here. Bon appétit!

Bored Panda reached out to pie artist and the author of 'Pies Are Awesome,' Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, to have a chat about why some restaurants go overboard with food presentation, the importance of context, and how much the visuals impact our enjoyment of the entire meal. Jessica said that the adage that "we eat first with our eyes" is very true and that artful plating doesn't mean randomness. There's nothing wrong with fanciness, quality, and creativity if it's all done right. Unfortunately, not everyone's up to par.

More info: WeWantPlates.com | Reddit | Facebook | Instagram |Twitter

#1

Friend Of A Friend's "Curry On A Tile". My Dog Was That Sick Once

Friend Of A Friend's "Curry On A Tile". My Dog Was That Sick Once

RKips Report

"The presentation of a dish—both the food and the serving vessels—can have a huge impact on the impression we have of the food we are about to consume. The most delicious-looking slice of beef wellington you’ve ever seen, plated on a chipped plate with a dirty thumbprint in the corner is just not going to be the taste sensation that it ought to be because you will be preoccupied with the grody presentation," the talented pie artist explained. "Likewise, a fairly pedestrian mini cupcake, presented on a charming little gold carousel that you must hand crank to reveal your treat, is suddenly elevated by whimsical association."

How food is served can play into a chef's understanding of what gastronomic narrative they want to present to their guests. It acts as an amplifier and that's why it's always a risk: you can either make a great meal even better or you can crash the entire experience.

"When chefs go above and beyond in the consideration of the presentation of their food, it is because they are looking to craft a little narrative and add meaning to the experience of consuming their food. When done well, this added meaning enhances the guest’s experience and leaves a lasting pleasant impression. When done poorly, it detracts from the experience of eating the food and leaves guests frustrated, grossed out, or simply bemused," pie artist Jessica shared with Bored Panda.

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#2

Presenting, 4 Chip On A Rock

Presenting, 4 Chip On A Rock

I have decided to clarify a few things.
1. The 4 chips were free with two half liter mugs of beer (~16 dollars)
2. Yes, the rock was filthy and disgusting and I did not look into the crevices to gaze upon mold central station as there's no possible way they were cleaning it properly
3. Yes, I did still eat the chips because I was pretty drunk and very hungry
4. The chips did not taste good and were a bit soggy
5. They did not refill the chips even though we ordered 4 more beers
6. No, I did not complain because I have immense social anxiety in restaurant situations
 

peachyfr Report

#3

I’m A Hairstylist And By Law Cannot Use Wood Handled Brushes Because They “Can’t Be Sanitized”, But I Can Legally Be Served Food On Wood

I’m A Hairstylist And By Law Cannot Use Wood Handled Brushes Because They “Can’t Be Sanitized”, But I Can Legally Be Served Food On Wood

emilyMartian Report

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amandak27 avatar
katejones_1 avatar
Kate Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So these are specially treated and sold for restaurants. They also get cleaned the same way any cutting board is cleaned -usually in a high pressure dishwater with super hot water and a sanitizing cycle. I mean... it depends on the restaurant, obviously. They could be nasty and they bought this off of ebay or whatever. They could also have rats and cockroaches. But If it's a higher end place then they are perfectly safe to eat from as long as you see the other dishware is clean.

capetillar avatar
AnkleByter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is no way for these to get disinfected or properly cleaned. They are also not specially treated. While some restaurants might have something similar that is, it doesn't apply here. Do you notice how porous this thing is (the "sauce" dare I call it that, is actually soaking in to the wood in places)? That literally negates any possibility that they can be properly cleaned. This is just one of those "look at how trendy we are" things. I'm honestly disgusted that this person actually ate what was on it

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SabbeRubbish
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, when treated with the right oil (tung oil e.g.) it can become non-porous. Hence washable without residu of bacteria.

therienml avatar
Michele Therien
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bacteria cannot grow on wood. https://hardwoodreflections.com/is-wood-naturally-antibacterial/#:~:text=Wood%20is%20Proven%20to%20be,wooden%20boards%20the%20next%20day.

capetillar avatar
AnkleByter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bacteria very much can live in between the cracks of wood-which this thing has in abundance, as other particles may be present and the bacteria will instead grow on that. These wood rounds have more than just a flat wood surface. The study(well, studies) regarding bacteria and wood all refer to flat pieces of wood used in surfaces like cutting boards, most of which is treated, not something like this.

