Why do restaurants serve food on manky looking wooden boards.

[Aeroflotgirl]

We went to a well known restaurant last night with some friends. I have never been there before, so diden't know what to expect. The food was great, but food was served on this rather manky looking chopping board type thing. I asked for a plate so that I could put my food, and was given one. Is this the done thing now! Wooden boards are not that hygienic, I was thinking of all the germs harbouring on there. I will go there again, and next time as I am ordering, ask the server for a plate.

I like plates and glasses, I don't like eating from chopping boards/slate and drinking from jam jars. Hopefully this wanky fuckwittery will end soon.

Well I don't mind a board, I quite like them

But give me a meal like chicken with potatoes in a fancy sauce in a bowl where it's impossible to cut the bloody thing now that makes me "crazy"

To be fair I work in a restaurant where lots of dishes go out on boards or similar and I have never had so much as a raised eyebrow from a customer over this.

I agree specific, if restaurants do that, they should tell the customer so that they are aware, or print it within their menu, that they do serve on boards, slates etc, if you would prefer a plate, please let the server know. I did not slag the restaurant off, I did not name them, I said that their food was lovely, which it was and would go there again. All I was observing is this new trend for using boards, and not plates.

user1469914265 must work for the restaurant ...

I don't know why they do this.

I just want a nice clean white plate

Or when they serve your tirimuisi in a flower pot why just why?

I ordered fish chips and mushy peas once. The fish came on a board, wrapped in pretendy newspaper, the chips in a miniature chip basket and the peas in a miniature saucepan! " can I get you anything else?" Erm yes a plate please

I hate all this weird alternative platery too. I blame Great British Menu - they always seem to serve things in the most ludicrous receptacles.

And wooden boards are indeed particularly awful. I had a meal at a chain place jn France a while ago where the gimmick was to serve everything on wooden boards. But the board I got was reeking - it smelled like a particularly stinky old dishrag (the kind you find festering in a sink under 2 weeks' worth of dirty dishes in a student flat). And so did my food. (Though I don't suppose I can blame GBM for that one).

Red it might be a British thing, to put up and shut up, or too embarrassed to tell you. I am from the Mediterranean, and we would be more likely to say.

Try again

It might have stemmed from these trendy tv chefs using alternative erm plattery when they cook. I have been to many restaurants, pubs, this is the first time with no plate. I like a nice big white plate to eat off and to spread my food on, a board does not do it.

Like my mum said, if you don't ask, you don't get.

Wood is actually one of the most difficult things to clean IME.

I broke my wooden chopping board once, and a millipede crept out

Not just wooden boards, but ive have chips in plant pots, chips in little buckets, chips in little frying baskets, prawn cocktail in a Kilner jam jar with the lid fastened shut and a chocolate pudding served in a tate and lyle golden syrup tin.

Just why?

I broke my wooden chopping board once, and a millipede crept out

EWWWWWWW!

Oh yes, Ice cream on a bloody slate! What the fuck is that all about?! Ice cream obviously melts and it goes everywhere.

I don't have issues with eating off boards as such, but they are messy.

Aeroflotgirl that's ewwww! Against instructions I chuck my wood boards in the dish washer so hopefully that would be too hot for any millipedes.

It kills the boards eventually but you get a good two years out of a cheap ikea wood block before its warps and splits too bad.

I ask for a plate too sometimes.

Does depend on what it is I am eating and how ludicrous the non-platery actually is.. for example, burger and chips on a board with the chips in a metal bucket or mini chip fryer.. I'll probably let that go.

Something I need to cut up like steak, on a board or a slate (ugh, knife on slate!), something with sauce on it thats going to run off the slate or board or shovel or whatever.. Yeah, I ask for a plate, no one I've been out with has ever been embarrassed by me doing so (a few have gone " Oh! Yes I'd like a plate too please").. as I am not rude about it!

Bella italia chips I'm small frying basket bugs me.

I am glad I have some support. Yes it was awful, I dropped it on the floor, it split and the little bugger crawled out. I just think of all those germs and bacteria lurking in those boards. They have knife marks, so bacteria can get caught in them, yuck 😷

I was out last night and ordered baked prawns which came in a little dish on a slate which was warm which was bad enough by itself but they had put a pat of garlic butter onto the warm slate and it was dripping off the edge as they handed it to me! Luckily it dripped into the table and not my clothes grr

I asked the waiter to replace it and put it on a plate which he did without batting an eyelid and with a smile and apology. When he cleared the starter away I asked him to make sure that my main course was served on a plate which he did without problems.

I always return food and ask for it to be plated. I always ask politely and no-one ever seems to mind.

Exactly nokid I asked nicely for a plate, which was given to me without fuss by the very nice server, judging by some of the comment on here, one woukd have thought I berated the poor lady.