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Evan Singleton
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it's NSF certified, then sure. Disinfection/cleaning procedures in restaurants are totally different than in hair salons (think hot dishwasher), so this is not a very good comparison.

saraheac avatar
YetAnotherSarah
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a butcher block counter that routinely touches the majority of foods my family eats (excluding raw meat, obviously). I scrub it down. I periodically reapply a coating of rice bran oil. I less frequently apply a rice bran oil/beeswax mix. Sometimes I sand it all down and start again. But it's just wood.

oki avatar
Oki
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not legal in all countries... in Israel you can only serve bread on wood.

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Spider
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wait, ONLY serve bread on wood? Like it's illegal to serve bread on ceramic or glass or something? Weird, I wonder why that became a thing.

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Janet Graham
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some dishes have traditionally been served on wood. But the wood is generally under the food when it cooks and the high heat does sterilize it. When I worked in a pizza parlor, we have wooden countertops where the pizzas were cut and wood paddles we used to remove the pie from the oven. At night, everything got a bleach wash, hot water rinse and then corn meal was used to absorb any residual moisture. By the next day, everything was totally dry and smelled very fresh.

ni_matsu avatar
Nicole Cabrera
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is anyone else thinking about how many centuries people have been eating with chop sticks?

benjaminmazzola avatar
Nagisa11
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Put salad bowl finish on it. That's what we did in woodshop when we made bowls

jordanwestall avatar
Jordan Westall
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most the time if they aren't specially treated ones they are new and thrown away

llsewer avatar
Jaguarundi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We weren't allowed to use anything made of wood to be re-usable in the kitchens that I worked in years ago. Even the steak knives had metal handles and we never served anything on a wooden plate.

maxm_1 avatar
Max M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

looks like an alcoholic vomited up last nights noodles/whisky, great

sueuser avatar
Sue User
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At forst I tbought they meant the skewers. Then I saw the "plate". . Barf.

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"Artful plating is not a competition to see who can inject the most randomness and absurdity onto a table! Unless of course, the meaning you want to impart has to do with conveying a sense of absurdity as a critical commentary on societal excess… but that’s a little meta for most chefs!"

According to the food expert, some restaurants have a holistic approach to the service that they provide their clientele. "They consider the experience of sitting down for a meal at their establishment to be a form of sensory engagement designed to delight and harmonize taste, texture, fragrance, appearance (of the food, plating, and larger room ambience), sounds, and general mood."

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However, only a small handful of establishments can lay claim to this level of sophistication and thematic dedication. There are a lot of (unsuccessful) copycats who don't fully understand the role of each element of the experience.

#4

I Love It When You Call Me Señormeata

I Love It When You Call Me Señormeata

Weird-Road-2126 Report

#5

The Cream Sauce Is Already Running Off The Sides, Can't Wait For The Gravy To Go Everywhere As Well!

The Cream Sauce Is Already Running Off The Sides, Can't Wait For The Gravy To Go Everywhere As Well!

DPick02 Report

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KJ
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's going to be fun when it starts dripping through the table onto their legs.

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"In an attempt to emulate the success and sophistication of these rarified venues, on occasion newcomers to the restaurant game will copy certain aspects of what is meant to be an integrated holistic experience and in doing so, really miss the mark. This is where you’ll encounter the mediocre establishments presenting mediocre fare on objectively ridiculous serving objects, devoid of any context or meaning."

Bored Panda was curious to hear about Jessica's own experiences with food being served in peculiar ways. She revealed to us that she is a "high tea aficionado" and that this particular experience is "very aesthetic-forward." And this is where the importance of context really comes into play.

"I’m a “high tea” aficionado and the experience of high tea is very aesthetic-forward. I’ve seen some delightful presentations of treats like spun caramel clouds served on the branches of brass trees and little jack-in-the-box petit fours. But these types of interactive presentations are appropriate in this context because you are there to spend two hours being delighted," the pie artist said that these are instances where serving food in innovative ways completely matches the intent of the chef and the narrative they're trying to create.

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#7

They Gave Me A Mirror So I Can Look At My Lonely Self

They Gave Me A Mirror So I Can Look At My Lonely Self

Derockk Report

#8

So Close, Yet So Far

So Close, Yet So Far

faucherie Report

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fabrice_1 avatar
Fabrice
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a disgusting and pointless way to serve "steak tartare". And it's a Frenchman who writes it (and yes I also like snails, but not frog legs)

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#9

Glazed Donut Grilled Cheese Hanging Over Tomato Soup

Glazed Donut Grilled Cheese Hanging Over Tomato Soup

BrauMoarBier Report

"If I was to pop into a greasy spoon on my way home at 2 am and just want to stuff my face with some calories, I would be rather less delighted to find my fries individually harpooned and served on a little tree!" Jessica joked, and now we can't stop thinking about how we'd love to see just that!

"I also have fond memories of kids' meals served in a little cardboard boat (a 'Pirate Pak') when I was a child… Sadly they won't serve me 'Pirate Paks' anymore (I asked!)," the pie artist suggested that growing up isn't all that it's cracked up to be. We think that everyone deserves to have a 'Pirate Pak' if they want one, no questions asked.

The members of r/WeWantPlates obviously have good taste. They can recognize when fashion-forward serving ideas simply aren’t up to par. Sure, we might all mumble how everything depends on taste and how even the worst-designed thing will have a niche full of fans, but let’s get real here: there are some objectively bad decisions.

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Like serving meat in a jewelry box with a mirror. Like putting food on top of a garbage can lid. Like bringing out a piece of cake on a slab of table (most likely yours). Oh, it’s definitely brave to present food in such a way. But bravery doesn’t really pay off if there’s no thought behind the process. There’s got to be at least a dollop of good taste there somewhere. Otherwise, you’ll end up with disappointed customers and an entire subreddit that pokes fun at ridiculous restaurants.

#10

Raw King Crab On A Fence

Raw King Crab On A Fence

fleamarketart Report

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luluvandy6124 avatar
Laura Jackson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks like someone sneezed too hard and tried to use a broom to clean it up.🙄🤢🤮

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#11

I Have A Sinking Feeling About This Quesadilla

I Have A Sinking Feeling About This Quesadilla

exponentia Report

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Marika
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hahahaha, okay, it took me a few seconds to spot the tap and get the pun in the title!

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#12

Guys... Sushi On A Tree

Guys... Sushi On A Tree

DesoleBitches Report

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Sophhh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Restaurant fr ran outta plates and grabbed the first thing they saw 💀

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Look, we’re not saying that the food industry shouldn’t push the boundaries and experiment with new cooking techniques and aesthetic presentations. That should definitely happen.

But restaurants should be agile enough to realize when something is just silly and pivot to avoid making fools of themselves. Does anyone truly want to be known as ‘that place that sticks bits of seafood on a tiny fence’? Or ‘those weirdos who bring out sushi on a creepy mannequin’s hand’? Experiment, for sure, but don’t stick to a horrible decision just because you don’t want to admit you were oh-so-wrong.

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The ‘We Want Plates’ community has been growing strong since the midsummer of 2015 and we have no doubt that some of you Pandas will want to join the community after going through this list.

There are some rules that you need to be aware of, of course. For example, above everything else, the moderators ask you to be civil. “This means no personal insults or threatening behavior. You'll get one warning and then it's perma-ban time,” they write loud and clear.

Meanwhile, don’t post pics of avolattes (lattes served in avocados) or else you’ll be banned. What’s more, you should definitely not post any photos not taken in restaurants. And just because there’s a plate somewhere in the frame doesn’t take away from the fact that some meals are served on atrocious objects.

#13

Upscale Restaurant - Serves Cocktail In An Old Soup Can. Why?

Upscale Restaurant - Serves Cocktail In An Old Soup Can. Why?

Simonsaid2 Report

#14

From A Local Restauraunt. A Massive Breakfast Challenge On A Garbage Can Lid

From A Local Restauraunt. A Massive Breakfast Challenge On A Garbage Can Lid

Animusical Report

#15

Onion Ring Tower At Red Robin, Comes With Complimentary Paint Chips

Onion Ring Tower At Red Robin, Comes With Complimentary Paint Chips

ukpittfan1 Report

Previously, Bored Panda had a chat with Ross McGinnes, the founder of ‘We Want Plates,’ about the roots of the project. He told us that he started the campaign way back in 2015 when a friend of his shared a picture on Facebook of a steak served on a chopping board.

#16

Nachos Are Messy Enough On A Real Plate. This Atrocity Was At Topgolf

Nachos Are Messy Enough On A Real Plate. This Atrocity Was At Topgolf

they-call-me-milf Report

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katejones_1 avatar
Kate Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can we please jut vote that smears are done and over? Like...lets move on from the smeared product on a plate. That's like season 1 of Top Chef, lol.

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#17

Cake-Shake!!

Cake-Shake!!

annie_martin1 Report

#18

I Don’t Even Know What To Call This

I Don’t Even Know What To Call This

Killingstar Report

“It was captioned, unironically, ‘That is a big meal!’ It wasn't a big meal—he'd fallen for all this style-over-content hipster gastropub nonsense. I searched Twitter for an account which would allow me to vent my spleen with like-minded people, but found nothing. We Want Plates was born,” he told us.

#19

Tapas On Jack Nicholson’s Head

Tapas On Jack Nicholson’s Head

pericoXVI Report

#20

Can We Please Just Use A Normal Glass?

Can We Please Just Use A Normal Glass?

AarupA Report

#21

This Bloody Marry At My Work Place With A Burger On Top

This Bloody Marry At My Work Place With A Burger On Top

cowstickwick Report

According to the founder, some restaurants avoid using plates because they want to stand out. “My local pub used to do a great Sunday roast: twelve quid, piled high, tasted great and yes, it came on a plate. One weekend they added a quirky offering to the menu: little sandwiches, pies, dainty cakes, and mini milkshakes served on a miniature picnic bench. The benches, painted bright pink and yellow, sat on top of tables seating actual grown adults. And what was the first thing these infantilized diners did? It wasn’t try the food—it was whip out their phones and take a picture,” Ross shared with Bored Panda.

#22

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream Because Things Are Now Starting To Melt Onto The Table

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream Because Things Are Now Starting To Melt Onto The Table

girl_girl_girl Report

#23

Soup In A Test Tube In A Block Of Wood

Soup In A Test Tube In A Block Of Wood

TrueBirch Report

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KJ
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Definitely needs to drink more water, sample provider is clearly very dehydrated.

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#24

Tonight’s Special… An $8 Avocado Half With Salt Labeled As “Guacamole”

Tonight’s Special… An $8 Avocado Half With Salt Labeled As “Guacamole”

reddit.com Report

“Over the following months the picnic benches became increasingly popular, coinciding with the specials board becoming progressively smaller, before it eventually disappeared altogether. I sat there one Sunday, watching bench after garish bench emerge from the kitchen like a technicolor carnival of idiocy, before my usual roast arrived,” he shared the gastronomically nightmarish experience with us.

See Also on Bored Panda

“The meat was cold and the potatoes were burnt. It was once their main Sunday trade, but the traditional roast had died an unpalatable death. But that’s OK because they were doing a roaring trade with the benches, right? Sure, until the pub down the road started doing them too. Then the one around the corner. Before you know it, everyone’s doing the same ‘quirky’ thing, except it’s not ‘quirky’ anymore because you can’t move for mini picnic benches and now all their roast dinners are rubbish to boot,” Ross said that restaurants tend to copy each other and passing fads spread like wildfire.

#28

The Chopping Board Isn’t Even Big Enough To Stop The Food From Touching The Table!

The Chopping Board Isn’t Even Big Enough To Stop The Food From Touching The Table!

AngieNovella Report

#30

My Pasta Came In A Metal Box

My Pasta Came In A Metal Box

sexybeluga Report

Note: this post originally had 82 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

“The worst I've encountered personally was when I was served a piece of cake on a table tennis bat in Barcelona around 2008. It still gives me sleepless nights,” he quipped. Hopefully, none of us will ever have to experience anything even in the same ballpark.